Hello! Welcome to Greg’s InsighTalk. This time, education, as an essential social institution, is our topic of discussion. This lecture is the second part of our discussion on major social institutions. Let us pause for a while and reflect on why we sent our children to school or why we went to school. You might say, what a very elementary question. But please hold on to your answer until the end of this lecture. There might be something new for you as we go on.

Education is one of the pillars of our society, playing a crucial role in the progression of societal processes and culture as a whole. Its definition might vary from different perspectives and cultures, yet we will tackle the sociological viewpoint of such a significant social institution. In a communal or collective term, ¹education refers to social institutions where children of all ages learn academic and practical skills of the greater society’s social and cultural norms, meaning a reinforcement of social values and beliefs that would fit into the current social system. However, we must remember that the learning process starts when we are born. Thus, we must first recognize that such learning is an informal education process in which infants watch and imitate people around them. Then, as infants grow into young children, the learning process becomes more formal through play-based pre-schooling. From there, learning continues in a standard or structured way alongside the non-formal methods in various ways; for example, family orientation to interaction outside the home, such as the school and peer group.

Now, let us describe the two basic types of education that demonstrate education processes from informal to formal learning. On the one hand, informal education is unplanned and spontaneous learning outside the school setting. For instance, behaviours (good manners and proper conduct), norms, and values emanate from family interactions as the primary step toward socialization outside the home. In this sense and at birth, the family is the primary agent of socialization, although it might not see itself in this critical role. In this instance, the parents imply to be their children’s first teachers, teaching good values, manners and proper conduct as initial steps toward socializing outside their home.

On the other hand, formal education refers to a structured learning system that runs from primary to university. Educational institutions implement the learning process based on curricula, such as K-12 (primary to secondary levels) and postsecondary and tertiary programs focusing on particular specializations. Hence, both formal and informal education involves cultural transmission. Various terms refer to cultural transmission, such as multiculturalism, inclusion, integration and globalization in a broader sense.

It is essential to know the significance, role and ²functions of education. We must realize why people at a very young age need a solid educational foundation, from the family (the informal) to the formal school system. Formal education is free and compulsory from kindergarten to Grade 12 in most countries, particularly in rich nations. Today, education has four significant functions: socialization, social integration, social placement and social and cultural innovation. These functions will explain why children need to participate in the processes of learning institutions and how crucial it is as a social institution. Let us outline each social role of education. First, socialization is the most critical function of education, a process by which members of society learn to be proficient and productive citizens. It is a lifelong process of internalizing their social group’s cultural norms, values and behaviours from birth to late adulthood — for example, self-regulation, which is a process of calming our mind, managing our behaviour or self-control, especially at times of conflict or anger, in dealing with others. Primary socialization within the family is a critical foundation of social skills for managing emotions, thoughts and behaviour toward socialization from an early age. I chose this example because even adults could not regulate themselves in a worse situation involving themselves. Those skills are reinforced and nurtured outside the home, such as the school, peers, media, and other groups of people interacting with each other, also known as secondary agents of socialization.

The second function of education is social integration. It is a process of joining the young to a broader society and giving access to all areas of community life by subscribing to a standard set of beliefs, norms and values. For instance, to be a good citizen by obeying simple instructions, let us say, walking on pedestrian lanes and putting trash in designated bins. Social placement is the third function of education. This educational placement describes the capability of learners based on their strengths and weaknesses, such as being intellectually motivated, less driven, with a learning disability or exceptional learners. This kind of categorization is the basis of teaching instructions that will suit them best to prepare them for their future lives. Thus, to meet expectations based on structured curricula, differentiated instructions, individual education plans and regular instructions are prescribed or enforced by the school. One excellent example of this placement or classification is the Special Science schools or Special Education (SpEd program).

The fourth function of education is social and cultural innovation. The outcomes of our modern life and the shift in our social and cultural focus are products of the sophisticated minds of our scientists, thinkers and artists, among other educated individuals in the subject areas they have chosen to explore. Perfect examples of this are advancements in technology, such as in the medical field, engineering and artificial intelligence (AI), that shape our social life and alter our ordinary life routines.

Education as an institution changed its structure over time. In our current time, education does not only aim to teach the basics, such as the three Rs: reading, writing and arithmetic but trying to find solutions to complex problems brought by the constant change in society. Davies and Guppy (2018), cited by Corrigall-Brown (2020: 252), posit that we are currently living in a “schooled society.” It is because continuous growth in modern schooling demonstrates increasingly becoming integral to everyday life, and its forms increase and diversify modern schools, such as adult continuing education and online learning.

Moreover, the given functions have two categories, which sociologists focus on. First, the manifest functions are intended and straightforward, such as basic knowledge and skills: reading, writing, and arithmetic. Second, the latent functions are unintended, such as socialization to fit into mainstream society. Selection is also said to be a latent function in which individual capability plays the roles expected of them. For instance, educational achievement is the basis of one’s employability: high school or skills trade certificates and professional degrees. Many do not know that social placement requires legitimizing the knowledge or skills we acquire. That legitimation is similar to “credentialing” (Collins, 1979, cited in Corrigall-Brown, 2020: 256), which attests to the individual’s qualification or competence by an authorized party, for example, colleges and universities or any accredited training institutions.

Overall, education supplies the human resources necessary to run our economy, serving society’s needs. Today, we can observe that educational institutions train individuals based on society’s demands for diversified trades and industries. It offers specialized skills training and upgrading to provide workers with expertise in their chosen trades or professions in a complex division of labour, describing the dynamics of modern society. Thus, children’s education is the starting point for socializing in mainstream society. Then, later on, they are prepared to perform more significant societal roles. Considerably, the familiar context or framework of gaining education is to perform an occupation for the economy. That is to have an excellent job opportunity. You are right! It is most likely our first answer to why you send your child or children to school. You are equipping them to participate actively in economic activities after schooling. However, that is not the end of the education story. There is a lot more to delve into or probe next time. Thank you for watching Greg’s InsighTalk: Your Way, our way of understanding pieces of social facts.