Social Change free essay sample

Sociology and Social change are not words that the average person thinks about on a daily basis. However, these are definitely two areas that effect society on a regularly. Chapter one of the textbook discusses these subjects. This chapter gives a detailed view of the kinds of change, levels of change, and causes of change. Although these are not things that are pondered upon, the information outlined in chapter one helps clarify why and how things change. It can be extremely difficult to read about or research a topic and not know exactly what it is. The first thing chapter one does is defines social change. The textbook’s definition of social change is â€Å"the significant alteration of social structure and cultural patterns through time. † In other words, it’s when there has been a big enough change in society and its actions over time to make an impact. This section also breaks down social structure as the interactions between people and groups that have become predictable. Some changes have only passing significance, others have more profound effects. SC can occur inside bureaucracies, outside, or in alliances that straddle each of these Laws can both facilitate and restrict social change (eg, civil rights, arresting environmental activists, marriage laws) Social Justice Equality and social Justice is the goal of much social change Social Justice while people differ profoundly as individuals, all are equally entitled to consideration and respect (Sargent et al. 998) Social change is brought about by: Conflict/Competition For Marx, class struggle Globalization Sputnik isasters Awareness eg, environment impacts, AIDS research Demographics immigration patterns Educational Change Fullan However noble, sophisticated, or enlightened proposals for change and improvement might be, they come to nothing if teachers dont adopt them in their own classrooms and if they dont translate them into effective classroom practice (p. 3). Whats worth fighting for in your school? (Fullan and Hargreaves, 1996). Fullan Hargreaves The following are reasons changes dont work: Problems themselves are complex, and not easily amenable to solutions given the esources at hand. Time lines are unrealistic because policy-makers want immediate results. There are tendencies toward faddism. Most strategies alienate teachers. Structural solutions (like curriculum) do not come with appropriate professional development. Which of these ring true for your district or institution? Why? Systemic Change http://academic. brooklyn. cuny. edu/education/]lemke Educational change is about interrupting sustainable processes and structures with deep embedding in a much larger social-economic-ecological system and Fostering the emergence of alternative rocesses and structures require understanding of timescales. All educational changes take place inside diverse, complex, multi-scale systems and seek to correct inequities. Complex Systems and Educational Change Jay Lemke, CCNT Reform efforts are more likely to be sustained when there is prior assessment of the school system and community readiness for change and when incremental changes alternate with periods of reflection, consolidation, and buy-in by all partners, including parents and the wider community [stepwise strategy] Time Scale of Educational Changes Phenomenon Teacher-student ratio Instructional unit of 3-12 months Teacher-student relayionship Use of textbooks Frontal, proscenium architecture; single dominant visual focus Lecture, question exchange structure Age segregation across age range 5 18 years Sequential curriculum; uniform content and pacing for all students at a given age Curriculum content in many fields (320) years 160 years 100 years Intervention driver process 50-100 years Curriculum reform mandates Curriculum reform implementation Teaching method change mandate New assessment mandates Assessment cycles Teacher education eform mandates Teacher preparation change Funding reform mandate Expenditure changes New technology development Widespread technology adoption Typical time 3-5 yrs 15 yrs 6-15 yrs 3 yrs . 5- 1. 0 year 3 yrs 5- 15 years 10 years 3-15 years 7-10 yrs 10-15yrs Enacting Positive Social Change Suppose, you wish to make history and not simply understand it. Suppose you want to effect change rather than simply gai n insight into it. Suppose you are confronted with the problem of, or desire to, change the Educational System. What change would you make? What challenges do you face? How do you proceed? Challenges Social inequality -Power Resistance to change politics environment social Justice $$$$ Bureaucracy Inequities in Education SOCIAL in origin not due to the biological or psychological characteristics of individuals Racial Gap in test scores Gender Math and Science Gap between rich and poor increases Unequal access to education, technology and health care Geographical isolation (Rural, regional, remote)limited access to resources Reformism Work from within institutions and communities to enact social change Use official bureaucratic procedures to achieve change eg, teacher organizations, legal aid dvisers, social service agencies, health institutions, businesses, able to access media, policy makers, and sympathetic members of dominant group Work with social and global movement groups Social Movement Groups Consist of people who seek, by their recurrent and collective activities, to influence social change in some particular direction (Sargent et al, 1998, p. 26) Embrace co ncerns related to culture, values and human rights Work outside traditional political institutions, but may have networks with various and advocacy organization that reports on financial statistics for government spending. According to NPP (nationalpriorities. org), we could have provided 29. 5 million college scholarships with the funds weve spent on the war in Iraq so far, and 3,300 scholarships with the funds taxpayers spent on security at the inauguration. Global Justice Movements Broad Alliance of people concerned with a range of issues have formed the basis of social Justice movements as the links between issues are made clearer Mobilizing people with a common agenda which serves as a basis for an alternative to status quo. Empowering Grassroots activists bring issues to the attention of politicians and scientists