CH-15-17 Families – Sociology My Compass for a New World : Book Guide

This Document Contains Chapters 15 to 17 Chapter 15 – Families 1. LEARNING OUTCOMES (WITH BLOOM’S TAXONOMY) After completing this chapter, students should be able to: • Differentiate between the traditional nuclear family and the types of families that are currently prevalent. • Contrast functionalist, conflict theory, and feminist perspectives on the family. • Summarize practices of mate selection in contemporary society. • Determine the ways in which divorce affects both adults and children. • Identify the different types of family configurations in which child are raised in Canada. • Indicate what kinds of policies can be used to support different forms of the family. 2. WHY IS THIS CHAPTER IMPORTANT TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS? Even though every student is a product of a family, most will not have reflected on their family, or ones that resemble it, beyond seeing it as a “natural” form, rather than a configuration born of a particular time and place. Hence, this topic is a twofold opportunity: on the one hand, students have the chance to develop a deeper understanding of the social circumstances that surround their own life experience, and on the other hand, they are challenged to recognize the existence of family forms that are very different from their own. In contemporary Canadian society, there is no singular thing called “the family.” Instead, we are seeing a diversity of family forms that are emerging in response to larger social changes. For students, the topic of families is a crucial part of developing an understanding of our era from a sociological perspective. 3. WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CARE? All humans are born into, and socialized within, a family unit. The key to understanding one’s personal experiences and opportunities (and those of others) lies in understanding the connection between the personal experiences and the subsequent issues that develop as a result of societal definitions. It can be argued that choosing a partner ranks high on the list of important decisions that an individual will make, and one that has a great impact on personal life satisfaction. In order to make the best-informed decision possible, students need to be aware of the social forces and societal realities that factor into and influence this seemingly personal choice. Having successful long-term relationships necessitates going beyond the notion of “romantic love” and involves serious reflection, energy, and understanding in order to overcome the challenges that may be encountered. 4. WHAT ARE COMMON STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS & STUMBLING BLOCKS? Students tend to take their own family experience for granted, and are unaware of how extensively the family has been socially constructed and reconstructed over time. A visual demonstration of the evolving nature of family forms may help in making them aware of the fluidity of the definition and meaning of this concept (see “Television representations of the family” exercise below). Students may have a default understanding, rooted in functionalism and reinforced in the iconography of popular culture, of what it means to be “family.” Moving beyond this paradigm, acknowledging that families can be and are constructed in a variety of forms, is necessary for them to appreciate, analyze, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of other forms of social units (see “Start with a question” exercise below). 5. WHAT CAN I DO IN CLASS? At the start of class: Start with a question: What comes to mind first when you hear the word “family”? What is a family? Ask students to consider and discuss their definitions of family, then view this 3-minute clip “Zach Wahls Speaks about Family,” available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLZO-sObzQ. Discuss Zach Wahls’ perspective and definition. Begin with a “survey question”: Ask students (either by a show of hands/utilizing a clicker slide), “If a man (woman) had all the other qualities you desired, would you marry this person if you were not in love with him (her)”? This is especially effective with clicker technology since the slide can be created to display percentages. Discuss. Activity: The social construction of “mothering and fathering.” See http://thesocietypages.org/sociologysource/category/family/ for an activity that Ann Kinnell (University of Southern Mississippi) utilizes with her class. (Note: This exercise requires that students have submitted a list of the five most important characteristics of a good MOM or DAD, the week prior to this session.) Divorce rates booming! “The Perils of Intuitive Sociology” is an opening exercise that Nathan Palmer (Georgia Southern University) has created and is available at http://thesocietypages.org/sociologysource/2011/10/17/divorce-rates-booming-the-perils-of-intuitive-sociology/. It can be modified by incorporating and discussing Canadian data and statistics (see “Four in Ten Marriages End in Divorce” [2011], available at http://www.vanierinstitute.ca/modules/news/newsitem.php?ItemId=74). Throughout the class: Television representations of family across the decades: Select examples of family-based TV series from the 1950s to the present; show a combination of slides and YouTube clips, and discuss the changing representation of the family (background and analysis available at https://chicargill.wordpress.com/2014/10/14/representation-of-the-family-unit-in-american-tv-sitcoms/). Traditional gendered nuclear family: Father Knows Best (1954–1960; discussed on p. 386 of the text), Leave It To Beaver ((1957–1963). Blended and ethnically diverse families: The Brady Bunch (1969–1974), The Cosby Show (1984–1992). Dysfunctional families: All in the Family (1971–1979), Married With Children (1987–1997), The Simpsons (1989–2015). Non-traditional families: Modern Family, (2009–2015; discussed on p. 386). Television and the changing role of fathers: Actor Ed O’Neill has played two very different kinds of fathers in two award-winning TV sitcoms. Play for students a clip of him as Al Bundy in Married With Children (1987–1997; various episodes available on YouTube), and then as Jay Pritchett in Modern Family (2009–2015; episodes available on YouTube). Compare the two types of fathers he portrays. What does each role say about American society at the time? Discuss. Guest speaker: Contact your local woman’s crisis centre or police department and arrange for a presentation addressing spousal abuse/partner violence. Think/Pair/Share: When considering housework and child-rearing responsibilities in a “family unit,” create a job description for Mom and one for Dad. Share and discuss with a classmate. Small group/Class discussion: “Statistics Canada to Stop Tracking Marriage and Divorce Rates” was the headline in the Globe and Mail (July 2011); available at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/statistics-canada-to-stop-tracking-marriage- and-divorce-rates/article2104401/. Is this a wise move? Why, or why not? Class activity: Family Survey. See instructions and text for class handout below (pp. 9–12). This activity involves the students working together to conduct a short survey on themselves, compile the data, and discuss the significance of the results. It is a very effective means of making the connections between their own experience of family life and that of “the family.” Small group discussion: There are a number of alternatives to the traditional “husband/wife/two children” family. Choose two different family forms and describe and discuss the “strengths” and “weaknesses” (positives and negatives) of each. This can then be followed with a class discussion. Think/Pair/Share: Ask students to create a list of possible reasons for why the “average age at first marriage” is increasing and to compare lists/discuss with a classmate (Figure 15.2, p. 389). Think/Pair/Share: Ask students to record what they believe to be the “ideal” age at which to wed and discuss their reasoning with a classmate. One-minute summary: “The Multi-generational Home Makes a Come-back,” as reported in the Globe and Mail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/family/the-multi-generational-home-makes-a-comeback/article1877264/). Discuss the article and ask students to write a list of the pros and cons of multiple generations living in one residence. Documentary: Generation Boomerang (45 min.; CBC Doc Zone 2011). More and more young adults are moving back in with their parents—if they ever left in the first place. Available at http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/Doc_Zone/1242299559/ID=2167363287. After viewing, discuss: Is this a new stage of development, or a disastrous failure to launch? Is this because of a “tough economy” or because the kids aren’t “tough enough”? Does this portend a resurgence of the “extended family”? 6. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THE LOs? Writing assignment: What must occur before men and women will equally share “caring” activities in families? Research report: Investigate and compare and contrast Sweden’s family policy with Canada’s family policy. Read, reflect, and report: This chapter has served to demonstrate the ongoing movement in and out of family-related roles, statuses, and living arrangements. How will this (in conjunction with the seeming demise of a “career for life”) impact one’s sense of identity? Ask students (in pairs/small groups) to create and submit a question (with answer): The question should be one that they would like to be included on an upcoming exam. Some of these questions could be developed into a multiple-choice format and used at the start of the next class as a review of the material from this session. It allows students to engage with the exam creation, and if used as part of the next session’s opening questions, it enables them to self-assess their learning and engagement in the previous session. End the class with a mini quiz: Focus on multiple-choice questions that address the Learning Objectives of the chapter. Review and discuss the correct answers for each question. (The use of “clicker” technology and turning point slides is very effective for this exercise.) MindTap: Refer your students to http://www.nelson.com/student to access the MindTap for Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. MindTap is a personalized program of digital products and services that engages students with interactivity while offering students and instructors choice in content, platforms, devices, and learning tools. This resource includes quiz questions, videos, and articles that are accompanied by thought-provoking questions that challenge students to think critically about current issues and events. Ask students to utilize this learning tool, and bring to the next class any questions (difficulties) they may have in regards to information from this chapter. 7. HOW CAN I ASSESS MY OWN “PERFORMANCE”? A critical reflection on my own practice: insights and understandings: A. Did I get the attention of my students at the beginning of class? a. What did I do? Did it work? How? If not, why not? b. Did I get the right kind of attention, or the wrong kind? B. Did I allot enough time for student dialogue/participation/engagement in the learning process? a. If not, why not? b. Is there any material that can (or should) be minimized or removed in order to allow for student input and participation? c. Are there ways of transferring some of the content online to open up more time in class for participation and engagement? C. How could I incorporate more student input and participation? (e.g., clicker questions, think/pair/share, one-minute summaries) D. Were my students engaged and/or focused? If so: a. What tells me that they were? b. What concepts were we covering? c. What precisely were they engaged with and/or focused on? (i.e., video clip, documentary, debate, small group discussion, whole class discussion) d. Were there unexpected moments of engagement, i.e., in group discussion, that I recognized and incorporated? If not: a. When did I lose them? b. Why did they disengage/lose focus? E. Did I integrate formative assessment of student learning throughout the “lecture”? a. What did I do? b. Did these assessments suggest to me that they understood the key concepts? If not, was I prepared to alter my plan in response? F. Did I request feedback from the students on their learning experience in this class? i.e.: a. Submission of an “aha” moment they had b. Informal summary (point form) addressing two or three concepts covered c. Five (ten) minutes for “debriefing” at the end (of class or topic)—“What” are your questions? (not “Are there any questions?”) d. Refer students to an online survey (e.g., Blackboard learning system, toofast.ca). G. Some things to consider for the next class (modifications to consider when teaching this chapter again): a. What worked really well, and why? b. What could/should/might I do differently next time to improve student engagement and learning? H. What did I learn about this topic? What insights did I gather from my students? Were any of those insights surprising to me? I. What did I learn about my teaching, and what can I do to modify my teaching as a result? 8. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? [Supplementary Resources] Ambert, Anne-Marie. 2009. “Divorce: Facts, Causes & Consequences.” The Vanier Institute of the Family, Contemporary Family Trends. Available at http://www.vanierinstitute.ca /research_topics/, Divorce_Facts_Causes_Consequences.pdf, under Divorce and Separation folder. Campion-Smith, Bruce. 2012. “Canadian families growing more diverse, census data shows.” The Toronto Star. Available at http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2012/09/20/canadian_families_growing_more_diverse_census_data_shows.html Fox, Bonnie J. (ed). 2008. Family Patterns, Gender Relations, Third Edition. Toronto: Oxford University Press. Hochschild, Arlie, and Anne Machung. 2012. The Second Shift: Working Families and the Revolution at Home. New York: Penguin Books. Kaplan, Greg. 2009. “Boomerang Kids: Labor Market Dynamics and Moving Back Home.” Working Paper 675, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Research Department/New York University. Available at http://research.mpls.frb.fed.us/research/WP/WP675.pdf. Malone, Kareen, and Rose Cleary. 2002. “(De)Sexing the Family: Theorizing the Social Science of Lesbian Families.” Feminist Theory, Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 271–293. Messineo, Melinda J., and Roger A. Wojtkiewicz. 2004. “Coresidence of Adult Children with Parents from 1960 to 1990: Is the Propensity to Live at Home Really Increasing?” Journal of Family History, Vol. 29, pp. 71–83. Mitchell, Barbara A. 2006. “The Boomerang Age from Childhood to Adulthood: Emergent Trends and Issues for Aging Families.” Canadian Studies in Population, Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 155–178. Available at http://www.canpopsoc.org/journal/CSPv33n2p155.pdf. Mitchell, Barbara A. 2008. Family Matters: An Introduction to Family Sociology in Canada. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press Inc. Pew Research Center. 2011. “Fighting Poverty in a Bad Economy, Americans Move in with Relatives.” “Without public debate or fanfare, large numbers of Americans enacted their own anti-poverty program in the depths of the Great Recession: They moved in with relatives.” Available at http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/10/03/fighting-poverty-in-a-bad-economy-americans-move-in-with-relatives/. Pew Research Center. 2011. “Multi-generational Living During Hard Times.” “A new Pew Research Center report explores the demographics and economics of multi-generational households. It concludes that moving to a multi-generational household appears to lift Americans out of poverty, and this is especially true for groups most affected by the recession. Household incomes also are higher for some groups in multi-generational households.” Available at http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/10/03/the-economics-of-multi-generational-living-during-hard-times/. Ranson, Gillian. 2010. Against the Grain: Couples, Gender, and the Reframing of Parenting. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Vanier Institute of the Family. 2011. “Marriage Rate Continues to Drop.” Fascinating Families, Iss. 40 (September 28, 2011). Available at http://www.vanierinstitute.ca/modules/news/newsitem.php?ItemId=82 9. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WITH SUGGESTED ANSWERS 1. Do you agree with the functionalist view that the traditional nuclear family is the ideal family form for Canada today? Why, or why not? Answer: Answers will vary by student but should include the definition of the traditional nuclear family (p. 385 of the text) and why functionalists consider it to be the ideal family form (pp. 387–388). Students may then apply the functionalist arguments to our present-day Canadian reality, discussing the changes in power relations between women and men and our efforts to eliminate gender inequality (pp. 391–392). I don't fully agree with the functionalist view that the traditional nuclear family is the ideal family form for Canada today. Modern families are diverse and adaptable, including single-parent, blended, and extended families, all of which can fulfill essential functions for individuals and society. Emphasizing flexibility and inclusivity better reflects contemporary realities and supports various family structures. 2. Ask your grandparents and parents how many people lived in their household when they were your age. Ask them to identify the role of each household member (mother, father, brother, sister, grandfather, boarder, etc.) and to describe the work done by each member inside and outside the household. Compare the size, composition, and division of labour of your household with that of your grandparents and parents. How have the size, composition, and division of labour of the household changed over three generations? Why have these changes occurred? Answer: Answers will vary by student but should reflect an understanding of societal forces and ideologies that have impacted the social construction of a family unit and the corresponding roles of family members over time. Comparing my grandparents' and parents' households, there were typically larger families with multiple generations living together, often with clear roles—parents working outside and extended family managing household chores. In contrast, my household is smaller, often consisting of parents and siblings, with more equal sharing of domestic responsibilities. Over three generations, households have generally become smaller and more nuclear, reflecting changes in societal norms, economic factors, and increased emphasis on individualism and gender equality in domestic roles. APPENDIX: FAMILY SURVEY ACTIVITY [Note to instructor: This activity works best in a seminar session, and with at least 25–30 students, so as to generate a meaningful sample. Materials needed: copies of instructions and survery question (below), flip chart paper, coloured markers. After survey results are compiled on flip chart paper, “walk” the students through the results, soliciting responses as to whether particular results are characteristic of the larger population, pointing out generational trends, and so on. It is especially helpful to have statistics at hand that correspond to some of the questions on the survey.] INSTRUCTIONS This is about taking a ‘snapshot’ of your family backgrounds and expectations about family life. It is also a hands-on exercise in gathering sociological data. 1. I will split the class into five groups. 2. Each of you will do the quiz individually. 3. Each group will then take charge of compiling all of the results from the class for certain questions, according to this list: • Group One: questions 1–3 • Group Two: questions 4–6 • Group Three: questions 7–9 • Group Four: questions 10–12 • Group Five: questions 13–15 Groups: Please use the flip charts and markers provided to depict your data visually and creatively. 4. The goal is to generate a ‘family profile’ of our class. THE SURVEY 1. Circle the choice below that best describes your family. • two married biological parents • two unmarried biological parents • blended family (e.g., a parent remarried) • single parent (father) • single parent (mother) • other (including adoptive parents) 2. If you have a single parent or live in a blended family, which best describes the circumstances? • divorce or separation • death of a parent • other 3. Including you, how many children are there in your family? • 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • more than 4 4. Which best describes the current employment situation in your family? • both parents work • only father works • only mother works • both parents unemployed 5. Who took care of you on weeknights and weekends when you were little? • mother and father equally • mostly mother • mostly father • mostly someone else 6. Circle the choice that best describes the family in which your father grew up. • two married biological parents • two unmarried biological parents • blended family (e.g., parent remarried) • single parent (father) • single parent (mother) • other (including adoptive parents) 7. Circle the choice that best describes the family in which your mother grew up. • two married biological parents • two unmarried biological parents • blended family (e.g., parent remarried) • single parent (father) • single parent (mother) • other (including adoptive parents) 8. How many children were there in your parents’ families? (average number of children based on your mother’s family and your father’s family) • 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • more than 4 9. How old was your mother when her first child was born? • under 20 • 20–29 • 30–39 • over 40 10. What are your own expectations about family? • to marry • to marry and have children • cohabit (live with someone) • cohabit and have children • stay single 11. If you expect to have children, how old do you think you will be when you have your first child? (Answer this whether you are male or female) • under 20 • 20–29 • 30–39 • over 40 12. What are your expectations about how many children you want to have? • don’t want to have any • 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • more than 4 13. If you plan to have children, who do you think will take care of your child when he or she is aged 2 or less? • hared between male and female • mostly the female • mostly the male • daycare • relative • other 14. How would you generally describe the family in which you grew up? • happy and harmonious • occasional conflict (e.g., between parents, or between parents and children) • frequent conflict 15. Looking around at other families you know, how would you characterize the state of the Canadian family? • most families I know are happy and harmonious • occasional conflict (e.g., between parents, or between parents and children) • frequent conflict Chapter 15: Families Application Questions 1. Thinking Sociologically about Tiger Parenting In 2011, law professor Amy Chua wrote what would become a bestselling memoir about her parenting experience, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. This book reflected on her experience raising two children in the United States according to the way she had been raised by her Chinese immigrant parents. It speaks to a cultural divide in parenting and provoked a great deal of discussion among parents, parenting experts, educational experts, and journalists. Her book was the subject of a Time magazine cover story that posed the question, “Is tough parenting really the answer?” According to the Time article’s author, “Her stories of never accepting a grade lower than an A, of insisting on hours of math and spelling drills and piano and violin practice each day (weekends and vacations included), of not allowing playdates or sleepovers or television or computer games or even school plays, for goodness’ sake, have left many readers outraged but also defensive. The tiger mother’s cubs are being raised to rule the world, the book clearly implies, while the offspring of ‘weak-willed,’ ‘indulgent’ Westerners are growing up ill equipped to compete in a fierce global marketplace” (Paul, 2011). Many psychologists agree with Chua’s approach to parenting because it provides an opportunity for the child to gain mastery of a particular skill and in life more generally. You can read more about this issue by visiting the following websites: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2043477,00.html#ixzz2bsHwg7Av http://amychua.com. 1. Write a one-page report that explores how a functionalist theorist might assess tiger parenting. Make use of the textbook and your knowledge of tiger parenting via the above resource in your answer. Answer: A functionalist emphasizes the importance of the family for a smooth functioning society. A functionalist also argues that societies survive when members cooperate economically. Since author Chua makes an argument that tiger parenting leads to driven, ambitious, and successful children, a functionalist would arguably support tiger parenting. Socialization and emotional support are two other important functions of the family, according to functionalists. A functionalist would likely argue that tiger parenting provides strong socialization, but the emotional support component may seem lacking. Notably, many of these functions are based on the traditional nuclear family, according to functionalists, so a functionalist would likely also comment on the family form. 2. Variations in Parenting Styles Find a friend who had a different experience than your own in terms of how they were parented. In 300 words or less, write a report that answers the following questions: Does your friend believe this parenting style contributed to their successes? If they became a parent, would they parent in the same way? Did family form (divorce, traditional nuclear, etc.) play a role in parenting style? Answer: Answers will vary according to the student’s conversation with their friend. The student’s answer should reflect on the relationship between generations of parenting styles and directly explore the relationship between family form and parenting style. For example, a student might argue that tiger parenting is more possible in families with many resources, including two parents. The student would then be expected to expand on traditional nuclear or nuclear family forms and tie this explicitly to parenting style. Report: My friend, raised with a permissive parenting style, attributes their creativity and adaptability to this approach, feeling it fostered independence and self-expression. If they become a parent, they intend to adopt a more balanced style, integrating structure with freedom. Their family form, a traditional nuclear family, provided a stable environment, which they believe contributed positively to their upbringing. Chapter 15: Families Online Dating You know from your textbook that mate selection has not always been about love and romance. Historically, love had very little to do with marriage. These days, however, many believe that love is truly at the heart of mate selection. Sociologists do not disagree, but they have also found that marriage resources, third parties, and demographic and compositional factors play an important role in mate selection. As your textbooks states, “choosing a mate is far from random.” One constant in society is that society is always changing. This includes how we select our mates. It is now common for many people to meet online, second only to meeting through friends. Websites such as Match.com aim “to create romantic opportunities so singles are more likely to find someone special. Over the years, we’ve learned more and more about what people want—and the tools they need to help take the lottery out of love” (“About Us,” Match.com). As the popularity of online dating increases, however, so too do the concerns that online dating will somehow contribute to higher rates of divorce. No systematic data are currently available on the subject, so it remains to be seen whether this Internet-based way to select a mate will have a lasting impact on family forms. Application Questions 1. Drawing on the sociological factors driving mate selection—marriage resources, third parties, and demographic and compositional factors—make an argument for why an average single Canadian should consider online dating. Answer: Online dating provides a vehicle for selecting a mate on the basis of as many criteria as the website allows and that you can think of. These websites use sophisticated algorithms to match people according to the information they provide to the site. You can provide information that will produce search results aligned with your expectations around marriage resources and demographics. This is all without the interference of a third party, which many individuals may believe is an advantage. In this case, the third party is a dating website designed to facilitate your mate selection. 2. Online dating is made possible by the rise of the mass media, in particular the Internet. This also raises concerns about anonymity and online dating. Keeping in mind what we know about mate selection from sociology, how would you address critics of online dating who express concerns about potential mates posting false information? Answer: Many Canadians now have a computer with Internet access, or can at least access the Internet in other places in their community. Communicating online via emails and websites is no longer uncommon. This means that many Canadians might consider using the Internet in their quest to meet their match. That said, many individuals express concern about the anonymity of the Internet, and online dating is not excluded from these concerns. Most centrally, the concern is that individuals will falsify information and present false or misleading photographs of themselves, all to cast themselves in the most favourable light. Critics of online dating are not wrong that it is possible to falsify information. At the same time, however, individuals who falsify information are arguably less likely to be successful on an online dating platform, because they are not taking seriously the demographic and marriage resources factors that inform mate selection. In a sense, then, those who falsify information are self-selecting out of the marriage market over time. 3. Given the increasing popularity of online dating, how might you explain why some individuals hide the fact that they participate in online dating or found their mate via a dating website? Answer: Although online dating is becoming much more common, it is still not the most common way to meet a partner. It is possible that this, alongside the concerns about online anonymity, makes meeting a mate through more traditional ways a stronger norm than meeting a mate online. Individuals aiming to find a mate online could be hiding their participation in online dating in an effort to avoid informal sanctions from their friends and family who believe the individual is deviant for defying the traditional norms around mate selection. Chapter 16 – Religion 1. LEARNING OUTCOMES (WITH BLOOM’S TAXONOMY) After completing this chapter, students should be able to: • Compare the ability of religion to advance social cohesion and entrench social inequality with its capacity to encourage both social conflict and social change. • Judge the claims of the secularization thesis. • Appraise the market theory as substitute for the failings of the secularization thesis. • Recognize the extent to which religious freedom and tolerance are threatened in some parts of the world. • Recall the social variables that are linked to religiosity. 2. WHY IS THIS CHAPTER IMPORTANT TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS? Even though most students’ first response to the topic of religion is to echo the secularization thesis, a deeper look both into their own beliefs, as well as those of the population at large, is revealing in terms of the persistence of religiosity in diverse and fragmentary forms. Thus, the topic of religion is an excellent opportunity for students to not only understand the social context in which they live, but also the diversity of their own connections to spirituality, if not necessarily to religion per se. Many of the ongoing sub- and supranational conflicts in the world today are fuelled by and linked to clashes between different systems of religious belief. Students will benefit enormously from developing a nuanced understanding of the connections between religious belief, politics, and social change. The topic of religion is inherently fascinating from the sociological perspective, because even though we cannot evaluate the truth value of claims based on faith, we can learn much that is revealing from investigation into the social context and institutionalization of religion. 3. WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CARE? Regardless of the fact that our era is in most respects highly secularized and rationalized, religiosity still plays a pivotal role in many social issues and conflicts, both locally and globally, and one cannot hope to have a sophisticated grasp of contemporary issues without recognizing the role that religion often plays. Recognizing and appreciating the interconnections between the macrolevel (religious institutions and their development within the social world) and the microlevel (family and personal identity, beliefs and values), and the socio-historical context and practices of both, should help students to better understand themselves and others. 4. WHAT ARE COMMON STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS & STUMBLING BLOCKS? Some students may have deep rooted and taken-for-granted affiliations with particular religious institutions and beliefs, and may therefore approach this chapter as a challenge to their beliefs and values. Other students may have no religious background and may thus be dismissive of claims about the power of religious beliefs; alternatively, they might be inclined to “blame religion and adherents” for certain events. Both groups of students may require assistance (and sensitive reminders) to “disengage” from the subjective and suspend any personal beliefs and/or judgements about any religion. (A quotation to start the class [and a discussion]: “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” [F. Scott Fitzgerald]) Students may lack knowledge of the historical evolution and spread of religions, practices, and so on, which seriously undermines their ability to understand how religion has been socially constructed and is being reconstructed in societies around the world. Presentation and discussion of the socio-historical context may enhance their understanding of, and appreciation for, religion as a “social institution” (see suggestions below). 5. WHAT CAN I DO IN CLASS? At the start of class: First questions first: what is religion exactly, and why do societies have religions? Ask students for their ideas. What do they think of the tongue-in-cheek suggestion (pp. 415–417 of the text) that professional hockey meets many of the criteria for a “national religion?” Another interesting example is that of Scientology (p. 429). Discuss, and then bridge in to a sociological definition of religion. Demonstrate the movement/spread of various “religions” over time: BBC has an online tool entitled “Civilisations: The Rise and Fall of Religions and Ideologies” (available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/tools/civilisations/index.shtml), which uses Web technology to reveal the “sweep” of religions (Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism) across the globe. “This is a multi-dimensional picture of human history, where you’re in charge of the timeline,” which provides an effective visual for the students and can be utilized for, and paused when, discussing the socio-historical aspects of religion. Are shared values possible without religion? “Values Without Religion,” 2012. Show this short video talk by philosopher Alain de Botton, and ask students whether they agree with de Botton’s position about the things that atheists can learn from religion (2:40; available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpoKbwNp9pE). Open with a presentation/discussion of “religious intolerance”: The Westboro Baptist Church (see The Most Hated Family in America, below) and its websites GodHatesFags.com and GodHatesAmerica.com are being monitored by the Anti-Defamation League, and are classified as a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Show “Westboro Baptist Church family disowns daughter—20/20” (9 min.) (available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPDrzfaZHKs) and discuss. (See also Chapter 3, “Explaining Suicide Bombers,” in the book Sociology as a Life or Death Issue, [Brym, 2012]). Throughout the class: Small group/Class discussion: Ask the students to compare, contrast, and discuss the five major world religions with an emphasis/focus on delineating the “similarities” between the religions (e.g., “charismatic leader”; predominance of “male figures”; universal belief in the “afterlife”; the totems and rituals of each, etc.). This exercise provides the student with an opportunity for discovering that world religions generally utilize the same framework. (Note: For students in the business major: it relates to “form, fit, and function” within business and the manufacturing of products.) Utilize Table 16.1 (pp. 419–420) for this discussion. [Understand/Apply] Class activity: Self-survey on religion. See instructions and text for the class handout in the Appendix below (pp. 10–13). This activity involves students working together to conduct a short survey on themselves, compile the data, and discuss the significance of the results. It is a very effective means of making the connections between their own experience of religion and current religious trends in the larger social landscape. (Note: the activity works best after foundational concepts of religion have already been introduced.) Think/Pair/Share: Ask students if they consider themselves to be “religious,” and then discuss their level of religiosity with a classmate—with a focus on a “why” or “why not” explanation. [Understand/Apply] Think/Pair/Share: Ask students to create a list of examples that support “the market model of religious life” viewpoint and discuss with a classmate. [Understand/Apply] Three-minute paper: After each presentation/discussion of the theoretical approaches to the sociology of religion (Durkheim [pp. 415–417]; Marx and feminist perspectives [p. 418]; and Weber [pp. 421–422]) ask students to write a one-paragraph summary. [Understand] Debate/Class discussion: “Faith is a person’s way of making sense of life. Everyone operates by some basic faith, whether it is associated with religion or not” (Dr. James W. Fowler). Could it then be argued that “faith in science” is analogous to “faith in religion”? Has money become the “new god” of society? [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Documentary: Me and the Mosque (2005; 52 min.) Using animation, archival footage and personal interviews, this documentary examines the issue of gender segregation in Muslim worship through the experience of a Muslim woman (available in full at https://www.nfb.ca/film/me_and_mosque). Documentary: Jonestown: The Life and Death of the Peoples’ Temple (2006; 84 min.). This PBS documentary examines the infamous religious cult formed by Jim Jones and the events that led to the group’s horrifying mass suicide (over 900 people) in Jonestown, Guyana, Nov. 18, 1978 (available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9o1vUSLhOs). View in its entirety or preselect segments to view and discuss. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Documentary: Inside Australia’s Chilling New Cult (2011). “Cult experts have warned that a 47-year-old Queensland man and self-proclaimed “Jesus” is in the early stages of developing a dangerous religious sect comparable to WACO, which ended in mass-suicide” (31:48; available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML2Oa4Oigvo&feature=related). Discuss within the context of the discussion on pp. 428–429. Could this “cult” develop into a “sect”? Is it “probable” that this may be a precursor to a replication of the events that happened at Waco, Texas, and the “Camp Davidian” compound under the leadership of David Koresh in 1993? [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Documentary: The Most Hated Family in America: (2006; 58 min.) TV documentary written and presented by the BBC’s Louis Theroux about the family at the heart of the Westboro Baptist Church, headed by Fred Phelps. This Topeka, Kansas–based sect openly condemns the LGBT, Roman Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Sweden, Ireland, Canada, The Netherlands, and other groups. Available at http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-most-hated-family-in-america/. Also available on YouTube in segments. (Note: There is also a “follow-up” documentary, “Louis Theroux – America’s Most Hated Family IN CRISIS,” (4 parts) available on YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ticxD0GfewA], which addresses the “declining” membership of the Westboro Baptist Church.) [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] 6. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THE LOs? Research paper: Ask students to select one major world religion (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism—pp. 419–420 of text) and to write a short descriptive paper on the history, customs, rites, beliefs, and texts. For this exercise, they are to select a religion that they are not familiar with (i.e., currently practising). The aim of this assignment is to assist students in acquiring a familiarity with a major religion/expose students to knowledge which, in turn, will hopefully lead to an understanding and acceptance of other religious beliefs (and those who practise them). Ask students to write a concise summary: (i.e., point form/list) of the session answering: “What did I learn today?” and submit. Ask students (in pairs/small groups) to create and submit a question (with answer): The question should be one that they would like to be included on an upcoming exam. Some of these questions could be developed into a multiple-choice format and used at the start of the next class as a review of the material from this session. It allows the students to engage with the exam creation, and if used as part of the next session’s opening questions, it enables them to self-assess their learning and engagement in the previous session. End the class with a mini quiz: Focus on multiple-choice questions that address the Learning Objectives of the chapter. Review and discuss the correct answers for each question. (The use of “clicker” technology and turning point slides is very effective for this exercise.) MindTap: Refer your students to http://www.nelson.com/student to access the MindTap for Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. MindTap is a personalized program of digital products and services that engages students with interactivity while offering students and instructors choice in content, platforms, devices, and learning tools. This resource includes quiz questions, videos, and articles that are accompanied by thought-provoking questions that challenge students to think critically about current issues and events. Ask students to utilize this learning tool, and bring to the next class any questions (difficulties) they may have in regards to information from this chapter. 7. HOW CAN I ASSESS MY OWN “PERFORMANCE”? A critical reflection on my own practice: insights and understandings: A. Did I get the attention of my students at the beginning of class? a. What did I do? Did it work? How? If not, why not? b. Did I get the right kind of attention, or the wrong kind? B. Did I allot enough time for student dialogue/participation/engagement in the learning process? a. If not, why not? b. Is there any material that can (or should) be minimized or removed in order to allow for student input and participation? c. Are there ways of transferring some of the content online to open up more time in class for participation and engagement? C. How could I incorporate more student input and participation? (e.g., clicker questions, think/pair/share, one-minute summaries) D. Were my students engaged and/or focused? If so: a. What tells me that they were? b. What concepts were we covering? c. What precisely were they engaged with and/or focused on? (i.e., video clip, documentary, debate, small group discussion, whole class discussion) d. Were there unexpected moments of engagement, i.e., in group discussion, that I recognized and incorporated? If not: a. When did I lose them? b. Why did they disengage/lose focus? E. Did I integrate formative assessment of student learning throughout the “lecture”? a. What did I do? b. Did these assessments suggest to me that they understood the key concepts? If not, was I prepared to alter my plan in response? F. Did I request feedback from the students on their learning experience in this class? i.e.: a. Submission of an “aha” moment they had b. Informal summary (point form) addressing two or three concepts covered c. Five (ten) minutes for “debriefing” at the end (of class or topic)—“What” are your questions? (not “Are there any questions?”) d. Refer students to an online survey (e.g., Blackboard learning system, toofast.ca). G. Some things to consider for the next class (modifications to consider when teaching this chapter again): a. What worked really well, and why? b. What could/should/might I do differently next time to improve student engagement and learning? H. What did I learn about this topic? What insights did I gather from my students? Were any of those insights surprising to me? I. What did I learn about my teaching, and what can I do to modify my teaching as a result? 8. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? [Supplementary Resources] Adherents.com: National and World Religion Statistics. Available at http://www.adherents.com. Bader, Chris and Alfred Demaris. 1996. “A Test of the Stark-Bainbridge Theory of Affiliation with Cults and Sects.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Vol. 35, Iss. 3 (Sept. 1996), pp. 285–303. Berger, Peter L. (ed). 1999. The Desecularization of the World: Resurgent Religion and World Politics. Michigan: Ethics and Public Policy Center and Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Berger, Peter L. 2011. “Six Decades as a Worldwide Religion Watcher: Observations and Lessons Learned.” Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv3aLp27sO4&list=PLcA3gT3iy_irxWSdKJdZ-Q21E1cUaptzC Bibby, Reginald. 2011. Beyond the Gods and Back: Religion’s Demise and Rise and Why It Matters. Lethbridge, AB: Project Canada Books. Review available at http://files.efc-canada.net/min/rc/cft/V04I01/Beyond_The_Gods_and_Back_Review.pdf Brym, Robert J. 2012. Sociology as a Life or Death Issue, Second Canadian Edition. Toronto: Nelson Education Limited. Christiano, Kevin J., William H. Swatos, Jr., and Peter Kivisto. 2008. Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments, Second Edition. Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. Durkheim, Emile. 2001 [1912]. The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. Mark S. Cladis (Editor), Carol Cosman (Translator). New York: Oxford University Press. Fowler, James W. 1995. Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. New York: HarperCollins. Fowler proposes developmental stages to spirituality and faith, similar to Erickson's cognitive stages or Freud’s psycho-sexual stages. The research of Piaget, Kohlberg, and Erickson are reviewed through simple cross-referenced tables which help to build a cohesive view of mental/psycho/social growth. See also http://www.usefulcharts.com/psychology/james-fowler-stages-of-faith.html. Iannaccone, Laurence. 1998. “Introduction to the Economics of Religion.” Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 36, Iss. 3 (Sept. 1998), pp. 1465–1496. Martin, Roger L. 2007. The Opposable Mind: How Successful Leaders Win Through Integrative Thinking. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Available at http://www.religioustolerance.org/. Pew Research. 2013. “Canada’s Changing Religious Landscape.” Available at http://www.pewforum.org/2013/06/27/canadas-changing-religious-landscape/#decline-in-canadians-attendance-at-religious-services Rahman, Momin. “The Unintended Consequences of Ideological Secularism: Quebec’s proposed Charter of Values” Religion in the Public Sphere. Available at http://rps.chass.utoronto.ca/matters.htm Robinson, B.A. 2006. “Is Religious Tolerance Sufficient?” Available at http://www.religioustolerance.org/rel_tol2.htm. Teaching about Religion In Support of Civic Pluralism. Available at http://www.worldvieweducation.org/. Tweed, Thomas A. 2008. Crossing and Dwelling: A Theory of Religion. Cambridge: First Harvard University Press. Valpy, Michael, and Joe Friesen. 2010. “Canada marching from religion to secularization.” The Globe and Mail. Available at http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-marching-from-religion-to-secularization/article1833451/ Weber, Max. 1958 [1904–5]. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. New York: Scribners. 9. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WITH SUGGESTED ANSWERS 1. Does the sociological study of religion undermine religious faith, make religious faith stronger, or have no necessary implications for religious faith? On what do you base your opinion? What does your opinion imply about the connection between religion and science in general? Answer: Answers will vary by student. References may be made to information from the chapter to substantiate and/or elaborate upon personal perspective and opinion. Students may/should differentiate between knowledge accepted by “faith” and knowledge based on “empirical evidence.” The sociological study of religion doesn’t inherently undermine or strengthen religious faith; it provides a framework to understand its social functions and impact. My opinion is based on the idea that sociology examines religion from a sociocultural perspective, which can coexist with personal faith. This suggests that religion and science can intersect, with science offering explanations and sociology providing context without necessarily conflicting with faith. 2. Is it possible to make any social or cultural generalizations about places in the world where religious freedom is threatened? (For background, see Brian K. Grim’s TED talk at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQvDUTOOkiI). Answer: Yes, social and cultural generalizations can be made about places where religious freedom is threatened. Often, these regions experience political or social instability, authoritarianism, or cultural homogeneity, which can lead to the suppression of religious expression and persecution. Grim’s TED talk highlights that such conditions frequently correlate with broader human rights issues. APPENDIX: SELF-SURVEY ON RELIGION [Note to instructor: This activity works best in a seminar session, with at least 25–30 students, so as to generate a meaningful sample. Materials needed: copies of instructions and survey questions, flip chart paper, coloured markers. After survey results are compiled on flip chart paper, “walk” students through the results, soliciting responses as to whether particular results are characteristic of the larger population, pointing out generational trends, etc. It is helpful to have statistics at hand that correspond to some of the questions on the survey.] INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS 1. We will split into four groups. 2. Everybody will do the survey individually (and anonymously). 3. Each group will then take charge of compiling the class results from certain questions. Group One does Questions 1–2, Group Two does 3–4, etc. 4. Each group will compile its results on flip chart paper. SURVEY QUESTIONS 1. Do you believe in God or a higher power? Yes, I definitely do Yes, I think so I don’t know No I don’t think so No, I definitely do not 2. Do you experience God or a higher power? Yes, I definitely do Yes, I think so I don’t know No I don’t think so No, I definitely do not 3. Do you believe that God or a higher power cares about you? Yes, I definitely do Yes, I think so I don’t know No I don’t think so No, I definitely do not 4. Do you believe in life after death? Yes, I definitely do Yes, I think so I don’t know No I don’t think so No, I definitely do not 5. Do you practise private prayer? Daily Several times a week Weekly About once a month Hardly ever or never 6. Do you attend worship services? Daily Several times a week Weekly About once a month Hardly ever or never 7. Did you attend worship services as a child? Daily Several times a week Weekly About once a month Hardly ever or never 8. Do you believe that religious belief or spirituality in Canada is On the rise Stable over the last 15 years On the decline Chapter 16: Religion Application Questions 1. Knowledge of Religion The text correctly notes that sociology does “not have anything to say about the truth of religion in general or the value of any particular religious belief or practice. These are questions of faith, not science.” Still, religious believers believe in something(s). In other words, there is content to religious belief. Moreover, it is likely that religious knowledge will not be evenly distributed. Religious knowledge is a variable; some categories of persons will have more religious knowledge, some less. Steps: 1. Assuming religious knowledge is a variable, develop hypotheses about how you would expect • religious commitment (measured by frequency of attendance and stated importance of religion to personal life) to be related to religious knowledge. What effect do you expect increasing religious commitment to have on religious understanding? • religious affiliation (measured by whether a person belongs to a religious group or is atheist/agnostic) to be related to religious knowledge. Do you expect members of a religion to have more religious understanding than atheists/agnostics? 2. Go to the following website and complete the 15 survey questions that the PEW Research Center uses for assessing knowledge of religions: http://www.pewforum.org/quiz/u-s-religious-knowledge/ Notes: 1. This survey is a “lite” version of what this prestigious survey organization actually uses to measure religious knowledge. Their complete survey includes 32 items. So, to roughly compare your religious understanding to the PEW survey results, double your score. 2. This survey is designed for an American audience, which is why it includes two questions related to their Supreme Court’s rulings. So, give yourself a break, and if you got either of these two questions wrong, revise your score as if you answered them correctly. 3. The following table summarizes the PEW survey data connecting religious commitment and religious knowledge. Do these data support or refute your hypothesis (from Step 1) about how religious commitment affects religious knowledge? 4. The following table summarizes the PEW survey data connecting religious commitment and religious knowledge. Do these data support or refute your hypothesis (from Step 1) about how religious affiliation affects religious knowledge? 5. Write up a report that • states your hypotheses about how religious knowledge is affected by religious commitment and religious affiliation • describes whether the survey data supports or refutes your hypotheses • speculates on why atheists/agnostics, Jews, and Mormons have more religious knowledge than Christian Protestants and Catholics Answer: Answers will vary. Key points may include the following: • The expectation is that greater religious commitment is connected with greater religious knowledge, and some religious affiliation will be associated with greater religious knowledge than none. The data refutes these expectations. • One possible reason why atheists/agnostics, Jews, and Mormons score higher on religious knowledge concerns their social location. Compared to Protestants and Catholics, these groups are minorities. As such, part of the legitimation process involves explaining their uniqueness. Such explanations require religious knowledge. Christians, by contrast, are mainstream and, as such, are less burdened to understand and justify their faith. Report: I hypothesized that higher religious commitment and affiliation would correlate with greater religious knowledge. Survey data supports this, showing that atheists/agnostics, Jews, and Mormons tend to have more religious knowledge than Christian Protestants and Catholics, possibly due to more rigorous and specialized study or stronger community emphasis on religious education. 2. Church Without God? Religion is a historically important social institution in many societies. Sociologists have documented the recent decline in the importance of this institution (religiosity) in western societies. In Canada today, about a quarter of the population reports no religious affiliation, and the trend is rising. Durkheim pointed out that religious institutions serve a number of social functions. From this perspective, a central contribution of religious affiliation is its promotion of social solidarity. This occurs through strengthening the collective conscience. A decline in religiosity is expected to contribute to a weakening of social bonds. Perhaps it is possible, however, to design a religious institution that has the social solidarity benefits of religion without the necessity of religious belief—something like a church without God. Such a social experiment is being undertaken in the form of “Sunday Assemblies.” Steps: 1. Go to the following website and either read or listen to the report on Sunday Assemblies. http://www.npr.org/2014/01/07/260184473/sunday-assembly-a-church-for-the-godless-picks-up-steam 2. Go to the Sunday Assembly website and read its charter and note the number of locations in the world. http://sundayassembly.com/about/ 3. Write up a report that addresses the following issues: • How are Sunday Assemblies contributing to social solidarity? • Sunday Assemblies are often called churches. Compare the sociological characteristics of a church to the organizational features of Sunday Assemblies and draw a conclusion about whether it is correct to label them churches. Answer: • Solidarity arises from connectedness, from beliefs and practices that reinforce social bonds. Sunday Assemblies promote solidarity through both shared beliefs and shared practices. Since Sunday Assemblies are new social institutions, potential recruits have no prior social reason (like childhood socialization) for attaching themselves to them. Since participation is voluntary, it is reasonable to assume that participants actually believe in the organizations’ goals (see the charter) and, in doing so, share common beliefs. While attending the Assembly, participants’ practices are shared (e.g., they listen to the same music and lecture). Through promoting shared beliefs and practices, the Sunday Assembly promotes solidarity among participants. • The text identifies the features of a church as • bureaucratic – with formally trained leaders, hierarchy of roles, clearly articulated rules and regulations • accommodated to mainstream society and culture – with views that do not challenge conventional authority Stacked up against these criteria, the Sunday Assembly does not qualify as a church. Its website reveals that it goes to great lengths to be as minimally bureaucratic and egalitarian as possible and still have a semblance of social structure. Chapter 16: Religion Belief in Life after Death Science is interested in natural phenomena—those that can be investigated through empirical research. In significant measure, religion is interested in supernatural phenomena—those that are beyond our senses. Over time, in modern societies, scientific understanding has replaced religious explanations. Chemistry has replaced alchemy; psychological explanations have replaced spiritual ones; evolutionary explanations take precedence over creationist ones. For decades, the sociologist Reginald Bibby has been empirically investigating Canadians’ religious beliefs and practices. The following link provides a summary of recent research conducted on Canadians’ views of life after death: http://www.reginaldbibby.com/images/Project_Canada_Release_2014_Easter.pdf Application Questions 1. Using modern technologies (e.g., monitoring pulse, EKG, EEG), we routinely declare individuals as alive or dead. When someone is declared dead, we no longer treat them as alive. After all, who attends a funeral service and declares that the dead person is alive? What do the public opinion findings over 40 years tell you about Canadians’ belief in such declarations? What further questions do they raise? Answer: Canadians’ reviews on life after death have remained remarkably consistent for four decades. About half of Canadians report believing in life after death, while only 20 percent rule out this possibility. These findings are remarkable. Does the majority of Canadians really believe that when a person is declared dead, they are not? If so, how do they manage the cognitive dissonance? If by “alive” they do not mean physically alive, then what are they referring to? 2. Look carefully at the evidence about possible communication with those who have died. What is your opinion about this evidence? Answer: The evidence is organized into three categories, which form a scale of engagement intensity. At one end is the belief that persons declared dead may be able to monitor the lives of the living. The middle category moves beyond monitoring and indicates that it is possible to communicate with persons declared dead. The final category moves beyond possible communication to the declaration that communication with a dead person has occurred. A majority supports the first category on the scale, and substantial minorities support the second and third scale categories. Opinions about the meaning and credibility of this evidence will vary. Chapter 17 – Education 1. LEARNING OUTCOMES (WITH BLOOM’S TAXONOMY) After completing this chapter, students should be able to: • Recognize the ways in which the expansion of education systems increases the wealth of the nation. • Contrast the homogenization and sorting effects of schools. • Compare the functionalist position that education plays a role in reproducing a socioeconomic hierarchy based on merit with the conflict theory view that education is integral to the persistence of social inequality. • Differentiate between the manifest and the latent functions of education. • Describe the social processes by which inequalities are reproduced in schools, such as the hidden curriculum, testing and tracking, and self-fulfilling prophecies. • Recognize the educational gains that women have made relative to men, as well as the challenges faced by Aboriginal people in approaching educational equality with non-Aboriginal Canadians. 2. WHY IS THIS CHAPTER IMPORTANT TO SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS? Sociology students have a vested interest in developing a critical understanding of the institution that has already captured so much of their time, and in which they have staked hopes for their success. This topic presents an opportunity for students to appreciate the degree to which the institution of education is inextricably linked to such disparate social institutions as the economy (Ch. 13), the family (Ch. 15), religion (Ch. 16), and the mass media (Ch. 18). This chapter foregrounds the contradictions between the stated goal of education as a great equalizer of opportunity and the actuality of the ways in which its opportunities and benefits are differentially allocated based on the factors such as gender, social class, and racial or ethnic origin. Many students may have already had tangible experience of these contradictions; others will be challenged to reconsider their received notions about education. In either case, the topic represents an important opportunity for students to grasp the connectedness of the micro (individual situations, personal problems) with the macro (social institutions and public issues and policies). 3. WHY SHOULD STUDENTS CARE? Every educational system is designed to achieve specific outcomes and as a result, privilege certain student characteristics and abilities over others. More than just a “one size fits all” problem, an educational system that is embedded in a society with structured inequalities exhibits tensions between its egalitarian principles and the systemic inequalities of the wider social system. Students should take the opportunity to challenge not only the institution of education, but also their own taken-for-granted assumptions about it. Educational/academic/credential inflation has been spiralling upwards over the past several decades, and consequently students are spending an increasing number of years in school. Recognition of this and other issues may enable students to more critically examine and evaluate their educational experience and choices. 4. WHAT ARE COMMON STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS & STUMBLING BLOCKS? Many students believe that merit is the sole determinant of academic achievement and may be unaware of, or openly resistant to, the importance of social and cultural capital to school success. References to Chapter 8 (human/social/cultural capital in the context of social stratification and income inequality p. 198) combined with discussion of how social and cultural capital impacts one’s educational outcomes will assist students in moving beyond purely individualistic assumptions about success in school. Students from relatively more privileged backgrounds will tend to be unaware of the variety of educational opportunities and life experiences of others and the impact that SES has on learning and educational attainment. On the other hand, students from less privileged backgrounds may have had concrete experiences with the relationship between SES and educational success, but may not have realized the implications of their experiences. Whatever the case, viewing and discussion of “Trading Schools” (referenced below) may enable both groups of students to understand and acknowledge the difference in lived experiences and differences in schools within the same educational system. Students have been raised within a culture of ever increasing “standardized testing” and have presumably internalized the belief that test results are an accurate reflection of one’s intelligence and ability. Making them aware that a test score is not only a measure of ability but is additionally a reflection of “the quality of the world that a person lives in” may help them to comprehend how the social impacts the personal (see “The Flynn Effect” discussion below). 5. WHAT CAN I DO IN CLASS? At the start of class: Mini quiz: (on the assigned chapter/reading for this class session) Begin with five multiple-choice questions for the students to answer. These questions can be selected and utilized as a “framework” for what you will be covering in the session. The wave of the future? View this 5-minute video: “Florida Virtual School—Student Success Stories” (available at http://jobs.flvs.net/) and discuss the benefits and disadvantages of “virtual education.” “Our commitment is to deliver a high quality, technology-based education that provides the skills and knowledge students need for success in the twenty first century... [W]e all share the same focus for our primary customer—the student.” What are the positive and negative implications of thinking of students as “customers”? Discuss. Trading schools: Ask students to reflect upon and record the experience they had in the secondary school system (size of the high school/location/amenities/curriculum, etc.). Watch this 7-minute clip available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXBUdwKk4Fw (“Trading Schools”) in which students from an affluent public school in the suburbs and a public inner-city school (Chicago public school system) switch schools for one day to see what life is like on the other side. Discuss the inequalities found within the education system—both in the video and in their own experience. Throughout the class: Small group/Class discussion: “The Future of Learning” (2012). Show this flash video (6:49; available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoSJ3_dZcm8). Ask students what elements of its analysis resonate with their own experiences in elementary and secondary education, and what specific educational reforms they could envisage based on its ideas. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Small group/Class discussion: “A Lost Heritage: Canada’s Residential Schools” (14 television/ 8 radio clips of varying lengths available at http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/society /education/a-lost-heritage-canadas-residential-schools/topic---a-lost-heritage-canadas-residential-schools.html). Preview and select appropriate segments for a discussion of the residential school system in Canada—“a case study in racism.” See also pp. 456–458. What was the stated rationale for the residential schooling system in Canada, and what assumptions about Aboriginal peoples underpinned it? [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Think/Pair/Share: “The hidden curriculum consists of those things pupils learn through the experience of attending school rather than the stated educational objectives of such institutions” (Michael Haralambos). Ask students to make a list of the “unintended lessons” they are learning (or have learned) and share with a classmate. (Note: This exercise was mentioned for use with Chapter 4 coverage; refer back for additional ideas.) [Understand/Apply] Lecture enhancer/Small group/Class discussion: “The Pygmalion Effect and the Power of Positive Expectations” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTghEXKNj7g; 6 min. interview with Rosenthal). View and discuss the “self-fulfilling prophecy” (pp. 453–455). Ask students to consider and volunteer examples of this in their educational experiences (and outside formal schooling—e.g., on sports teams, in the workplace, family situations, etc.). Discuss how the “self-fulfilling prophecy” may apply (both positively and negatively) within the context of home-schooling, small classroom settings, large “alienating” lecture halls, and online education. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate] Think/Pair/Share or Small group/Class discussion: Address Box 17.2 (p. 444): “Are Virtual Classrooms Next?” Ask students to list the benefits of a “virtual education” (online courses) and the disadvantages. Discuss the “what do you think?” questions posed at the end. [Understand/Apply/Analyze] Small group/Class discussion: “Ken Robinson: Changing Education Paradigms” (available at http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradigms.html). This 2010, 12-minute RSA Animate challenges and calls into question our current approach to education. Robinson believes that our current school system requires a radical rethink and restructuring in order to address societal needs in the twenty-first century. View and ask students to critique and make connections to their educational experiences. How could/would/should we structure our education system to positively benefit twenty-first century students and society? [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate/Create] Small group/Class discussion: “Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the Learning Revolution!” This 2010 TED talk “makes the case for a radical shift from standardized schools to personalized learning — creating conditions where kids’ natural talents can flourish” (16:48; available at http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html) “Every education system in the world is being reformed at the moment and it’s not enough. Reform is no use anymore, because that’s simply improving a broken model.” Discuss his interpretation of the education “model” and ask students to suggest possible ways of restructuring our education system. [Understand/Apply/Analyze/Evaluate/Create] Class discussion: “The Flynn Effect” (addressed on p. 453). See http://www.intelltheory.com/flynneffect.shtml and Malcolm Gladwell, “None of the Above: What I.Q. Doesn’t Tell You about Race” (New Yorker, December 17, 2007, available at http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/12/17/none-of-the-above). Discuss Gladwell’s assertion that “I.Q. measures not just the quality of a person’s mind but the quality of the world that person lives in.” It might be helpful to show students specific examples of standard IQ test questions that presume particular cultural knowledge acquired by way of cultural/social capital. Ask students to consider the connection between “I.Q.” and the SES of the individuals taking the test. [Understand/Apply/Analyze] Small group/Class discussion: “How to predict a student’s SAT score: Look at the parents’ tax return.” Summarize the rationale behind SAT tests, and then show students Daniel Pink’s chart correlating average SAT scores with family income (available at http://www.danpink.com/2012/02/how-to-predict-a-students-sat-score-look-at-the-parents-tax-return/). Class discussion: “Educational opportunities for First Nations youth.” View the first 23 minutes of 8th Fire: At the Crossroads (Doc Zone; available at http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/8thfire/2011 /11/at-the-crossroads.html) and discuss the educational challenges and experiences of First Nations youth. (See also http://www.cfs-fcee.ca/html/english/media/mediapage.php ?release_id=1306 and Alex Usher’s 2009 report referenced below.) [Understand/Apply/Analyze] 6. HOW WILL I KNOW THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED THE LOs? Writing assignment: Direct students to read Article Two of John Dewey’s (1897) “My Pedagogic Creed,” available at http://dewey.pragmatism.org/creed.htm. Ask them if Dewey’s tenets are evident in today’s school system and to explain their position. Comment paper/Reflection paper: If a documentary/TEDTalk was viewed in class, ask students to write a short paper and submit. End the class with a mini quiz: Focus on multiple-choice questions that address the Learning Objectives of the chapter. Review and discuss the correct answers for each question. (The use of “clicker” technology and turning point slides is very effective for this exercise.) Three-minute summary: Ask students to brainstorm a list of the main points from the session. Each student picks one point and has three minutes to write a short summary to submit. Ask students (in pairs/small groups) to create and submit a question (with answer): The question should be one that they would like to be included on an upcoming exam. Some of these questions could be developed into a multiple-choice format and used at the start of the next class as a review of the material from this session. It allows students to engage with the exam creation, and if used as part of the next session’s opening questions, it enables them to self-assess their learning and engagement in the previous session. Set up an online survey tool account: (i.e., www.toofast.ca) Ask/instruct students to answer one or two questions, such as What did I learn today that precipitated an “aha” moment? What did I not understand in today’s class? (This provides you with feedback on the teaching in addition to the student learning. The difficulties with understanding could then be addressed in the next class.) MindTap: Refer your students to http://www.nelson.com/student to access the MindTap for Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. MindTap is a personalized program of digital products and services that engages students with interactivity while offering students and instructors choice in content, platforms, devices, and learning tools. This resource includes quiz questions, videos, and articles that are accompanied by thought-provoking questions that challenge students to think critically about current issues and events. Ask students to utilize this learning tool, and bring to the next class any questions (difficulties) they may have in regards to information from this chapter. 7. HOW CAN I ASSESS MY OWN “PERFORMANCE”? A critical reflection on my own practice: insights and understandings: A. Did I get the attention of my students at the beginning of class? a. What did I do? Did it work? How? If not, why not? b. Did I get the right kind of attention, or the wrong kind? B. Did I allot enough time for student dialogue/participation/engagement in the learning process? a. If not, why not? b. Is there any material that can (or should) be minimized or removed in order to allow for student input and participation? c. Are there ways of transferring some of the content online to open up more time in class for participation and engagement? C. How could I incorporate more student input and participation? (e.g., clicker questions, think/pair/share, one-minute summaries) D. Were my students engaged and/or focused? If so: a. What tells me that they were? b. What concepts were we covering? c. What precisely were they engaged with and/or focused on? (i.e., video clip, documentary, debate, small group discussion, whole class discussion) d. Were there unexpected moments of engagement, i.e., in group discussion, that I recognized and incorporated? e. If not: a. When did I lose them? b. Why did they disengage/lose focus? E. Did I integrate formative assessment of student learning throughout the “lecture”? a. What did I do? b. Did these assessments suggest to me that they understood the key concepts? If not, was I prepared to alter my plan in response? F. Did I request feedback from the students on their learning experience in this class? i.e.: a. Submission of an “aha” moment they had b. Informal summary (point form) addressing two or three concepts covered c. Five (ten) minutes for “debriefing” at the end (of class or topic)—“What” are your questions? (not “Are there any questions?”) d. Refer students to an online survey (e.g., Blackboard learning system, toofast.ca). G. Some things to consider for the next class (modifications to consider when teaching this chapter again): a. What worked really well, and why? b. What could/should/might I do differently next time to improve student engagement and learning? H. What did I learn about this topic? What insights did I gather from my students? Were any of those insights surprising to me? I. What did I learn about my teaching, and what can I do to modify my teaching as a result? 8. WHAT OTHER RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE? [Supplementary Resources] Barr, Robert B., and John Tagg. 1995. “From Teaching to Learning—A New Paradigm for Undergraduate Education.” Change, November/December 1995, pp. 13–25. Bourdieu, Pierre, and Jean Claude Passeron. 2000 [1977]. Reproduction in Education, Society and Culture, Second Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Choi, Jung-Ah. 2009. “Reading Educational Philosophies in Freedom Writers.” The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, Vol. 82, Iss. 5, pp. 244–248. Cote, James, and Anton L. Allahar. 2011. Lowering Higher Education: The Rise of Corporate Universities and the Fall of Liberal Education. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. 2008. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper Perennial. Davies, Scott, and Neil Guppy. 2010. The Schooled Society: An Introduction to the Sociology of Education, Second Edition. Toronto: Oxford University Press. Flynn, James R. 1987. “Massive IQ Gains in 14 Nations: What IQ Tests Really Measure.” Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 101, No. 2, pp. 171–191. Flynn, James R. 1999. “Searching for Justice: The Discovery of IQ Gains Over Time.” American Psychologist, Vol. 54, Issue 1 (Jan. 1999), pp. 5–20. Flynn, James R., and Lawrence G. Weiss. 2007. “American IQ Gains from 1032 to 2002: The WISC Subtests and Educational Progress.” International Journal of Testing, Vol. 7, Iss. 2, pp. 209–224. Freire, Paulo. 2000. Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 30th Anniversary Edition. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group. Freire, Paulo. 2005. Education for Critical Consciousness. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group. Ghosh, Ratna, and Ali A. Abdi. Education and the Politics of Difference. [2nd Ed.] Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press. Government of Ontario. 2009. “Equity and Inclusive Education in Ontario Schools: Guidelines for Policy Development and Implementation.” Available at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/inclusiveguide.pdf. Kupfer, Antonia. 2011. “Towards a Theoretical Framework for the Comparative Understanding of Globalisation, Higher Education, the Labour Market and Inequality.” Journal of Education and Work, Vol. 24, Nos. 1–2 (February–April 2011), pp. 185–208. Martino, Wayne, and Goli Rezai-Rashti. 2011. Gender, Race and the Politics of Role Modelling: the Influence of Male Teachers. New York: Routledge. Marzano, Robert J. “A New Paradigm for Educational Change.” Available at http://www.landmarkeducation.com/The_Landmark_Forum/What_People_Say/Independent _Research_Case_Studies_and_Surveys/~/media/Files/PDF/the%20landmark%20forum/ROB %20MARZANO%20STUDY.ashx. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm. (2009). On the Future of our Educational Institutions. J.M. Kennedy, Translator. The Project Gutenberg Ebook 28146, available at http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=1075323. Nilson, Linda B. 2010. Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons. Oreopoulos, Philip. 2005. “Stay in School: New Lessons on the Benefits of Raising the Legal School-Leaving Age.” C.D. Howe, The Education Papers, No. 223, December 2005. ISSN 0824-8001. Available at http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/commentary_223.pdf. Palmer, Parker J. 2007. The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series. Palmer, Parker J., and Arthur Zajonc (with Megan Scribner). 2010. The Heart of Higher Education: A Call to Renewal. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series. Rathunde, Kevin, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. 2005. “The Social Context of Middle School: Teachers, Friends, and Activities in Montessori and Traditional School Environments.” The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 106, No. 1, (September 2005), pp. 59–79. Robinson, Ken. 2011. Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative. West Sussex, UK: Capstone Publishing Ltd. Robson, Karen. 2012. Sociology of Education in Canada. Toronto: Pearson. TEDTalk (2009, 18 min., 41 sec.). “Liz Coleman’s Call to Reinvent Liberal Arts Education.” Available at http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/liz_coleman_s_call_to_reinvent _liberal_arts_education.html. Thomson, Pat. 2012. Understanding the Field of Educational Leadership: Pierre Bourdieu. Oxford, UK: Routledge. Usher, Alex. 2009. “The Post-Secondary Student Support Program: An Examination of Alternative Delivery Mechanisms.” A Report to the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada – Educational Policy Institute. Available at http://educationalpolicy.org/publications/pubpdf/INAC.pdf. Wotherspoon, Terry. 2009. The Sociology of Education in Canada: Critical Perspectives, Third Edition. New York: Oxford University Press. 9. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WITH SUGGESTED ANSWERS 1. In your opinion, how meritocratic were the schools you attended? Did most talented students tend to perform the best? Did material advantages and parental support help the best students? Did material disadvantages and lack of parental hinder the achievements of weaker students? Answer: Answers will vary and may/should include a definition of meritocracy (p. 447) and reference to cultural capital (pp. 450–451). In my analysis, schools often exhibited varying degrees of meritocracy. Talented students generally performed well, but material advantages and parental support played a significant role in enhancing their success. Conversely, students with material disadvantages and less parental support faced additional challenges, often hindering their achievements despite their abilities. 2. How would you try to solve the problem of unequal access to higher education? Should tuition payments be lowered across the board, on the basis of family need, or to reward academic success? Would universal subsidies for some costs, like fees, but not others, like books and living expenses, favour all equally or provide more benefits to those who have more resources to devote to education? Answer: Answers will vary by student and may include reference to material found on pp. 447–448, “Economic Barriers to Higher Education.” To address unequal access to higher education, a needs-based approach might be most effective, targeting support to those from lower-income families. Lowering tuition across the board could benefit all students but might not address deeper inequalities. Universal subsidies for essential costs like fees could help, but if not complemented by support for books and living expenses, they might still disproportionately benefit those with more resources. Balancing targeted financial aid with broader subsidies could create a more equitable system. 3. Did you feel that either boys or girls were favoured academically in the schools you attended? If so, who benefited, if anyone? Is your perception consistent with the evidence reviewed in the chapter? Do you think gender discrimination takes place in schools? If so, what might be done? Answer: Answers will vary and may/should refer to information found on pp. 455–456 of the text. In many schools, there can be subtle gender biases, such as boys being favored in subjects like math and science, while girls might be encouraged in language arts. These perceptions often align with evidence showing differential encouragement and expectations. Gender discrimination in schools can be addressed by promoting inclusive curricula, training educators on biases, and fostering equal opportunities in all subjects. Chapter 17: Education Application Questions 1. Gender Differences in Science Chapter 17 points out that while the gender gap in general educational achievement in Canada has closed, a gap still remains with respect to the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Since the STEM fields are where a preponderance of the high-paying, high-tech jobs are, this gender gap is consequential. This application lets you locate the Canadian situation in an international context. Specifically, the application examines gender differences in science achievement. Steps: 1. Go to the following website, where you will find an interactive map. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/02/04/science/girls-lead-in-science-exam-but-not-in-the-united-states.html?hp&_r=0 This map displays the results of an international study of 15-year-old boys’ and girls’ achievement on standardized science tests. Here are some things you need to note in order to understand the map: a. The line down the centre of the scale (350, 400, 450, etc.) is the science test score. Higher scores indicate better science performance. b. Each dot represents a country. If you place your cursor over a dot, the name of the country and its science scores for boys and girls appears. c. The countries (dots) to the left of the centre line are countries where boys performed better in science than girls. The countries (dots) to the right of the centre line are countries where girls performed better in science than boys. The scale at the bottom of the graphic (2%, 4%, etc.) indicates how different the boys/girls scores were for a country. d. The colour of the dots indicates the region of the world where the country is located. The key in the lower-left identifies the region by colour. To ensure this is perfectly clear, let’s review the United States dot (since it is already identified). The United States is located in “the Americas” (turquoise dot). Its average boys’ science score is 509, while the average girls’ science score is 495. The boys outperform girls in science (dot on left side of centre line), and the gender difference approaches 3 percent. 2. The first panel displays information from dozens of countries around the world. How does the number of dots on the right side of centre compare to the number left of centre? What does that tell you? 3. Now go to the second panel, which highlights the countries with higher science achievement scores. What region of the world predominates in higher science achievement? In these countries, which gender displays better scores? 4. Now go to the fourth panel, which highlights the countries where boys score higher on science achievement. In what region of the world are these countries located? 5. Now go to the fifth panel, which highlights the large number of countries where girls score higher on science achievement. In what region of the world are these countries located? 6. Write up a report that includes the following: • It answers the questions in Steps 2 through 5. • In 2005, Lawrence Summers was President of Harvard University. When asked about the United States gender gap in STEM education, his response noted that women have less math/science aptitude. Shortly afterward, Dr. Summers was dismissed as Harvard’s president. What does this international evidence tell you about intrinsic sex differences in science aptitude? Answer: • Step 2: There are many more countries in which girls perform better in science than boys. This indicates that women are fully capable of high science achievement. • Step 3: Higher science performance is found in countries in Asia and northern Europe (Scandinavia). In these high performing nations, girls’ performance outranks boys’. • Step 4: The countries where boys outperform girls in science are generally located in western European countries and the Americas. • Step 5: Girls’ higher science performance is found in eastern and southern Europe and the Middle East. • If girls had some kind of natural/intrinsic reason for science achievement, this would be consistently evident across the globe. This is clearly not the case. In most countries, the opposite holds true (girls outperform boys). Boys outperforming girls in science is only common in western European and North/South American nations. 2. Educational Inequalities Experience in educational institutions plays a central role in shaping students’ future trajectories and success. One of the goals of public education is to provide similar educational opportunities. Still, despite public education’s intentions, startling differences in educational inequalities exist. The following video clip documents the experiences of students from two schools in Chicago. One is an affluent public school in the suburbs; the other is a public school in the inner city. To emphasize the educational differences, groups of students from these schools switched schools for a day. Steps: 1. Go to the following website and view the “Trading Schools” video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXBUdwKk4Fw 2. Write up a report that addresses the following issues: • What differences between the schools are evident in the video? • How will these differences contribute to inequalities in educational achievement? • Do you think that this level of disparity in schools exists in Canada? Why, or why not? Answer: Answers will vary, but the following points are relevant: • Schools’ inequalities are most evident in the quality of the educational facilities. However, there are also clear differences in the calibre of instruction, the opportunities for advanced placement, and in parents’ orientations. • The public schools’ differences in facilities and opportunities will contribute to the perpetuation and possible expansion of educational (and consequent) inequalities. This cycle occurs because students from more privileged backgrounds are more likely to attend better schools, and those from less privileged backgrounds are more likely to attend inner city schools. • Differences at least this great occur in Canada. Examples vary by region. On the Prairies, for example, such differences will easily be found comparing suburban schools to those on many First Nations reserves. Report: The video highlights stark differences in resources, facilities, and educational environments between the affluent and inner-city schools, contributing to significant inequalities in educational achievement. Similar disparities exist in Canada, where socioeconomic factors and regional differences create unequal educational opportunities. Chapter 17: Education Unschooling In a recent episode of the television show Our America with Lisa Ling, featured on OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, journalist Lisa Ling profiled examples of what she called “extreme parenting”: on the one hand was a Silicon Valley family in which the young children were in private school 12 months of the year, participated in gruelling schedules centred on homework and extracurricular activities, and had academic skills beyond their grade level. On the other hand was a family adhering to what is called “unschooling,” which is a pared-down version of homeschooling. In unschooling, the curriculum is not decided ahead of time but rather arises out of daily life and out of children’s interests. For example, the mother featured in this episode created a math lesson for her eldest child out of making dinner. Earlier in the week, the family had gone to a local museum and learned about the subjects covered by the various exhibits, such as the anatomy of hearing. Unschooling is not common, but a number of families believe it is the preferred alternative to a school system that does not cater to the needs and interests of individual students. This argument is represented on a Canadian unschooling website (visit http://www.unschooling.ca/index.htm). While homeschooling often makes use of an established curriculum provided by a school board or other educational resource centres, unschooling deliberately shies away from a predetermined curriculum. Application Questions 1. Read the home page of the website carefully. What are the central issues of the publicly funded Canadian school system, according to unschoolers, that proponents of unschooling aim to address? Answer: The central issues are forcing a child to go to school; children are taken away from their parents each day for their schooling; government interference; labels like ADHD applied liberally to children with unique personalities and/or educational needs; high dropout rates due to all of the above; being told how to educate children. 2. What commentary would a conflict theorist provide on the children enrolled in a year-round private school in Silicon Valley? Answer: A conflict theorist would argue that the children attending a private school have advantages that are unavailable to the general population, given the high tuition costs associated with private school attendance. These families can afford the kind of education that may give their children a leg-up in their academic studies, in admission to a top post-secondary institution, and perhaps even in the job market. 3. Based on your knowledge of the role of cultural capital in educational success, would you argue that the unschooled children are at a disadvantage in terms of their overall educational attainment? Answer: One would need to know the social class background or socioeconomic status (SES) of the families doing unschooling, because cultural capital is patterned across class lines. An unschooled child may not be at a disadvantage if their parents possess cultural capital and the kind of resources to expose their children to the kinds of activities and people that can prove advantageous in educational outcomes. 4. Drawing on your knowledge of how Canadian students compare to other students internationally, should the various ministries of education across Canada be concerned about unschooling? Explain your answer. Answer: The government might be concerned about unschooling because unschooled children are not necessarily exposed to the same standard curriculum that children attending a publicly or even privately funded school are exposed to. Although Canadian students do well in international comparisons, the concern would be that students who are unschooled lack the rigour and comprehensive curriculum one might find in a school setting. However, the government would need to gather information about educational outcomes comparing schooled and unschooled students before drawing any real conclusions. Solution Manual for Sociology My Compass for a New World Robert J. Brym, Lance W. Roberts, Lisa Strohschein, John Lie 9780176532031, 9780495763963