Sociology of Education (Exam 1)

Current research topics in the journal Sociology of Education, the main journal in the field, show which of the following to be key areas of research?

all of the above

Factors that affect school boards in their decision making include:

all of the above

In relation to power dynamics and roles, functional theorists argue that:

all of the above

Sociologists of education study:

all of the above

Role conflict occurs when:

all of the above.

School boards:

all of the above.

The "hidden curriculum" is often revealed by the:

all of the above.

The differences in educational experiences of students in rich versus poor schools are due to which of the following?

all of the above.

The school as an organization refers to the:

all of the above.

The structure of bureaucracy can cause what type of problem in school settings?

all of the above.

Which of the following is true regarding efforts to improve the quality of teaching?

all of the above.

Conflict theorists argue that:

appointed school boards are more likely to serve capitalist interests.

Both functional and conflict theories:

attempt to explain how education contributes to the maintenance of the status quo in society.

A sociologist studying education would be least likely to focus on which of the following?

biological factors affecting individual learning.

The "informal system" does not include:

classroom lesson plans.

According to Parsons, the school expects "successful" students to develop two components of achievement, which include:

cognitive learning and moral responsibility.

Which theory would most likely agree with the following statement: "Education produces a disciplined labor force for military, political, or other areas of control and exploitation by the "elite"?

conflict theory.

"School climate" refers to the:

culture, rituals, expectations, and ceremonies of the school.

"Teacher burnout" involves all but which of the following:

frequent loss of temper in the classroom.

Which of the following factors is an example of "educational climate"?

influences on students' values toward education.

Which of the following is not a feature of bureaucracies as described by Weber?

informal and affective role relationships.

The teacher style that allows students a great deal of freedom in the classroom is:

laissez-faire.

Which of the following is an example of the "hidden curriculum" of a school?

learning the rules and routines associated with the lunchtime recess.

According to the text, which of the following is true with respect to education?

none of the above.

According to conflict theorists, the informal system helps to:

reproduce students' social class positions.

Max Weber's brand of conflict theory stressed:

the importance of status group relationships in forming "status cultures" in schools.

Conflict theorists argue that:

the school system is basically volatile and coercion helps explain the equilibrium that does exist.

Which of the following is not part of the informal structure of school?

the structure of rules and regulations.

Postmodernism stresses the importance of:

theories relevant to local situations.

Small schools-within-schools have been found to:

A and B only.

Which statement best explains the role of the principal in a school system?

A decision maker who controls an individual school, but has little influence in the district as a whole.

What was the impetus for programs such as Teach for America?

A need for teachers in at-risk schools.

How can the government increase its control in education?

Allotting money only to schools that follow federal initiatives.

How can a bureaucratic school system fail a student?

Allowing him or her to slip through the cracks.

When did schools begin to move toward the current bureaucratic model?

As more students attended school beyond the elementary level.

According to research cited in the text, how does class size affect student learning and achievement?

Children in lower grades gain by being in smaller classes.

What does the term "hidden curriculum" explain?

Expectations of students that are not clearly defined.

Because women dominate teaching, they are also disproportionately represented in positions of administrative leadership, including principals and school superintendents.

False

Compared to other organizations, school systems tend not to generate role conflict because the goals of education are clearly defined and universally shared.

False

Conflict theorists who examine U.S. schools have consistently produced hard empirical evidence that school curriculum promotes the interests of capitalism.

False

Functionalists argue that the goals of a school system are those goals of the dominant power groups, and that there are competing goals for schools held by different interest groups in society.

False

Most teachers have bachelors' degrees, but often not in their field of teaching.

False

One of the positive functions of ability grouping is that it increases the number and variety of students in various groups.

False

Research on teacher expectations indicates that teachers are influenced by students' previous work and test scores, but not by the physical appearance, sex, and language patterns of students.

False

What is one advantage to small schools?

Fewer discipline issues.

What do critics of decentralization argue?

It does not decrease the power of administrators.

What is not true concerning functionalist theory?

It takes the individual as the primary unit of analysis.

How has standardized testing changed the role of the elementary teacher?

More emphasis has been placed on the performance of students.

How do most public schools teach morals?

Organizing special activities.

According to the functionalist theory, what will happen if a part of the school system does not work properly?

Other parts will cease to function properly, as well.

How are school boards able to control aspects of curriculum and teaching?

Selecting and hiring the superintendent.

Which of the following is not part of conflict theorists' view of power dynamics in schools?

Students are socialized into universally shared norms of the school for a smooth-running system.

In relation to teachers, what does institutional theory explain?

Teachers are able to implement change beyond the classroom.

What is one reason the organization of a school contributes to student success?

Teachers have a support system and are able to receive constructive feedback on performance.

Which of the following represents a sociological perspective concerning the nature of status and roles?

There is often flexibility for an individual to determine role performance within the requirements of the position.

In what way are all schools similar?

They are structured as an organization

Why can't school boards achieve their full potential?

They are torn between what the public wants and what the school needs.

How do conflict theorists differ from functionalist theorists in their perspective of school goals?

They believe that goals only exist to further inequality in the classroom.

Why do teachers fall into the category of "semiprofessionals"?

They do not meet all the requirements that characterize professionals.

In relation to role expectations, what do functional theorists believe?

They help an organization to operate efficiently.

A school's value climate is influenced by the family background and socioeconomic composition of the student body.

True

According to some conflict theorists, the hidden curriculum of a school serves a social control function that reproduces the social class of students.

True

Both functional and conflict theory tend to examine school power dynamics in terms of the large cultural, economic, and political systems of society. However, neither conflict nor functional theory has placed much emphasis on classroom dynamics.

True

Critics of the functionalist perspective argue that functionalism has difficulty in explaining social change, and that it fails to recognize the number of divergent interest groups in conflict with one another.

True

Despite some membership increases by females and blacks, school boards in the United States are composed predominantly of white males with middle to high incomes.

True

Principals are the "boss-in-the-middle" because they mediate conflicts between parents and teachers and must support and evaluate teachers.

True

Based on Durkheim's work, which of the following is true?

We cannot separate the educational system from the rest of society because education is closely related to all other societal institutions.

Which of the following is true about school superintendents?

Women superintendents are generally found in small districts where they do not risk appearing too authoritarian.

What is meant by "rationality of the organization"?

a position holder has authority over others only in areas associated with the job.