Question 1

John Dewey main ideas were on the role that education has in the progress and reform efforts of a society, and specifically towards attaining a democratic society. For Dewey, the formation of a democratic character should be the basis of every philosophy in education, a concept he finds more significant than teaching the inner workings of a democracy. The development of a democratic character goes beyond the knowledge of a set of rules and facts to include fostering sociable and intelligent individuals. A democratic character is based on a positive reception and open-mindedness. Therefore, general education, according to Dewey, is the basis for democracy as a lifestyle because living together in a given society requires public interactions, the latter being possible where citizens are well educated.

Education is presented as a tool that produces active learners who are required to solve problems and work together towards such demands. Education enables them to not only communicate more efficiently but also exchange ideas with one another. Therefore, schools become a miniature community, imitating the general society where interactions are based on a need to progress and see the world from the point of view of the next person. Active learning, thinking as a problem solving technique, and social community make up the ingredients for an understanding of democracy. Democracy is not necessarily a form of government but rather a way of life and a condition for a government to create opportunities for others. Governments, whenever elected, are required to presuppose social spheres of free communication and exchange.

In a deeper analysis of what Dewey presented in relation to education and its role in democracy, it can be observed that he created a picture of a society that makes it easier for others to participate for every member on equal terms, securing flexible adjustment of the institutions through various interactions in a democratic sense. For such an advanced society to exist, there must be presence of a type of education that offers personal interests to individuals in a social control and relationship. Additionally, there is a requirement for habits of the mind that secure different social changes without necessary leading to disorder. As such, the expected role of educators is to remain aware of the principles of shaping actual experiences through environing conditions that advance active learning, participation, and democracy. A basis for democracy through education is the recognition of the concrete surroundings that are required to have experiences that set the tone for growth.

In summary, the significance that Dewey places on the notion of democracy and its role in public education is one of an active learning scenario, the understanding of free exchange and communication, and the realization that every person must have knowledge of the inner workings of the society. Dewey perceived the learning environment as a microcosm of the main democratic society. In the idea to impart knowledge, learners and educators gain from one another via interactions on equal basis, despite teachers having an extra role of creating an environment of learning that is effective for the continuous growth of learners. The reforms from a school level brought about by education and its outcomes would ultimately lead to transformations at the societal level. Democratic conception through education is therefore an expansion of a community life that creates continuous learning and growth and participation on equal terms from the basic levels of every society to the larger community in governance and policy formulation.

Question 3

Ivan Illich strongly criticized the public schooling structure for its centralized formation, the internal bureaucracy, the lack of flexibility it presents, and the inequalities it carries. He offered that universal education via schooling is not achievable and would be more practical if alternative institutions were implemented on the style of present schools. Illich felt that institutions, schools included, had a corrupting impact on the society. Illich called for deschooling, a process of transitioning where they are expected to disconnect and decompress from the traditional institution of learning. He advocates for deschooling based on the perceived myth of the values of the process of schooling. In his view, the belief that schools generate any form of value lead to the creation of a demand. Generally, the society assumes that schools lead to learning and therefore the existence of learning institutions leads to a demand for schooling. The school creates a perception of valuable learning as a result of attendance and that the value increases as a function of quantity of attendance. Grades and certificates are used to measure the said value. However, Illich finds this notion ridiculous and believes in the opposite that learning is naturally a human activity that least requires manipulation by institutions and others. He finds learning to be a result of participation in a meaningful setting and not instruction giving in a rigid situation. Schools, in his view, are only important in the identification of cognitive, and personal growth with elaborate manipulation and planning.

Illich saw institutionalized schools as examples of structures in the society that quantify values on the basis of frequency. For him, using a schooling yardstick to measure personal growth was impossible. However, when people gain the ideas schooled into them, then values are measured and produced, accepting all forms of rankings. In the myth of measurement of value, Illich found that individuals that submit to standards of others to determine personal growth apply these same standards for themselves. Schools are heavily criticized by Illich because of how they sell curriculum. The teachers are presented as distributors who offer the finished product to the consumers (learners). The latter’s’ reactions are carefully studied to offer a model for the next phase of learning.

Overall, Illich presents that the school is not the only institution in the modern society with the main purpose being to shape the individual reality and views of people. The media is also used for the same purpose, creating mass produced ideologies and tending to craft people who view reality in the same way. Illich’s critique of institutions is based on a premise that it does not provide a true picture of reality. His thoughts that schools as we know them are no longer viable are true because of how these institutions quantify value based on their relevance. Certificates and other awards, for example, ae used to show that one has grown personally and professionally. However, this idea is flawed and based on a system of manipulation. Illich’s ideas are relevant in the 21st century where education policies continue to be shaped by outdated models. The school system has remained relatively rigid to any form of changes and is unwelcoming in the way new ideas or policies are introduced.

Question 6

Ideologies can be said to be descriptive and broad way of thinking including cohesive ideas and beliefs that may be political in nature. The Marxist concept of ideology, therefore, represents a set of beliefs and ideas that are dominant in the society and can be applied in the justification of privilege and power of the elite or ruling class. According to the traditional Marxists, the schooling system is meant to teach learners on passively obeying authority. Schools are seen as a way to legitimize and reproduce class inequalities. The Marxist notion of ideology the schooling system performs the main functions that include reproduction of class inequalities, legitimating the said class inequalities, and works for the interest of the capitalist employer.

In the reproduction of class inequalities, the Marxist ideology sees schooling as a means to carry class inequality from a generation to the next. Middle class use cultural capital and material to make sure that students get to good schools and achieve the top sets. As a result, wealthier students get the best out of the education system and go further to acquire the best jobs. Meanwhile, the working class students get poorer education and end up in working class jobs. Therefore, there is a reproduction of inequality that is observable from one generation to the next.

The Marxist notion of ideology then argues that money is the main determination of the education one gets but the myth of meritocracy clouds peoples’ judgement on this. The school system falsely teaches that every child has the same chance of succeeding and that the grades are the most important feature in showing ability and effort. The result is that failure is seen as a personal choice. This notion, according to the Marxist ideology, justifies the poor education system and is presented as fair. The effect is that the working class is better controlled. When children grow up knowing that they stand an equal chance, then rebellion is limited. Lastly, the school replicates how the workplace operates with the middle class having a better chance at success than the working class. The system is used in the contemporary schooling structure as a means to control the masses. It renders one a product of a system that is not fair, yet is presented as so in order to create a system that favors the elite and ruling classes. Education is now a luxury that is only affordable to the able, where those that are not able to attain the demands believe that they did their best.

Question 8

The four forms of capital according to Pierre Bourdieu include economic, cultural, social, and symbolic. Social capital is presented as a property of an individual, as opposed to the collective. Social capital is a result of the social status and position of a person. It enables one to exert power over a group or those in a position of mobilizing resources. However, Bourdieu observed that social capital may not be uniformly available to society members. It is only available to individuals that put effort in its acquisition through attaining positions of status and power and creating goodwill. It is irreducibly linked to various forms of stratification such as class and social position that are then linked to other benefits and advancements.

Economic capital makes reference to material assets that are directly and immediately convertible to money. These assets can be institutionalized as property rights. Economic capital may include every type of material resource for instance, property ownership, land, or financial resources. These assets are used to maintain or acquire better outcomes for the owner.

Cultural capital includes attainments that can be objectified to possess cultural goods. These include people values, tastes, skills, and knowledge. Education, for example, is a cultural capital that links the social position of a person to other benefits in a society. Such possessions enable cultural participation and create a better opportunity to interact and create larger cultural networks.

Symbolic capital emphasize on the symbolic dimensions of the social life of a person. The role of such dimensions is to create an asymmetric position. It is a genuine component of capital and is defined through perceptions, recognition, and schemes that identify an asset. For example, education can be a symbolic capital that turns into social or cultural capital once it is identified by others.

For each of the capital forms identified above, they can all be used as a form of success in education. For social capital, education leads to the creation of social networks in scholarly circles, affiliations with various institutions and so on. For economic capital, education is a means to acquire other assets and material benefits. It can be used to improve the position of an individual including their general worth and can be converted into monetary gains. For the cultural capital, education is a way to showcase attainments that can be objectified to possess cultural goods. Education leads to people values, tastes, skills, and knowledge. Symbolically, success in the field of education leads to one being noticed, and thus converting the asset into social or cultural capital. These forms of capital as intended by Pierre Bourdieu show the value of every aspect in terms of how it applies to different situations and fro the viewpoints of various institutions. The concept of education applies to every form of capital because of its versatility and how it can be converted easily into experience, skills, knowledge, how it creates connections, and how it is representative of personal growth and progress.