1.Introductiontotheessay:
Introducethetwoschoolsofthoughtandtheiropposingviewsregardingthe
roleoftheschoolinsociety.(10)
Therearetwomainschoolsofthoughtregardingtheroleoftheschoolinsociety:the
traditionalistperspectiveandtheprogressiveperspective.Thesetwoperspectives
haveopposingviewsonthepurposeandfunctionofeducation.
TraditionalistPerspective
Thetraditionalistperspectiveseestheprimaryroleoftheschoolastransmitting
knowledgeandpreservingsocietalvalues.Traditionalistsbelievethatschoolsshould
focusonteachingastandardizedcurriculum,emphasizingdiscipline,order,and
respectforauthority.Theyvieweducationasameanstoinstilculturalandmoral
values,preparingstudentstobecomeproductivemembersofsociety.Traditionalists
arguethatastrongfoundationincoresubjects,suchasmath,science,andhistory,
isessentialforstudentstosucceedintherealworld.Traditionalistsprioritizetherole
oftheteacherastheauthorityfigureandemphasizethetransmissionofestablished
knowledge.
ProgressivePerspective
Incontrast,theprogressiveperspectiveemphasizestheroleoftheschoolin
fosteringindividuality,criticalthinking,andsocialchange.Progressivesbelievethat
educationshouldbestudent-centred,focusingontheneedsandinterestsofeach
learner.Theyadvocateforamoreflexiblecurriculumthatpromotescreativity,
problem-solving,andactivelearning.Progressivesarguethatschoolsshould
preparestudentstobeactiveparticipantsinademocraticsociety,encouragingthem
toquestionauthority,challengesocialnorms,andcontributetopositivesocial
change.
OpposingViews
Thetraditionalistandprogressiveperspectiveshaveopposingviewsonseveralkey
aspectsofeducation:
1. Curriculum:Traditionalistsadvocateforastandardizedcurriculum,while
progressivesargueforamoreflexibleandindividualizedapproach.
, 2. TeachingMethods:Traditionalistsfavourteacher-centredinstruction,while
progressivespromotestudent-centredandexperientiallearning.
3. Assessment:Traditionalistsemphasizestandardizedtestingandgrades,while
progressivesadvocateforalternativeformsofassessmentthatmeasureabroader
rangeofskillsandknowledge.
4. Socialization:Traditionalistsprioritizesocializingstudentstoconformtosocietal
norms,whileprogressivesemphasizefosteringcriticalthinkingandsocial
awareness.
Itisimportanttonotethattheseperspectivesexistonacontinuum,andmany
educatorsincorporateelementsfrombothapproachesintheirteachingpractices.
Thedebatebetweentraditionalistsandprogressivescontinuestoshapeeducational
policiesandpracticesworldwide.
2.Bodyoftheessay:
2.1Criticallyreflectonthefunctionalistperspectiveonschoolingintermsof
thefollowing:
Functionalismasgroundedinthenaturalandphysicalscienceswithreference
tothefunctionalcontributionofsociety’ssub-systems.(5)
Thefunctionalistperspectiveonschoolingisbasedontheideathateducationserves
importantfunctionsinsociety.Itviewseducationasasocialinstitutionthat
contributestotheoverallstabilityandfunctioningofsociety.Hereisacritical
reflectiononthefunctionalistperspectiveonschoolingintermsofthefollowing
aspects:
FunctionalistPerspectiveandNaturalSciences
Thefunctionalistperspectiveseessocietyasasystemcomposedofinterrelated
parts,similartohowthenaturalandphysicalsciencesstudysystems.Itemphasizes
theimportanceofunderstandingthefunctionsandcontributionsofdifferent
subsystemswithinsociety,includingeducation.Fromafunctionalistviewpoint,
educationisseenasamechanismforsocializingindividuals,transmittingknowledge
andskills,andpreparingthemfortheirfuturerolesinsociety.
Criticsarguethatwhilethefunctionalistperspectivedrawsparallelsbetweensociety
andnaturalsciences,itoversimplifiesthecomplexityofsocialsystems.Societyis