Lesson 16: Education

Attention

One of the goals of Universal Education is to empower people around the world.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

  • Discuss your personal symbolic interactionist perspective on your experience at KVCC.

Teaching

Education

Similar to our discussion on religion, education is a vital part of our socialization process...socialization to the skills and knowledge that is part of being in our society and specific to roles that people will play in society (jobs).

The most apparent example of this we can focus on is, of course, Kennebec Valley Community College. Let's look at KVCC through the different viewpoints of Sociology.

Is College worth the Money?

This is probably a key question on many students' minds at KVCC. You are investing money into an experience that is supposed to prepare you for a specific job. Community, Technical, and Trade schools like KVCC play a vital role in preparing students to enter directly into the workplace.

Many students who come to KVCC are less interested in getting a "college degree" (though that IS an important part) and are more interested in the credential that it provides for them (such as an "RN" for Nursing or the "MHRT-C" for Mental Health).

Colleges like KVCC have remarkably low costs as well (particularly when compared to private colleges). KVCC's budget is supplements by the State of Maine (state appropriations) and the US Government (grants and student loans) so that the cost of going to college can be kept low. We have also not raised our tuition in several years, despite the increased cost of running the institution.

All in all, I'm of the opinion that KVCC (and other Community colleges) come the closest to being "worth the money".

KVCC as a Social Institution

KVCC provides an administrative structure for the delivery of a structured learning program to progress a student through the attainment of the knowledge and skills they need to compete in the workplace.

KVCC also provides formal and informal opportunities to learn, experience diversity, and to explore and develop identity.

KVCC has courses, programs, student clubs, and facilities that encourage people to gather.

Universal Education at KVCC

While the term "universal education" actually refers to the goal of providing education opportunities to everyone in the world, it can be applied on a small scale at KVCC. KVCC offers opportunities to individuals regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. It is supposed to be a non-judgmental (at least outside of grading!) institution where people can feel safe to pursue their individual goals.

Perspectives on Education

  • Functionalist Perspective
    • The "manifest functions" of education are to provide instruction to teach the skills and knowledge people need to survive in society.
    • Core values are also expressed in education...including a more liberal minded approach to truth and knowledge.
    • KVCC also participates and plays a role in "social placement"...the process of acquiring a degree and credentials enables some to compete at a higher level than others.
    • KVCC's degrees (Associates Degrees) have expressed value in our society and serve to document a body of general skills and knowledge along with specific skills and knowledge associated with someone's profession.
  • Conflict Perspective
    • One way to consider the conflict perspective at KVCC is to consider the fact that the University of Maine system (another publicly funded education system) receives many times more appropriations from the State of Maine.
    • This inequality does not necessarily lower the quality of the education, but it does impact our staffing, ratios of students to full-time faculty, and our facilities.
  • Symbolic Interactionist Perspective
    • Getting a degree may be a simple expectations in many families, but I know for certain that there are many students at KVCC who are going to be getting the first college degrees in their families.
    • Graduation is an important ceremony to attend to recognize the achievement, to thank those who helped along the way, and to transition students into the world.
  • Post Modern Perspective
    • KVCC does have a consumer perspective related to students. This can be in conflict with the academic perspective.
    • Consider this...a student who has failed to perform in a class may not always attribute their failure to a lack of studying or completing work. A student could blame the teacher or any other variable. While academically we insist on NOT providing credit for work that is done poorly there is the knowledge that the student is NOT a "happy customer" and may spread the word.
    • While this particular issue is minimal at KVCC, at some private institutions where the students' dollar is the only source of income, there is an increased pressure to ensure that students are successful.

Assessment

The Online Discussions are for students who are taking Online and Hybrid versions of this class. Your Instructor will inform you if you have to pay attention to these...otherwise you can ignore them.

Lesson 16 Discussion

Discuss your experience at KVCC from the Symbolic Interactionist perspective. Is it worth the money? Are you getting your money's worth? What are your expectations for what you will be able to do with your degree?