학교에서 가르치는 것과 학생들이 배우는 것 - 한 사회학적 논의

What is taught in schools? This question is different from what schools should teach. However, these two questions have not been considered qualitively differently. There seems to be a big difference between what schools teach and what students learn in schools. The difference has been usually treated as being quantitative. Many research projects have been conducted to reduce the gap between the amount of being taught and the amount of being learned.<BR> This paper is based on the critical doubt about the above questions. By reviewing the theories of explaining of what schools teach and what students learn, the paper attempts to discover the invaded ideology which has formed the paradigm to explain. This paper reviewed four theories, which had been categorized to two paradigms - functional and conflict. Each paradigm has its own ideal society, which is an Utopia.<BR> The functional paradigm, which has the functional theory of schooling, is optimistically looking for an open and meritocratic society where everyone has the equal chance to get ahead. In contrast, the conflict paradigm, in which the economic reproduction theory, the cultural reproduction theory, and the `resistence` theory are included, criticize the assumptions of functional theorv. This paradigm suggests a totally different model of the modern society. According to the model, every group (ex.), class, and status) struggles each other to get more benefit. Therefore, if social institutions such as school give some advantage to one group, then the institutions give disadvantage to the others. This paradigm also has its own ideal society which can be named as `classless society`. The latter three theories - two reproduction theories and the `resistence` theory - are different each other in their emphasis even though all of them are based on the conflict paradigm.<BR> Here are the four theories. First, the functional theory of schooling defined school as `an essentially rational institution to teach students cognitive skills, norms, and values which are necessary to perform the adult roles in the modern industrial society.` The cognitive skills are necessary to perform the occupational role. By learning the norms and values the students can adjust to the complex modern democratic society.<BR> Second, the economic reproduction theory of schooling can be well explained by the `correspondence principle.` The social relation in schools reflects the social relation in work place of capitalist societies. For example, schools teach compliance and obedience to working class children who will get the working class jobs, and teach independence to the ruling class children who will be ruling class.<BR> Third, the cultural reproduction theory of schooling emphasizes culture rather than economy. The ruling class enforces the schools to teach the class-biased cultural capital as the legitimate knowledge. Therefore, the children of ruling class definitely have the advantage to get ahead in scho