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Sociology of Education

The notion of education, in its broad meaning, in modern and contemporary societies, refers to the set of activities developed by society to transmit in an organized and institutionalized way the knowledge, skills and values ​​considered necessary for life in society. It is still usual to distinguish formal education, which develops at school through defined programs and pathways (curricula); non-formal education, which develops in other institutions (such as libraries, museums) with activities that contribute to the purposes of formal education; and informal education, which includes all educational practices that take place in the social space. In this sense, education, in sociological terms, clearly converges with socialization processes and studies on social organizations.

The sociology of education may be delimited by the study of the education processes developed in social organizations (essentially outside families and the interaction processes in communities) that aims to transmit knowledge, skills, values ​​and norms in an organized way. to prepare young and young adults for adult roles (and, to a lesser extent, prepare adults for new roles). A process that always takes place in an institutional environment, which differs from other social processes, involving the mediation between a teacher (profession) and a student (status that is given by inclusion in a course or school path). The educational process in an institution aims to complete the planned course.

The sociology of education thus encompasses the study of social organizations (schools) which are constructions of society to shape its members and which are shaped by the purposes imposed by that society. Sociology of education studies usually include a process of social analysis of the universe of institutions, learning outcomes, social stratification and their relationship to income distribution, access opportunities, inclusion and discrimination processes. studies, school culture studies, mediation processes, curriculum analysis and teacher training, etc. The role of education in the contemporary world is seen as one of the main tools for building social justice, access to decent work and indispensable for economic and social development.