Educational Foundations - Soc Comp Exam

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Study Guide for Educational FoundationsEducational Sociology

Congratulations!

You've made it this far, completed the course work and are preparing for the "comps."We hope this guide will aid you in that preparation.

The comprehensive examination allows the doctoral student the opportunity to synthesizeknowledge at an advanced academic level each category represented in the !rogram of

tudies is included in the comprehensive examination. #t is not simply another final

exam on courses completed, $ut rather reflects your a$ility to demonstrate acomprehensive knowledge of your field of study.

The %ducational ociology comps are take&home exams. You will receive the comps viae&mail and have approximately two weeks to complete the exam. The dates are listed on

the %ducational eadership home page. The take&home format of the exam suggests youwill have ample time to provide well&organized, well&developed, comprehensive, andwell&cited responses drawing on $oth materials you have used in relevant classes as well

as outside resources.

!()!*%+ The *%-% doctoral hand$ook includes the following statements of

purpose for the doctoral comprehensive exam /p. 012+ "Their primary purpose is to give

students an opportunity to /02 emonstrate their understanding of $asic concepts $eyondthe final examinations taken in specific courses /32 4orm and articulate opinions and

concepts in areas of study /12 use methods of argument, presentations, conclusions,

implications, applications, and organization as they synthesize knowledge from their

studies /52 #ntegrate knowledge with their own professional experiences."

!)%!6)6T#*7+ You should prepare for the take&home exam well $efore you receive the

exam. 8egin $y reviewing the materials /e.g. readings, notes, discussions, essays, or othermaterials2 from related courses and identifying ma9or concepts or ideas. (se course

sylla$i and class readings to review ma9or arguments presented in readings. #f possi$le,

identify a group of students with whom you can study and exchange ideas. #f not familiarwith 6!6 :thedition guidelines, $orrow a manual or look for we$sites that will help you

%;!%T6T#*7+ 6s doctoral students, you are expected to add to the $ody of

knowledge $y formulating your own arguments while using an extensive $ody of

literature. While some


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show the nuances within different understandings. The writing should $e clear, coherent,and follow all professional guidelines as stipulated $y the discipline. ee $elow for

appropriate citations.

4*)>+ You will have to answer two


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' the in+uence of societal or)ani,ation on aspects of schoolin) -e.).power! control.

' the nature of sociolo)ical inquiry& its characteristics! what it ena"les!what it constrains.

' the contri"utions of various theoretical perspectives -e.).functionalism! la"elin) theory! con+ict theory! reproduction theory!phenomenolo)y! critical theory to discussions of educational reform inhistorical and contemporary settin)s.

EXAP!E "UESTIONS

The followin) questions are from previous comprehensive exams.They are presented here to )ive you an idea of the #inds ofquestions that appear in the sociolo)y foundations exam.

1. $ociolo)ists have lon) "een interested in the relationship of socialclass and education. dentify three social theorists who address thisrelationship and descri"e their ar)uments. elineate thesimilarities and dierences in their positions and explain how theirwor# lin#s participation in school to educational achievement andoccupational attainment.

2. $ociolo)ists and educators have developed a ran)e of ar)uments toexplain the low academic achievement of mem"ers of particularminority )roups. dentify and descri"e two contrastin) theoreticalinterpretations of school failure and delineate the dierences"etween the two positions. n your response! refer to the empiricalwor# of at least two theorists within each paradi)m and theircontri"utions to the theoretical ar)uments. iscuss the implicationsof each theoretical ar)ument on school*"ased interventions and therecommendations each theorist would ma#e to improve academicachievement.

. $chool districts throu)hout the country are experimentin) withstrate)ies to increase parental choice in schoolin) -e.).! charterschools! vouchers! etc.. $elect four individuals from the followin)list of educational sociolo)ists and social theorists and discuss howtheir wor# relates to issues around school choice. ow do thecentral themes of each theorist3s wor# %ustify or critique theadvanta)es and disadvanta)es of this school reform movement4


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T#EO$IST AND TEXT $EFE$ENCESThe followin) theorists and texts are listed to help you identify sourcesfrom which to draw&

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Thomas dorno

7aula 8unn llen

ichael pple

:ean ;audrillard

hodorow

:ohn >hu""

:ames >oleman

?.onnell

@inda arlin) ammond

@isa elpit

:acques errida

:ohn ewey

Amile ur#heim

Brederic# Aric#son

ichelle Bine

ichel Boucault

7aulo Breire

arold 8ar(n#el

>arol 8illi)an

enry 8iroux

:ur)en a"ermas

onna araway

=ancy artsoc#

ax or#heimer

.


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Arvin) 8oman >ornel am"rid)e! & arvard University 7ress.

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;owles! $.! G 8intis! . -19I6. Schooling in capitalist America:Educational reform and the contradictions of economic life. =ewHor#& ;asic ;oo#s.

;ernstein! ;. -19I1. )lass, codes, and control. @ondon& ?outled)e G7aul.

>arnoy! . -19I5. Education as cultural imperialism. =ew Hor#& avidcCay >ompany.

>hu""! :.A.! G oe! T.. -1990. *olitics, markets, and Americansschools. & ;roo#in)s.

elpit! @. -199F. ther peoples children: )ultural con+ict in theclassroom.=ew Hor#& ontinuum.

8ar(n#el! . -196I. Studies in ethnomethodology. An)lewood >lis!

=:& 7rentice*all.

8illi)an! >. -19J2/199. $n a di/erent #oice: *sychological theory andwomens de#elopment. >am"rid)e! & arvard University 7ress.

8iroux! . -19JJ. Teachers as intellectuals: Toward a critical pedagogyof learning. 8ran"y! & ;er)in G 8arvey.

8iroux! . -1999. The mouse that roared: "isney and the end ofinnocence. @anham! & ?owman G @ittle(eld.

8iroux! . -2001. Theory and resistance in education: A pedagogy for

the opposition. $outh adley! & ;er)in G 8arvey.

8oman! A. -19F9/1990. The presentation of self in e#eryday life. =ewHor#& ou"leday.

araway! .:. -19J9. *rimate #isions: 0ender, race, and nature in theworld of modern science. =ew Hor#& ?outled)e.

I


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Co,ol! :. -1991. Sa#age ine'ualities: )hildren in Americas schools.=ew Hor#& >rown 7u"lishers.

@areau! . -2000. %ome ad#antage: Social class and parentalinter#ention in elementary education-2nded.. @anham! &?owman G @ittle(eld 7u"lishers.

@yotard! :.B. -19J5. )ondition postmoderme. inneapolis& University ofinnesota 7ress.

annheim! C. -19F2. Essays on the sociology of knowledge. @ondon&?outled)e G 7aul.

arx! C. -1961/1962/19II. 1apital. =ew Hor#& Einta)e ;oo#s.

c@aren! 7. -199. 2etween orders: *edagogy and the politics ofcultural studies. =ew Hor#& ?outled)e.

c@aren! 7. -199J. 4ife in schools: An introduction to critical pedagogy

in the foundations of education-rd

ed.. =ew Hor#& @on)man.

ead! 8.. -195/1962. 5ind, self & society from the standpoint of asocial eha#iorist.>hica)o! @& University of >hica)o 7ress.

erton! ?. -1959/19FI/196J. Social theory and social structure. =ewHor#& Bree 7ress.

ills! >.


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$prin)! :. -1995/2002.American education. ;oston& c8raw*ill.

Spring, J. (1997).Deculturalization and the struggle for equality: A brief history of the

education of dominated cultures in the United States.New York: McGraw-Hill.

Varenne, H., & McDermott, R. (1998). Successful failure: The school America builds.

Boulder, Co: Westview Press.

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Educational Foundations - Soc Comp Exam