Why is symbolic interactionism theory important in education? (2023)

Why is symbolic interactionism theory important in education?

Symbolic interactionist studies of education examine social interaction in the classroom, on the playground, and in other school venues. These studies help us understand what happens in the schools themselves, but they also help us understand how what occurs in school is relevant for the larger society.

In the context of education, interactionists focus on the interactions between pupils and between pupils and teachers, looking at concepts such as labelling at the processes and relationships that happen within schools.

Symbolic interactionism is a micro-level theoretical framework and perspective in sociology that addresses how society is created and maintained through repeated interactions among individuals.

Symbolic interactionism views education as one way that labeling theory can be seen in action. A symbolic interactionist might say that this labeling has a direct correlation to those who are in power and those who are labeled.

The three principles of symbolic interactionism are, meaning, thinking, and language.

Symbolic interactionism plays a big role in family and relationships. Your understanding of a word or event changes based on interactions with it. For example, if you have a great relationship with your wife, the word wife will be positive.

This is where the subjectivity of symbolic interactionism comes in. For example, the word "wife" can mean different things to different people. If a husband and wife have different ideas of what this word actually means, their marriage may be full of conflict.

Symbolic interaction theory analyzes society by addressing the subjective meanings that people impose on objects, events, and behaviors. Subjective meanings are given primacy because it is believed that people behave based on what they believe and not just on what is objectively true.

The functionalist theory of education is a significant perspective in the sociology of education. Some scholars use functionalist theory to explain the role of education in society.

According to this theory, people live both in the natural and the symbolic environment. Symbolic interaction is a process that is enlivened the reciprocal meaning and values by aid of the symbols in the mind. Meanings constitute of reciprocal interaction between persons. Objects don't have meaning on their own.

What is symbolic interactionism in simple words?

Symbolic interactionism is an approach used to analyze human interactions by focusing on the meanings that individuals assign to things in the world around them, including words and objects.

Research guided by the symbolic interactionist perspective suggests that teachers' expectations may influence how much their students learn. When teachers expect little of their students, their students tend to learn less.

Social interaction plays an important role in learning. Interacting with other people has proven to be quite effective in assisting the learner to organize their thoughts, reflect on their understanding, and find gaps in their reasoning.

Functionalists claim that schools sort based upon merit; conflict theorists argue that schools sort along distinct class and ethnic lines. According to conflict theorists, schools train those in the working classes to accept their position as a lower‐class member of society.

The functionalist theory of education focuses on how education serves the needs of society through development of skills, encouraging social cohesion and sorting of students. According to functionalists, the role of schools is to prepare students for participation in the institutions of society.

The advantage of symbolic interaction is that in contrast to other social theories it does not pose a theory of 1 society but, rather, focuses on individual acts and what goes on between people. This limited world view is why it will be useful to practitioners.

Implications of the Symbolic Interactionist Perspective For the Study of Environmentally-Responsible Consumption. ABSTRACT - Consumers can exhibit environmental responsibility by acquiring and using certain products, neglecting to acquire and use certain products, and conscientiously disposing of all products.