Deck 12: Education

Question 1

What form of educational system predominates in Canada?

A) selection system
B) contest system
C) formal curriculum
D) referral system

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Danielle was admitted to a very prestigious elementary school because her father was on the board of directors. With this education, she was admitted to a private high school whose graduates are accepted into the "best" universities, ensuring a strong educational base for a prestigious professional career. Danielle has experienced which of the following?

A) sponsored mobility
B) contest mobility
C) access to stratified education
D) selected advancement

Answer 2

C

Question 3

A secondary school district redrafts its curriculum offerings into the following categories leading to graduation: early matriculation for 16-year-olds; and late matriculation for trades, technology, and college/university preparation. What term best identifies this school's structuring?

A) self-selection
B) aptitude selection
C) streaming
D) majoring

Answer 3

C

Question 4

When Abdul wants to ask a question in class, he raises his hand. He learned this social practice in kindergarten, but it still holds true in university. What aspect of education is this an example of?

A) how it teaches us to ask questions
B) how it teaches us to be compliant
C) how it teaches us manners
D) how it teaches us not to speak

Question 5

Keisha, a bright and hardworking student, was in her guidance counsellor's office discussing course selection. Keisha's dream was to be a doctor, but the counsellor, knowing that she was being raised by a sole-support parent, discussed the practicality of her taking courses that would get her into a good college to become a nurse's aide. As a result, Keisha left the office with a course schedule of college-designated courses. Which of the following best describes what transpired?

A) Keisha was streamed into college entrance.
B) Keisha was making wise and practical decisions.
C) Keisha was keeping all her postsecondary options open.
D) Keisha was a victim of sponsored mobility.

Question 6

Olivia was analyzing 50 years of data that addressed levels of educational attainment as related to social class backgrounds. According to the text, which of the following would be her finding?

A) Educational attainment has increased for all social classes over the past half century.
B) Educational attainment had increased for youth from lower-class backgrounds, but levels remained the same for middle- and upper-class individuals.
C) Educational attainment has increased over the past half century, but predominantly in the higher income levels.
D) Educational attainments levels have declined in every social class category

Question 7

Which form of educational organization has youths grouped into the same school and exposed to the same curriculum, and has relatively large numbers directed to higher education?

A) status striving
B) elite mobility
C) contest mobility
D) mass education

Question 8

Until recently, what proportion of European youth applied to university compared to Canadian university applicants?

A) Fewer Europeans applied to university.
B) About the same applied in Europe as they did in Canada .
C) Fewer Canadians applied to university due to the growing number of technical schools.
D) More Europeans applied to university.

Question 9

According to the text, which of the following is the best term for the traditional form of education in Canada?

A) identifying
B) streaming
C) selection
D) statusing

Question 10

Hans, an exchange student from Germany, was describing his elementary and high school years to his Canadian classmates. At the age of 11, he and his classmates had to write a qualifying exam and those who passed (and he was one of them) were allowed entrance into the Gymnasium and those who did not pass went to the Hauptschule. In his final year, he wrote the Abitur exam and went on to university, while Hauptschule students went on to vocational studies. What term is used to describe Hans' educational arrangement?

A) meritocratic mobility
B) sponsored mobility
C) elite integration
D) contest mobility

Question 11

Evelyn starts high school and finds level-one courses challenging, and instead takes a collection of level two and three courses in order to graduate. However, when she goes to apply to university, she can't get admitted because she hasn't taken enough level-one courses. What term best describes the consequences for Evelyn's future educational plans?

A) processing
B) sorting
C) prioritizing
D) selection

Question 12

Sylvia argues that the very design of mass public schooling ensures that people who are born disadvantaged remain disadvantaged. Which sociological perspective provides the basis for Sylvia's argument?

A) neoconservative
B) human capital theory
C) neo-Marxist
D) structural-functionalist

Question 13

Which of the following is a trend evidenced in the Canadian education system?

A) Canadian educational facilities are increasingly accessible to the underprivileged.
B) Canada's education system is becoming more egalitarian.
C) Canada may be developing a more pronounced hierarchy in education.
D) Canadian postsecondary institutions are falling behind their American counterparts.

Question 14

According to the text, which of the following is one way that schools connect to and shape society?

A) through the demotion process
B) via the process of promotion
C) through a process of selection
D) as a process of equalization

Question 15

Kendra worked hard in high school and was accepted into her university of choice. In contrast, Zelda did not always work in high school and after graduation was not accepted into any university. Which aspect of the school selection processes would structural-functionalists say this illustrates?

A) The hardest working are rewarded.
B) Homework is beneficial.
C) University is not for everyone.
D) Your future should not be taken for granted.

Question 16

A Canadian high-school student's family moves to a foreign country for a couple of years. The student notices that the system has more specialized schools, which students enter earlier: some for specific vocations, others for academics. What term best defines this country's school structure?

A) interest selection
B) sponsored mobility
C) aptitude selection
D) contest mobility

Question 17

What does the chapter's author conclude about the Maclean's magazine Canadian university rankings?

A) They are not taken very seriously by university administrators.
B) They create an artificial image of hierarchy among universities.
C) They provide the standard of excellence among our universities.
D) Rankings have a lot of legitimate prestige associated with them.

Question 18

A new immigrant to Canada attends high school and finds that his choices for course selection are wide open compared to his home country, where students are separated into highly specialized secondary schools. What term best defines this Canadian school structuring?

A) open curriculum
B) contest mobility
C) optional curriculum
D) sponsored mobility

Question 19

After graduation, three friends from high school all continued their education, but in different schools. When they met up 10 years later, one was a doctor, one was a teacher, and one was a car mechanic. According to the text, which aspect of education would Marxists argue this illustrates?

A) Schools teach students to be compliant.
B) Schools are multifaceted.
C) Schools reward hard work.
D) Schools reflect workplace hierarchies.

Question 20

John's counsellor at high school recommended that he take the lower-level math courses, reducing John's confidence in his mathematical abilities. John wanted to be an astronomer, but now feels he needs to find a new career because astronomers need strong math skills. This illustrates the drawbacks of which educational practice?

A) streaming
B) hierarchy construction
C) mobilization
D) structuration

Question 21

In which of the following fields of study do men predominate as undergraduates?

A) social sciences
B) education
C) mathematics and computer sciences
D) physical life sciences

Question 22

Which group of children fare better in school because of an advantaged home environment?

A) immigrant children
B) affluent children
C) intelligent children
D) Asian children

Question 23

According to the text, which of the following is concluded respecting a comparison of males and females in education today?

A) There are higher numbers of men going to university.
B) There are higher numbers of women going to university.
C) Men and women attend university at similar rates.
D) Participation is at 50 percent for both men and women.

Question 24

In the 1960s, what percentage of Canadian university graduates were women?

A) 10 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 50 percent
D) 58 percent

Question 25

What would Marxist sociologists claim schooling's hidden curriculum promotes?

A) It promotes privileges of male students over female students.
B) It promotes unconscious obedience to rules and authority.
C) It promotes a climate of fairness and cooperation.
D) It promotes privileges of immigrant students above all others.

Question 26

Which term describes schooling that rewards talent and a competitive- and achievement-oriented effort?

A) meritocracy
B) hidden curriculum
C) democracy
D) functionalism

Question 27

No one in the Smith family has ever gone to university. Each child is taught the family trade as he or she comes of age. By comparison, the Jones family has three generations of lawyers, all educated at the top university in Canada. This is an example of which neo-Marxist theory?

A) The education system ensures that the family business/profession is continued.
B) The education system ensures equal opportunity for all family members.
C) The education system ensures that the disadvantaged stay disadvantaged.
D) The education system ensures that hard work is rewarded.

Question 28

When comparing males and females in education, which of the following would be accurate?

A) Today women surpass men on most measures of educational attainment.
B) Females now drop out of high school in greater numbers than males.
C) Males have surpassed females on most measures of educational attainment.
D) Women dominate traditional male domains of math and computer science.

Question 29

Which of the following would reflect a structural-functionalist view of school functions?

A) Schools transmit universal social values such as individual rights and equality.
B) Schools are designed along the lines of an open curriculum, and encourage cooperation.
C) Schools are said to promote cooperation among students, not competition.
D) Schools operate on the principle that those with the least ability are rewarded.

Question 30

Which of the following is an accurate observation of participation rates in university?

A) Forty percent of Aboriginals have a university degree.
B) Less than 7 percent of Asians have graduated from university.
C) White groups exceed visible minorities in achieving degrees.
D) Visible minorities exceed whites in achieving university degrees.

Question 31

Which of the following statements describes what sociologists call the hidden curriculum?

A) There are rules, procedures, and norms taught to learners as part of their lessons.
B) There are rules, procedures, and norms that shape behaviour without being part of any lessons.
C) There are educational objectives that serve to restrict opportunities for visible minorities.
D) There are educational lessons that provide more opportunities for visible minorities.

Question 32

In a comparison of males and females in education, which of the following would be an accurate observation?

A) Males have surpassed females on most measures of educational attainment.
B) Women are now overrepresented in several dynamic and high-paying fields.
C) Women are still underrepresented in several dynamic and high-paying fields.
D) Females now drop out of high school in greater numbers than males.

Question 33

Renato arrived in Canada as a child. He worked hard in high school and excelled, receiving high marks in math, English, and science. However, he cannot afford to go to university, so he will not be able to pursue his dream of becoming an architect. Instead, he will join his family's business. According to the text, Renato's experience is an example of which of the following?

A) Immigrants rarely go to university.
B) There are many opportunities for success through hard work.
C) Education can create unrealistic goals, often resulting in disappointment.
D) Schools are limited in their power to eliminate inequalities.

Question 34

What is the term used to describe how schooling affects learners above and beyond the content?

A) overt curriculum
B) hidden curriculum
C) universalist curriculum
D) streaming curriculum

Question 35

Tammy was discussing the hidden curriculum in schools with Rachel, when Rachel retorted, "You sound like a Marxist sociologist." What did Tammy say that would garner that response?

A) The hidden curriculum just mirrors capitalist competition and individualism.
B) The hidden curriculum is invaluable for reinforcing the objectives and content of lessons.
C) The hidden curriculum mirrors socialist ideals of fairness and meritocracy.
D) The hidden curriculum is ineffective at creating a disciplined labour force.

Question 36

Researchers have made empirical observations that are replicated time and again, showing that students coming from families with lower socioeconomic status in society are disadvantaged in school completion rates, types of programs, and lower grades. According to sociologists, what do these consistent empirical findings form?

A) a status law
B) a social law
C) an educational law
D) an iron law

Question 37

Which of the following is Canada's most impoverished ethnic group?

A) Asian Canadians
B) Aboriginal Canadians
C) European immigrants
D) African Canadians

Question 38

What conclusion is drawn in the text regarding measured learning and inequality in education?

A) Schooling reinforces and reproduces racial and ethnic inequalities between groups.
B) Schools neither reinforce, reduce, nor maintain learning or socioeconomic inequalities.
C) Schools act as equalizers along socioeconomic lines-at least while school is in session.
D) Schooling reinforces and reproduces socioeconomic inequalities among students.

Question 39

In a classroom discussion on education, Chandra extols the virtues of schools and how they promote the values that are integral to a universal and meritocratic society. Which sociological perspective has Chandra adopted?

A) structural-functionalist
B) conflict
C) symbolic interactionist
D) social inegalitarianist

Question 40

Amir was telling Janus about the situation of Ahmed, a former high-school classmate. Janus, who is taking a sociology of education course exclaims, "It doesn't surprise me-it's one of the iron laws." What did Amir disclose to Janus?

A) Ahmed, who grew up in a series of foster homes, had been awarded a four-year scholarship to Princeton.
B) Ahmed, whose parents had to borrow money for his tuition, had dropped out of university.
C) Ahmed, who received a large weekly allowance from his parents, was failing almost every one of his classes, since he'd rather party than study.
D) Ahmed, who was raised by his mom, was receiving the highest marks in all of his courses.

Question 41

What was the main moral shift in education after the late 1960s?

A) strict adherence to Christian edicts
B) critical thinking and informed choices
C) less questioning and more obedience
D) providing more Christian moral guidance

Question 42

Trina, adopting a functionalist perspective, would argue which of the following to be a function of schooling that results in a benefit to society?

A) Schools are a place where obedience to authority is established.
B) Schools are necessary for religious indoctrination due to a societal loss of a moral compass.
C) Schooling results in students internalizing traditional societal values.
D) Schooling results in people becoming more progressive, tolerant, and willing to embrace diversity.

Question 43

Which of the following more closely approximates a total institution?

A) boarding school
B) university
C) public school
D) online education

Question 44

According to the text, how has the way that teachers treat students changed?

A) Students are freer to choose their own tasks and work in groups.
B) Students are no longer given small rewards for compliance.
C) Teachers tend to focus their attention more on the high achievers.
D) There is a greater emphasis on order and respect for rules.

Question 45

Riverview College School is a private coed boarding school attended by those who can afford the $45,000 tuition every year. Which of the following would best identify how this school works as a powerful socializer of dominant class values?

A) It is an elite institution.
B) It is an institution that promotes gender equality.
C) It is an institute for the privileged.
D) It is a total institution.

Question 46

Who or what was first involved in the organization of schools in Canada?

A) churches
B) the government
C) corporations
D) the public

Question 47

When Ada attended high school in the 1950s, home economics was a course that was offered for female students while male students were allowed to take wood shop and auto mechanics. What term describes this course arrangement?

A) gender expression
B) deterministic curriculum
C) gender traditionalism
D) practical training

Question 48

Who is considered to be the "father of public schooling" in Ontario?

A) Talcott Parsons
B) Department of Education
C) Egerton Ryerson
D) Paul Willis

Question 49

According to the text, what are the progressive attitudes associated with education?

A) getting students directly involved in grassroots social activism
B) support of civil liberties, appreciation of ethnic diversity, and social justice
C) increased respect for religious morality, particularly in Christianity
D) emphasizing math and science to promote our global competitiveness

Question 50

According to the text, by the 1960s, what influence did religion have in Canadian education?

A) Religion was the central focus of Canadian schools.
B) Religion was becoming less and less influential in education.
C) Schools were tending to become even more religious.
D) Schools became strictly nonreligious.

Question 51

The teacher gives her Grade 3 students a star every time they get a perfect score on the weekly spelling test. At the end of the year, the student with the most stars gets a prize. This contest teaches students the benefits of which of the following?

A) the hidden curriculum
B) a meritocracy
C) the iron law of education
D) innate intelligence

Question 52

An academically proficient woman of working-class background goes to university on financially plentiful scholarships and while there she meets her future partner, who is connected to the upper echelons of Canada's Foreign Service. They marry and she eventually becomes a senior government bureaucrat. According to the text, how has her education helped her career?

A) Educational qualifications helped her overcome the stigma attached to being a woman in a male field.
B) Her opportunities were enhanced by the type of social networks that university opened to her.
C) Scholarships form part of an affirmative action approach, levelling the playing field for the disadvantaged.
D) Meritocracy worked in this instance, where a gifted person otherwise would have languished.

Question 53

According to the text, schools have made progress on many fronts. What remains as a criticism?

A) Schools are continuing to promote a religious education.
B) Schools are continuing to reinforce traditional gender roles.
C) Schools are keeping youth out of the labour market.
D) Schools are continuing to promote hidden curriculums.

Question 54

Anton has adopted a Marxist perspective of the education system. Which of the following would he argue as being an example of the hidden curriculum in school?

A) lining up to go out for recess
B) giving out homework
C) planning a field trip to a factory
D) treating all students equally

Question 55

When it comes to boys and girls in the classroom, boys consistently have more conflict with teachers because they talk out of turn, show up late, don't do their homework, and act out in class. According to sociologists, what term best describes the part of schooling that boys have problems with?

A) structured order
B) hidden curriculum
C) school discipline
D) code of conduct

Question 56

Due to a recent recession and skyrocketing unemployment rates, a whole generation of youth have adopted a pessimistic outlook on the value of education. These youth have gathered together to develop a nihilistic subculture, protesting that educational achievement and the adoption of meritocratic values are of little use given the economic situation of the country. What is the consequence of resistance for many of these youth?

A) It reinforces the class structure and blocks upward mobility and life chances.
B) It produces reactions from social control mechanisms and many youth are jailed.
C) It delays the maturation of these individuals and they get a late start in life.
D) It sets off a rash of self-destructive behaviour full of drug taking and suicide.

Question 57

In a class debate, Bob is required to defend the Marxist position that school is primarily a system designed to reinforce capitalism. Which of the following examples would he give to support his argument?

A) More school time is spent on education, lessons, and learning than on conduct.
B) Schools spend most of their time trying to get students interested in social justice.
C) More school time is about personal conduct and students being orderly than about learning.
D) Educators are preoccupied with promoting issues about the importance of democracy.

Question 58

What were the perceived beneficial effects of religious influences in early Canadian schools?

A) to reflect the values of modern secular society
B) to help everyone move up the educational ladder
C) to help generate funding for education institutions
D) to curb problems such as crime and ignorance

Question 59

Students had to give presentations on what made their ethnic background special so other students would learn to appreciate the differences between them. Which of the following does this functionalist lesson plan encourage?

A) progressive learning
B) a meritocracy
C) sponsored mobility
D) total learning

Question 60

According to the text, what trend can be identified concerning religious influences in Canadian schools?

A) Religious influence is steady.
B) Religious influence is rising.
C) Religious influence has been eliminated.
D) Religious influence is declining.

Question 61

According to the text, what is professionalization?

A) public demand for professionals working in key fields to have professional degrees
B) notions that many careers were previously impossible, but credentials make it possible
C) how occupations raise their standing, including educational credentials and higher pay
D) lowering entry requirements of occupations so more professionals can get work

Question 62

According to the text, how have sociologists interpreted the obsession of young people with physical appearance?

A) It is a hindrance and distraction to learning, which supports the use of school uniforms.
B) It is a by-product of their relative immaturity and lack of taste in style, clothing, etc.
C) It is a response to adolescent social conditions that leave them little other power or choice.
D) It is merely a stage of socialization many children go through that eventually passes.

Question 63

According to the text, which of the following is a subcultural response that a student may resort to when labelled as an underachiever?

A) confrontations with teachers, fighting, smoking, drinking, and sexually acting out
B) among males, increased motivation demonstrated by studying harder and applying themselves
C) among females, more modesty, being demure and ladylike, and mannerly
D) they refuse to consider postsecondary educational opportunities

Question 64

Even though females are enrolled in postsecondary education in greater numbers than males, many still find themselves being guided toward education leading to nursing, social work, and education careers. What term best identifies the reinforcement of these roles for women?

A) job typing
B) gender traditionalism
C) nurturing primordialism
D) job coaxing

Question 65

In her class presentation on "Education and the World of Work," Jaime would argue which of the following if she had adopted a credentialist perspective of schooling?

A) The acquisition of a job depends just as much on who you know as on what you know.
B) School curricula develop according to the needs of the workplace and the economy.
C) Skills learned during schooling develop into credentials that directly relate to job skills.
D) Learning in school has little to do with job realities; having the diploma is what counts.

Question 66

Trying to make Batool feel welcome in her new school, the teacher asked her to describe how her family had spent the Christmas holidays. Since her family does not celebrate Christmas, Batool felt more alone and different from her classmates. What is this an example of?

A) progressive learning
B) multicultural sensitivity
C) racialization
D) a hidden curriculum

Question 67

Troy and Tabitha are required to apply human capital theory in an analysis of the Canadian education system. Which of the following research questions would they utilize?

A) Is there a relationship between the students' socioeconomic background and school grades?
B) Is education one of the most capital-intensive organizations in society?
C) Do schools encourage a competitive climate that teaches students to work harder?
D) Does schooling maximize skills and generate wealth for individuals and society?

Question 68

According to the text, what is credential inflation?

A) when increased competition for jobs encourages people to get more diplomas and degrees
B) the rising cost of obtaining a postsecondary education in Canadian universities
C) notions that business/law degrees are more expensive to obtain than a fine arts degree
D) valuing educational degrees earned previously more highly than those earned currently

Question 69

In a conversation with his mother, Abdul is pleading to be transferred to a different school, arguing that his current school racializes minority students. When asked to explain, which of the following would Abdul offer?

A) The school's curriculum specifically details how teachers intervene when racism occurs.
B) The school has policies that do not consider the disadvantages experienced by minority students.
C) The school does not have any multicultural events planned for in the curriculum.
D) Minority group students are given special status and privileges not given to other classmates, and then they are targeted by the nonminority students for being "special."

Question 70

According to the text, adolescents are largely excluded from "producer" roles and prestigious workplaces, so their main source of reputation stems from elsewhere. Which of the following is that source?

A) their status as scholars
B) their standing in youth culture
C) their role as consumers
D) their parents' social standing

Question 71

Nicole's parents enrolled her in a French immersion school in Ontario, knowing that the program would help her become bilingual. As an adult, Nicole was hired by the federal government because she spoke both French and English. In this example, which of the following can French be seen as?

A) language learning
B) human capital
C) progressive learning
D) a job requirement

Question 72

A newspaper story recounts the resistance of a small liberal arts university to partnerships with community colleges. University faculty say specific job training and a focus on employability is not their mandate; however, the government wants more emphasis on education for employment. Which of the following identifies the government's perspective on education?

A) credential-employment theory
B) general education theory
C) human capital theory
D) training emphasis theory

Question 73

According to the text, which of the following effects can youth subcultures have in the educational environment?

A) They are viewed by teachers as supporting behaviours that frustrate socializing efforts.
B) They are used by educators in proactive ways to co-opt subversive student values.
C) Overall, they are prosocial and encourage students to perform well academically.
D) They serve as a useful marker of identity among peer groups within schools.

Question 74

Shareen took a job teaching Grade 3. She works with other female teachers and one male who is the principal. According to the text, this imbalance is an example of which of the following?

A) the outcome of affirmative action policies
B) an unbiased staffing arrangement
C) an "academic harem"
D) a gendered professional skill set

Question 75

Midway through October, Geneviève was asked by her aunt what she thought of her new school. Geneviève replied "Not only do they have a hidden curriculum; they also have a gendered hidden curriculum." When asked to explain, which of the following would Geneviève offer?

A) The school does not have a co-ed gym class.
B) The school does not tolerate male students' sexually harassing behaviours.
C) The classroom teachers are always asking the girls to answer questions.
D) The teachers and the principal do not deal with inappropriate male behaviour since boys are just acting as boys act.

Question 76

In New Brunswick, early childhood educators have formed an association, and over the years have pressured governments to set standards for their occupation, including minimum educational requirements. There is now legislation that has addressed many of this lobby group's interests. What term best describes this process?

A) occupational funnelling
B) creeping credentialism
C) credential inflation
D) professionalization

Question 77

Jill believes that present-day education has become totally rationalized. Which of the following would she assert for support of her argument?

A) Schooling beyond a certain age is suitable only for those with academic skills.
B) Standardized course curriculum and testing has become the mantra of school officials and policymakers.
C) Schools are becoming less institutionalized, more cooperative, and less competitive.
D) Schools should be for everyone equally and streaming is counterproductive.

Question 78

Murray Milner suggests that high-school cliques have status functions that are similar to another form of social structure. What is it?

A) the authority of parents in the family
B) a business organizational flow chart
C) the organization of school employees
D) the inequality of India's caste system

Question 79

Ola wanted to fit in with the "cool crowd" at school, but "cool crowd" members rarely attended class or did well on tests. Ola started mimicking their behaviour despite the harm it would do to his university entrance marks. According to the text, why would he make this choice?

A) Popularity was more important to him.
B) Rule breaking is part of the learning process.
C) Fitting in is part of the student-designed "hidden curriculum."
D) Status is weighted heavily by some universities.

Question 80

During World War II, the U.S. Army trained people to be pharmacists in two weeks, whereas today it takes a university degree to qualify for work in this occupation. What term best identifies a trend for higher educational requirements in occupations?

A) paraprofessionalism
B) credential inflation
C) occupational gate-keeping
D) creeping credentialism