Culture and Education

                                                                        Hena B

Assistant Professor in Education

KUCTE Kunnam Mavelikkara

Culture & Education

There are a great many different definitions of the word culture. The word culture in its broadest sense should not be confused with culture defined as those special trappings which set apart one social class from another. For the anthropologist or sociologist culture consists of material and non-material products of human endeavor It is our total man-made environment.

Culture is the fruit of human civilization, in both material and non-material aspects. It includes technology and its related sciences, as well as arts, literature and heritage, including religion

Culture is a system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors and artifacts that the members of society use to cope with their world and with one another, and which are transmitted from generation to generation through learning.

As commonly used in the social science, culture refers to a social heritage. It is the distinctive way of life of a group of people and their complete design for living. Culture consists in the instruments constituted by man to assist him in satisfying his wants.

Culture not only includes the ‘things’ of life, but the ‘ways’ of life as well. It includes our laws, our values which determine so many of our laws, our books, our eating habits our foods, our art works, our furniture, and to a great degree, our likes and dislikes. Members of a culture are bound by it to a degree for greater than they imagine.  They behave in culturally sanctioned or approved ways because they are unable to imagine any others-. They behave as they do because a culture is a complex intertwining of groups and subgroups which determines patterns of action for members of the group.

In view of the above, we find that culture has a hard-hitting, wide-ranging effect and influence on social development.  There is no doubt that traditional culture some time  play a negative role in the progress of society, and led to a situation of backwardness. But the idea of culture has a rich intellectual background as it refers manly to ideas of enlightens and refinement. This humanistic view of culture emphasizes creativity and excellence.

Meaning of the term “CULTURE”

Every society has its own culture or social heritage. It has been used with various meanings. The concept of the culture was discovered recently as its significance has been realize more than ever. The concept originated with anthropologists but has been later on developed further in many other ways.

Etymologically speaking the term “culture” has been derived from a Latin word “cultura” which means ‘to till’ or ‘to cultivate’. Thus, the term culture means something to be cultivated among the people. It means culture is a process of cultivating high social, moral and spiritual values, manners and etiquette, good habits, beliefs and practices among the people with the view to modify or improve their behaviour.   Culture is complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs and any other capabilities, and habits acquired by man as member of society. The body thoughts and knowledge both theoretical and practical, which only man can possess.

B. Malinowski has defined culture as the “cumulative creation of man”. He also regarded culture as the handwork of man and the medium through which he achieves his ends.

According to Graham Wallas, “culture is an accumulation of thoughts, values and objects, it is the social heritage acquired by us from preceding generations through learning as distinguished from the biological heritage which is passed on to us automatically through the genes”.

Consequently, we can say that culture is a board term that includes in itself all our walks of life, our modes of behaviour, our philosophies and ethics, our morals and manners, our customs and traditions, our religious, political, economic and other types of activities. Culture includes all that man has acquired in his individual and social life.

Key components of Culture

Culture, in this sense, has key components, as follows:

1. Culture, in its essence, is immaterial. It is a way of life and a system of conduct. Even though, it includes material objects related to human activity.

2. Culture is not an entity isolated from societal progress and history. It is an ongoing and cumulative process.

3. Culture is not confined to a certain generation in terms of its effects and influence. In fact, these effects and influence seep through generations and they are handed down from one generation to another.

Culture and Education

The relationship between culture and education can be traced back to the origin of human life on the earth There is very close rather intimate relationship between culture and education. Both are so interdependent as neither can developed nor implemented without the help of the other.

Both culture and education are so closely related to each other that they both have a common goal to achieve i.e., the improvement or modification of the behaviour of an individual. Both culture and education aim at making the life of an individual worth living.

Both culture and education are sometimes considered as synonyms terms. Culture serves as an informal type of education whereas education serves as a formal type of culture therefore, it is rightly said that an educated person is he who is a cultured person and a cultured person is he who is an educated person. Both culture and education play equally important role in helping the individual in making his proper adjustment in the society.

Culture gives high social, moral and spiritual values and education inculcates these high social, moral and spiritual values among the students.

Functions of Education towards Culture

Education through all its formal, informal and non-formal agencies contributes a lot to the development of the culture. Some of the important functions of education are as under: –

(i) Preservation of the culture: Education through its formal and informal agencies plays a significance role in preserving all those values, customs, traditions, beliefs, usages, practices, knowledge and experiences achievements and non-materialistic spheres which are worthwhile in the present age.

(ii) Transmission of culture: All the agencies of education play an important role in transmitting the culture from one generation to another. It is due to the role of education that the thousands of years old culture could be transmitted to the present age to a great extent.

(iii) Promotion or enrichment of the culture: Education not only preserves and transmits the old culture to the coming generation in the same form but it also plays an important role in the enrichment or promotion of the culture by adding the new experiences, knowledge, inventions and discoveries in the field of science and technology and other achievements made by the society to the culture before transmitting it to the next generation.

(iv) Refinement of the culture: Education also brings refinement in the centuries old culture by deleting or excluding those customs, traditions and practices which have either lost their utility or scientifically discarded.

(v) Diffusion of culture: Education plays a significant role in bringing a diffusion among the culture not of different sections of society within the country but also of different countries of the world. Mass media as an informal agency of education is playing an important role in bringing the diffusion of the culture of different countries of the world.

 

Functions of Culture towards Education

 

(1) Fixing the aims of education: Culture of the community plays a significant role in determining the aims of education for that community. It is rightly said that “as is the culture of the community so will be the aims of education” for example if there is a diversified culture the aim of education will be to bring unity in diversity. But if there is a single type of culture the aim of education will be to preserve and transmit the culture in the same form to the next generation.

(2) Framing the curriculum: Culture plays a significant role in framing the curriculum for a particular system of education. Curriculum is drawn from the culture of the community in the form of sum total of experiences, knowledge and achievements made by the human race in different spheres of life which is divided into different components called subjects like language, literature, art and craft, social sciences, natural sciences etc.

(3) Cultural and instructional techniques: Culture also plays an important role in selecting and applying the various methods and techniques for teaching e.g. traditional methods of teaching are applied in the country where there is a traditional culture whereas scientific tools and techniques are applied in the country where there is sciences based culture.

(4) Teacher – taught Relations: Culture playas significant role in determining the teacher taught relations in the system of education. For example, in an idealistic culture like that of India teacher serves as a spiritual and intellectual father of the students who serves as a source of inspiration for the students whereas in the western culture teacher serves as a friend and guide for the students.

In the light of above discussion, we may conclude that both culture and education are so closely related that one cannot be thought in the absence of the other.

Education is important for all people. As we learn, we understand many things that happen in our lives and what causes them. Children develop various skills and enrich knowledge to live a normal way of life. Thus, education strongly affects their natural heritage and views. It plays a vital role that affects and changes the culture in every country.

Culture and Its Importance

 

First of all, it’s necessary to define the purpose of culture for our lives. Culture focuses on the knowledge of ethics, norms, traditions, and so on. It helps to interact with each other and avoid conflicts. When some person is rude and doesn’t show respect to others, we commonly say that he/she is an uncultured personality. Educators show and explain social and cultural values to the growing generations. Thus, they understand how to behave. Accordingly, they either follow the mainstream or provoke culture changes.

 

Education shows what culture means and how it can be used by people. Education practices a shared sense of learning and offers culture to all students regardless of their race, worldviews, and personal beliefs. It’s a unique language, which is available for everyone.

Preservation of Culture

 

Education tries to preserve culture in whatever form it exists. One of its main goals is to make sure the social heritage will survive. Different institutions save and spread information about customs, traditions, values, social norms, moral codes, etc. The main educational institutions are:

·         Kindergartens;

·         Schools;

·         Colleges;

·         Universities;

·         Educational communities;

·         Churches, etc.

Transmission of Culture

People may become savage and stupid without education. It passes the knowledge and experience of the previous generations to the new ones. Thanks to this transmission  of culture and humankind survive.

Imagine a generation, which is taught its history, traditions, habits, etc. You will see “tabula rasa”, which means “clear board”. Such a generation will not know how to identify itself to something or somebody. It’ll grow non-civilized with the norms that are from being fair and perfect. As a result, the whole culture will simply disappear. Thus, the transmission of cultural experiences, norms, and values should be preserved. Education takes care of this important phase.

Promotion and enrichment or transformation of Culture

Education also promotes and changes culture. Undoubtedly, every next generation differs from its ancestors. Sometimes, its views slightly differ and sometimes, the differences are huge and happen drastically. Remember how the appearance of fire altered the whole generation.

Education constantly changes and so, the methods it teaches younger generations to change too. They are induced by some cross-cultural patterns due to the quality of life in general demands something new. Cultures affect each other and the process of globalization is a perfect example. Thanks to progress, the values get shaped. This inevitably leads to a re-evaluation of the needs of society. As education promotes new cultural transformations, culture changes.

Cultural Lag

 

This concept was invented by a sociologist Ogburn. The forms of culture are different. The most important ones are material and non-material. Technological progress, scientific inventions, geographic discoveries are of huge importance, but may also harm society. When the material well-being improves, people tend to forget about the non-cultural aspects of their lives. This creates the lag and education tries to eliminate it. Educators teach us to value the moral code and what makes us human. Otherwise, it may lead to a total and disgusting change of moral values. ( a relatively slower advance or change of one aspect of a culture especially : the slower development of non material as contrasted with material or technological culture traits.)

 

Cultural inertia

Cultural inertia entails a resistance to change, unless change is already occurring. Change is perceived differently across groups as a function of how well the groups already match the current dominant culture. Culture produces a familiar inertia that drives staff to maintain comfortable and accepted practices rather than embrace a new idea. ... Some schools still languish in a culture of low expectations and a failure to believe that all students can achieve.

Role of culture in Education and how does culture affect education?

Numerous cultural forces connect to children's school experiences and academic achievement. These include parental beliefs, socialization practices, and cultural worldviews. Cultural values, practices, and ways of learning at home both shape and connect to children's formal school experiences

People from different cultures have different self-concepts. A classroom with children who view themselves as individuals or as an individual that serves a group will determine how the classroom needs to function in order to achieve student success.

 

 

Cultural continuity

 

It is the ability to preserve the historical traditions of a culture and carry them forward with that culture into the future, and it is closely linked to the concept of cultural identity.

 

Cultural identity

 

It is a part of a person's identity, or their self-conception and self-perception, and is related to nationality, ethnicity, religion,

 

 

Cultural Fluidity

 

It is an understanding of cultural differences and how they manifest in the global business environment. It is the intersection between cultural experience-what is considered classic core knowledge of a given culture-and the ability to adapt from one culture to another based on natural flow.

 

 

cultural conflict

A clash can come because of differences in cultural values; what is culturally appropriate in one culture may be highly inappropriate in another.

 

 

 

Cultural diffusion

It is the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group of people to another. The mixing of world cultures through different ethnicity, religions, and nationalities has only increased with advanced communication, transportation, and technology.

The elements have increased cultural diffusion

The mixing of world cultures through different ethnicities, religions, and nationalities has only increased with advanced communication, transportation, and technology.

 

 

Cultural diffusion

It  is the spread of cultural trends across locations. Beliefs, practices, and ideas get shared from person to person, and sometimes even around the world through this diffusion, as happens with viral videos.

Many cultural practices are spread by a type of cultural diffusion called expansion diffusion. This is when a trend is spread from its originating place, outward. There are several forms of this type of diffusion: contagious, hierarchical, and stimulus diffusion.

Contagious Diffusion

Harlem Shake videos are a great example of contagious diffusion, or when a cultural trend is transmitted from person to person from an original source to numerous others, similar to a virus. Even the name 'viral videos' speaks to the idea of a contagion, spreading an idea almost like an illness would spread through contact and interaction.

As cultural trends gain in popularity and draw our attention, profit may become a motive in perpetuating the trend. Think of how viral videos add advertising or companies pick up on Internet memes to sell more products as a result.

Hierarchical Diffusion

Another form of expansion diffusion is hierarchical diffusion, or when a cultural trend is spread from one segment of society to another, in a pattern. Consider how hip hop culture emerged from within urban areas, but is now known in all regions of society including suburban and rural areas, as well. When information is known by government officials before the public, hierarchical diffusion is the method the news is spread. Think of how information about a major event, Osama bin Laden's death, spread from the highest levels of government to eventually get shared with the public.

Stimulus Diffusion

Finally, stimulus diffusion is when a cultural trend spreads, but is changed by those adopting the idea. For example, many in the United States practice yoga, but make use of it in a different way than the regions where this activity originated. In fact, most of us associate yoga with a particular form of exercise involving poses, but these movements are only one dimension of the practice of ancient forms of yoga.

To help you remember the name of this type, think of stimulus as a stimulating new idea that sparks another culture to use it and also motivates them to adapt it for their own purpose.

Relocation Diffusion

Expansion diffusion and its various forms are not the only way that ideas and practices are passed along to others. Another way that culture spreads is by relocation diffusion, when a person migrates from their home and shares their culture with a new location.

Relocation Diffusion is the spread of an idea or characteristic over time. When people move, or relocate, they spread ideas along with them. Therefore, this is called relocation diffusion.

 

Acculturation and Enculturation

Definition of Enculturation

Enculturation can be defined as the process of learning with the help of which an individual grasps the rules, norms, and values of a particular culture or society of which he/she is a part of. It is what we pick from our external surrounding, to develop ourselves as a part of that surrounding, i.e., to mix perfectly.

In other words, it means the learning and acceptance of characteristics, behaviours, language, rituals, morals and patterns of the culture surrounding us from one generation to another. Here, learning means understanding and acquiring the traditional content of the culture observing the other members of the society, such as parents, family, teachers, friends, acquaintances, relatives, etc., getting instructions from elders, and experiencing things as they take place.

In enculturation the established or prevailing culture influences and teaches the individual or group about the culture to such a level that the target inculcates the cultural norms, values and behaviours. Further, he/she is accepted as a functional member of the society who performs his/her functions and roles in the group.

To be specific, the target will have complete knowledge of what is considered acceptable or not acceptable by society and he would turn as a responsible adult member of the society.

Definition of Acculturation

Acculturation simply means an adjustment to a different culture, usually the dominant or powerful one. It refers to the cultural transformation of an individual or a group to adapt according to another culture. In finer terms, acculturation means the cultural contact and interchange process wherein a human being adopts, learns and adjust to some or great extent as per the values, rules, patterns and practices of a new or prevailing culture in the society, which is not their native culture.

Acculturation is primarily found amongst the people who migrate from different countries, who try to incorporate the new culture in their lives. It takes place when people belong to different culture comes into contact with one another, wherein the people adopt traits of a new culture or take part in another culture.

Nevertheless, it is a process of extensive cultural borrowing, between the superordinate and subordinate cultures. The borrowing can be two-way, but usually the less powerful culture borrows traits from the more powerful one.

Further, when acculturation continues for a very long period it turns out as assimilation, wherein the original or native culture of the person or group is forsaken and the new culture comes into being. However, acculturation may also result in separation, integration, marginalization or transmutation apart from assimilation.

 

Differences Between Enculturation and Acculturation

 

1. Enculturation is the culture learning process in which an individual comes to know about the rules, values and behavioural patterns of his/her own native culture. Conversely, acculturation refers to a process of cultural learning wherein the members of a particular cultural group get influenced by another culture, by coming in contact with it and adopts it to some or great extent.

 

2. Enculturation is the first and foremost introduction of a person to the culture, which takes place just after birth. In contrast, acculturation is the subsequent familiarization with different cultures.

 

3. In enculturation, a person learns or acquires one’s own culture, to which he/she belongs. On the contrary, in acculturation, one’s culture is subsumed by another culture.

 

4. Enculturation contains only one culture, whereas two or more culture is there in acculturation.

 

5. Enculturation is an essential requirement for an individual to survive in a society, which occurs without any influence. As against, acculturation is not a must, for the survival, but one can learn other’s culture when required.

 

6. Enculturation does not lead to a modification in the existing culture. On the other hand, in the case of acculturation transformation in one’s culture or amalgamation of two or more cultures is seen.

 

7. In the case of enculturation, there is no risk of assimilation, whereas if acculturation continues for a prolonged period, then it results in assimilation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BASIS FOR COMPARISON	ENCULTURATION	ACCULTURATION
Meaning	Enculturation means the process of acquiring the rules, norms, values, customs and guidelines of a culture in order to be a part of society.	Acculturation implies the process of transforming the cultural beliefs and customs of one's own culture, by adopting traits of a different culture.
What is it?	First and foremost familiarization process to the culture.	Subsequent familiarization with different cultures.
Process	Process of acquiring culture.	Process in which one's culture is subsumed in other's culture.
Culture	One culture	Two or more cultures
Essential for survival	Yes	No
Modification	It does not modify the existing cultural practices.	It modifies the existing cultural practice.
Results in assimilation	No	Yes