Social System

 A set of interrelated elements functioning

as a unit to achieve a specific purpose.
Hanson (1996)
 There is interaction between the elements
and forces in the internal and external
environments of the system. Hanson
(1996)
 The mass network of communication with
people (Vermeer, 2006).
 Concept A plurality of individuals
interacting with each other according to
shared cultural norms and meanings,
made up of interactions structured by
cultural factors
school
 A school is an institution designed for the
teaching of students (or "pupils") under
the direction of teachers.
A school was identified as social system.
There are group of people who interact with
each other in order to achieve the same goal
and interacting with the outside community.
(Lunenberg, 1995)
 School is an open social system. It has
parts, and the parts interact within the
internal environment and in response to
elements in the external environment.
systems perspective
There are three type of system perspectives:
 Rational System: A Machine Model
 Natural System: An Organic Model
 Open System: An Integration
Social Systems Model: Key
Assumptions
Social systems are open systems.
Social systems consists of interdependent parts,
which interact with each other and the
environment.
Social systems are goal oriented.
Social systems are peopled.
Social systems have structure.
Social systems are political.
Social systems have cultures.
Social systems have norms.
The Basic Social System model for schools
 Inputs
 Teaching and Learning Process
 Outputs
 Feedback
 Environments
 Inputs
 The human, material, financial, or information
resources used in the teaching and learning
process
 Teaching and Learning Process
 The interaction between and among the parts

 Outputs
 The graduates and/or services produced
 Feedback
 Information concerning the outputs or the
teaching and learning process that influences
decision making and the selection of inputs
during the next academic year

 Environment
 The external environment of the school
including the social, political, and economic
forces that impinge on the school’s operation
Key Elements of the School as a
Social System
 Schools are social systems with the following
key parts
 Structure: roles are expectations of positions
that are arranged in a hierarchy.
 Individual: the individual is a key unit in any
social system; regardless of position ,people
bring with them individual needs, beliefs,
and a cognitive understandings of the job.
 Culture: represents the unwritten feeling
part of the organizations ,its shared values.
 Politics: informal power relations that develop
spontaneously.
 Core: the teaching-learning process is the
technical core of schools.
 Environment: everything outside the
organization; source of inputs.
 Outputs: the products of the organizations, e. g.
educated students.
 Feedback: communication that monitors
behavior.
 Effectiveness: the congruence between expected
and actual outcomes.
School as a social system
 School as social system (open system) –
interplay of influence of the society,
community, politics, history, administrator,
teacher, students
 There’re individuals involved :teacher,
learners, administrators, students
 They have needs, beliefs , dependent on the level
of cognition to have knowledge, understand tasks
and display the desired behavior

 Culture - dynamic relationship of
bureaucracy, individual needs and job
environment. Share common values,
beliefs , thoughts. Give commitment, share
spirit of togetherness, respect
 A school as a bureaucratic organization
 a structure with many levels to undertake
duties . Each has different expectations and
roles.
 Political implications - certain individuals
attempt to exercise influence, sometimes
informal and weather it comes from
legitimate authority
 Environment – external sources that have
implications ,regulations, economy,
demography, technological trends. Have to
consider at moderate level for school to
function effectively
School as a social system
 A social system can be formal or informal,
school have a formal process and it is an
open system where the school
consistently interacts with environment.
 School as a social system uses different
resources from environment these are
human , financial, physical and
information. Human resources are staffs
and laborers, financial resources are
capital used for its operation.
School as a social system
 Physical resources needed in school are
learning materials , equipment and
facilities.
 Information resources in schools are the
input from education experts and school
curricula.
 Transformation process occurs when
school administration coordinate various
resources to attain set objectives ,that is
better learning outcomes for all.
 Transformation occurs when students
and teachers meet to fulfill the overall
school objectives. Students are molded to
become better citizens and contribute
meaningfully to the society.
 A school as an social system is different
from another system because of the
transformation process. In schools the
inputs are students and the output are
graduates and meaningful citizens of the
society.
 Therefor the system takes resources from
the environment, transform them
according to the need of the environment .
Thank you .