Social Responsibility in Education

Social Responsibility

 “Social responsibility defines the concept of individuals and businesses taking the responsibility to act in the best interest of their society and environment while working for their betterment or profit”(Vaidya, 2022). 

source: Social Responsibility

Social Responsibility, as defined above, is a hot topic in today’s culture which is quick to criticize and vilify opposing views. Many corporate organizations are integrating education and training for their employees on social responsibility, but similar implementation is fairly new to the field of education (Burgos et. al., 2020). Opinions on what “the best interest of society” vary widely, and beg the question: how do we teach social responsibility in a way that is fair, balanced, and politically neutral? 

Robert Dycke, in his article “Youth Education for Social Responsibility”, comments “It is a truism that education is shaped both by culture and politics. Because we also are interested in the role of education in helping to transform dominating cultures, politics, and policies, we must look to structured social experimentation to guide the achievement of our partnership objectives” (2014). This view of education as a social experiment that can achieve politically motivated outcomes is troubling to me. I can feel political agendas being disseminated within my own school district, all under the guise of social justice. There doesn't seem to be, however, any tolerance for opposing views. I hope and pray for a movement towards dialogue and openness that can define outcomes for social responsibility curricula that are based upon values shared by all. In an age where world views are becoming increasingly polarized, I see an essential facet of social responsibility being the ability to discuss differing ideas in a mature and accepting way. Lessons about the structured debate, expression of opinion, and the development of personal values would go a long way toward fostering social responsibility among students. 

The future of social responsibility curriculum cannot ignore the impact of recent trends towards a connectivism approach in response to the availability of technology (Fiore, 2018). Kristina MacBury, an educator and contributor to the website Common Sense Media, ponders: “As we reflect on our role as educators in this time of increasing digital connectedness, consider this question: How do we best prepare our students to be good digital citizens while incorporating 21st-century skills in their journey? One way to approach this is by helping students become responsible global digital citizens” (2017). Common Sense Media includes entire units on digital citizenship which I view as a branch of social responsibility in today’s age. Students must learn how to use their tools responsibly, and as we become more connected globally, education will have to meet the new reality prepared to instruct students on ethical digital practices. 

References:

Burgos, Jaime, and María Carmen Carnero. “Assessment of Social Responsibility in Education in Secondary Schools.” SUSTAINABILITY 12.12 (2020): n. pag. Web.

Vaidya, D. (2022). Social Responsibility. WallStreetMojo. https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/social-responsibility/

Dyck, R. (2014). Youth Education for Social Responsibility. Systems Research and Behavioral Science. https://doi.org/https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1002/sres.2256

Fiore, A. M. (n.d.). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. Focus Edusolutions. https://focusedusolutions.com/2018/12/22/connectivism/

MacBury, K. (2017). How to Teach Kids Social Responsibility in a Connected World. Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/how-to-teach-kids-social-responsibility-in-a-connected-world