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According to Mills (1967), what are the five major reasons why small groups (such as the classroom) should be studied?

      

According to Mills (1967), what are the five major reasons why small groups (such as the classroom) should be studied?

  

Answers


Francis
a) Small groups affect the way individuals lead their lives on a daily, basis. In schools, a Student can be identified with their class. In some schools, teachers can easily tell what class or stream a Student comes from based on the student's behaviour; for example his dressing, hair style and communication methods. This shows that groups influence one's development as a social being. However, teachers sometime reach wrong conclusions by being prejudiced by past history. This may affect some classes negatively. Nevertheless, it is also possible to use classroom environments as centers for bringing about positive changes in the whole school fraternity.

b) Small groups have a critical effect an the history of communities. Small groups play a significant role in shaping events in a community, whether positively or negatively. Such influence may engulf the whole society. A -single classroom is capable of -reducing the whole school to strike. Teachers must be cautious with how they handle students at the classroom level.

c) Small groups offer an opportunity to develop insights into the inter-play-between social pressures and individual pressures in group dynamics. The study of small groups enables people to discover how individuals learn to cope with social realities as they interact with others. In schools, teachers develop insights into how their students are coping with class and school pressure. Appropriate actions can then be taken. Teachers should be very observant, particularly when there are drastic changes in a classroom. A cross that was noisy suddenly becoming very quiet and obedient may or may not indicate positive change. It may obscure a serious problem that is likely to erupt some day.

d) The study of small groups resets in the development of empirically based theories about social interaction. Thus, teachers are helped to improve the teaching-learning environment and process.

e) Small groups are a special case of the general social system. They are smaller forms of the larger society. They present, in miniature, societal features such as the division of labour, a code of ethics, media of exchange and prestige ranking among members (Mill, 1967).
Petrovsky (1985) shows the importance of studying small groups by noting that an individual's development is influenced by those lie associates with directly or indirectly. Studying the classroom, therefore, allows Las to understand the school system and society in general.

francis1897 answered the question on August 19, 2022 at 12:41


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