Why is Studying Culture and Society Worthwhile?

The current culture needs to consider sociocultural aspects of the society including underpinning beliefs, social values, and historical culture. Learners need to actively take part in knowledge acquisition activities and practices which entail their cultural artifacts and institution and those of others (Hedges, 2011). Cultural studies the emphasis of language integrated into various ethnic and social settings, practices, and linkages. In addition, studying culture should include the practical cultural practices and activities which shape learning (Hedges, 2011, p. 25). These two types of learning facilitate the recognition and establishment of kids’ family and society of learning and acquiring knowledge. Sociocultural education enhances role appreciation, elimination of gender and ethnic inequalities boosts self-esteem, creates an enjoyable learning environment, and boosts development of relationships. Studying of culture enables the children to learn about expressing their feelings, establishing relationships and understanding their roles in the society (Linn, 2004, p. 66). Besides, such teaching enables the kids to learn important life skills of taking turns, establishing harmony, cooperating, negotiating, and sharing. For example, during teaching, allowing children to play trauma, hospitalization, or trauma themes will enable them to master skills of handling difficult emotions and issues related to family crisis and social problems (Linn, 2004, p. 66). According to Taylor (2007), sociocultural perspective can be used to handle the existing cultural incompatibility by enhancing tolerance to diverse beliefs such as homosexuality and lesbian.  Culturally value learning and knowledge improve the numeracy, science, and literacy skills of the children (Hedges, 2011, p. 25). In fact, from a sociocultural viewpoint, learning is culturally and socially located and mediated. In this case, popular culture related to technologies such as computers, television programs, movies, artifacts, toys, and advertising improves the daily life experiences of the learner (Thomson, 2002). Integrating popular culture liked and experienced by kids at home has the possibility of motivating their learning and improving their literacy capabilities in schools. For instance, Hedges (2011) argued that using TV programs to teach kids back at school promotes and fosters their participation in literacy experiences and language. Besides, Roberts (2017)  indicates that the introduction of the video camera and using photos to teach children enhanced the development of specific learning skills and enhanced exploration of their interests. According to Thomson (2002) introducing these cultural artifacts offers learning resources that are not available in the homes of children from low-income groups. This implies that sociocultural learning promotes an evenly distributed knowledge because all learners are able to access literary skills that may not be available in their homes. Teachers are the most influential people to the children through their cultural beliefs (Hedges, 2011). Therefore, perceptions and experience of the teachers towards the popular culture have a significant impact on the kids learning capabilities. In designing the curriculum, teachers need to find effective ways of integrating aspects of popular culture in the learning activities. This should be done to ensure that popular culture such as using computers and watching televisions does not adversely the development of the kids in terms of limiting their play time. Extending teaching to incorporate popular cultural values has a positive effect on the learning interests of the student (Thomson, 2002). This implies that the interest of the children in certain modern cultural artifacts should be analyzed and engaged in the curriculum in a meaningful way to boost learning and development of life-related skills (Hedges, 2011).  Society is made of families possessing diverse knowledge from various life experiences. This creates the ‘funds of knowledge’ consisting of skills, initiatives, and knowledge which guide the wellbeing, development, and functioning of homes (Hedges, 2011, p. 26). Most of these aspects shape practical skills, learning approaches, learning and thinking capabilities, and information processing. In this case, studying society through popular culture enhances spontaneous learning. Besides, the students have the opportunity to acquire skills of socializing and participating. Children utilize popular culture in a unique way to enhance their participation in groups and thus foster collaboration (Strong-Wilson & Ellis, 2007). Television programs improve the ability of the learners to speak English, create imaginative stories, understand their responsibilities and roles in the family, risk-taking dispositions, and fear testing (Hedges, 2011, p. 27). This shows that cultural and social oriented studies enhance active, taking part in learning which makes children effective in the community. Technology-based cultural learning engages the kids to be more productive. Studying culture and society enables learners to acquire best values, behaviors, and actions to build relationships and foster learning. A culture that involves role-playing and imitations of adults' duties enhances the capacity of the students to collect, test, and communicate both information and understanding (Hedges, 2011). Aspects emphasized in such studies include risk-taking, identifying good and evil acts, assisting other, accepting of social rules and norms and nurturing the friendship. Exploration of cultural artefacts in class also creates a sense of humor and improves playfulness of the kids. Therefore, such classes enhance both the emotional and physical well-being of the learners which in turn fosters their ability to learn (Strong-Wilson & Ellis, 2007). Moreover, such learning environment enables the students to make sense of diverse people surrounding them and the entire universe (Malaguzzi, 1994). In this case, a culturally rich learning environment creates well-rounded students who contribute significantly to the society, culture, community, and society (Hedges, 2011).  Cultural studies that entail social structures of society teaches learners broader issues relating to justice, fairness, equity and ethnicity, gendered expectations and roles, and gender (Hedges, 2011). According to Siraj-Blatchford and Clarke (2004), the 21st-century multicultural societies requires children with the ability to respect other people despite their differences. This depends on early socialization that depends on learning of different policies and interaction based on social structures and cultural artifacts. Such learnings create awareness across children by enabling them to understand diversity in the form of gender, socio-economic class, language, and ethnic background(Siraj-Blatchford & Clarke, 2004, p. 22). In addition, children with social and cultural knowledge can identify the structural inequalities which establish, support, and promote overrepresentation of certain groups such as males or whites while placing others like women and blacks at a disadvantage. Cultural and societal studies will enable the kids to develop a  positive position in multifaceted aspects such as disability, identities, disability, gender, social class, and ethnicity. These elements form the foundation for promoting citizenship, globalization, power, resources, citizenship, corporatization, and democracy in the society (Hedges, 2011). This is achieved by letting children learn and imitate from the positive practices of adults depicted in various cultural artifacts and social structures.   Studying culture and society is important in the current century because it enables the children to construct identity, build and nurture the social relationship, develop and nurture literacy and language knowledge and skills, enjoy learning, access information, and appreciate their universe (Hedges, 2011). Specifically, popular culture in the form of television programs such as cartoon shows, movies, and some computer games enhances the ability of the learners to develop knowledge of the behaviors and responsibilities of human beings. According to Siraj-Blatchford and Clarke (2004), comprehensive pedagogy that entails studying of culture and society enables the children to embrace diversity and inclusiveness, be tolerant, and challenge the existing unfair generalization. For children, the study of culture boost self-esteem and makes them accepted, worthwhile, and competent. Relationships and interactions nurtured through cultural studies boost the self-esteem of the learners which in turn enhances their academic performance(Siraj-Blatchford & Clarke, 2004, p. 23). In addition, the children will be able to show love, respect, kindness, care, patience, and empathy. Studying of culture and societal structure at an early age enhances the formation of identity among children. Siraj-Blatchford and Clarke (2004) argued that the establishment of such identities develops individuals who do not hold stereotypes that make them structurally disadvantaged. For instance, children from minority groups and black communities substantial confident leading to their academic success and Black Americans who are unaggressive and caring (Siraj-Blatchford & Clarke, 2004, p. 23). Learning, in this case, should focus on social issues such an inequality, sexism, and racism by engaging children and teachers in establishing awareness of structures in the society through practices and policies that describe and handle disparities within groups. In the current unjust society, such learning will enable the children to handle each other in a fair and confident way(Malaguzzi, 1994). However, to achieve these objectives, the significant focus should be shifted towards positive and reputable role models in the society. Moreover, this strategy will prevent the learners from picking negative stereotypical understanding and knowledge from their own perceptions and outside experiences. Socially and culturally oriented education leads to the development of mastery learning characters among kids(Siraj-Blatchford & Clarke, 2004). In this learning environment, children learn to be responsible for their own actions and this develops them to more effective pupils. Social and personal knowledge acquisition helps the learners to drop the helpless views relating to racialized, classed, or gendered groups(Siraj-Blatchford & Clarke, 2004, p. 24). This knowledge is gained through a holistic and integrated approach where children learn from what is taught as well as from their experiences. The approach focusses on socialization where the emotional, aesthetic, social, moral, mental, and physical wellbeing of the learner is considered. With society studies, the awareness of the children on the existing variations and similarities are incorporated in knowledge acquisition to make them view these aspects as normal. Learning of both negative and positive feelings related to racial or gender groups enables learners to develop positive attitudes towards all people(The NUT, 2013). Educators should use social and cultural studies to identify biased understanding and knowledge such as linguistic prejudice and negative remarks depicted by learners and address them appropriately(Siraj-Blatchford & Clarke, 2004, p. 26).  Sociocultural learning is the basis of challenging and addressing inequality and sexism in the current society. Education that integrates sociocultural perspective ensures that kids acquire skills which will offer them the ability to pursue different opportunities (The NUT, 2013). Such learning encourages the pupils to challenge the existing beliefs and attitudes that can lower their options and decisions of others. In addition, it equips them with resilience and self-confidence to overcome barriers to self-fulfillment(The NUT, 2013). Curriculums with sociocultural aspects enable children to challenge the gender stereotypes and existing negative perceptions. This is done through undertaking broader debates on masculinity and role-sharing. In this curriculum, teachers should start challenging the stereotypical behavior at nursery level to raise awareness and establish resilience. At the class level, these practices improve the behavior and engagement of the children as well as create an enjoyable learning environment(Robson, 2004). At the society level, such practices act as the main antecedents in nurturing an equal community.    In conclusion, schools need to emphasize improving the sociocultural perspective of learning. This need to start by transforming the beliefs of teachers that popular culture has detrimental impacts on the development of the learners. Teachers need to view the popular culture as ‘a fund of knowledge' which enables the children to engage in a productive learning process and build their social relationships. Social and cultural studies extend the understanding capacities and knowledge of the students. Cultural and social studies enable the learners to identify and deal with ethnic, gender, and class prejudice through fostering socialization in a multi-ethnic environment. In such a learning environment, the children will be able to establish positive interactions, discuss their feelings, attend to the perspectives of others, communicate and cooperate effectively, and resolve differences in a constructive way.