Conselor's Role REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Introduct

The purpose of the conducted pilot project was to explore the role of the counselor in assisting impoverished students enrolled in an academic preparatory program (remedial/developmental program) at a university to maximally attain program goals as they relate to both academic and career success. To provide context to this project, this chapter of the study provides a review of the literature.

Regarding this review, the historical influences surrounding the development of remedial higher education for under-prepared (poor, disadvantaged, discriminated) groups are delineated and discussed. Specifically, this section of the review covers the topics of: (1) the Social History of American Education; (2) the Role of Education as an Institution; and (3) the Relation of Education to the American System of Government.

Following the historical section of the review, the literature directly related to remedial/developmental studies program is examined. This examination includes review of research and theory on both the professional socialization of women, minority and disadvantaged groups, and the general importance of the counselor to remedial/developmental studies programs. The review ends with a summary and the formulation of conclusions.

Social History of American Education

According to Church and Sedlak (1976), the social history of American education can be viewed in terms of two basic themes: (1) a shift away fr

le of Education as an Institution To believe that the institution of education only fulfills the function of transmitting academic information is, at best, the height of naivete. As noted by Woodring (1968), schooling has always served the latent functions of being a force for either maintaining the status quo or for social change. Indeed, in the historical review of education just presented it can be seen that time and time again, educational efforts maintained class, racial, and gender divisions in American society. The foregoing point is echoed by, conflict theorists (e.g. Collins, 1977, 1979) who report that throughout most of the history of education, the goal has been to maintain the status quo, especially as it relates to class and/or social inequalities. These theorists have noted that despite numerous efforts at educational reform, one fact remains true even in contemporary society. This is that the greater a students' socioeconomic status, the greater is his/her academic standing as well as occupational status and yearly income. The question can, therefore, be asked: By what structures and/or processed does the educational system maintain the inequalities so often a part of the social status quo? In this reg

Category: Psychology - C