The places the concepts of "structure" and "institution" in the educational research

Abstract

The research about school can only go forward, in sociological terms, if the researcher establishes a clear distinction, on a theoretical level, between "institution" and "structure". The institutional level concerns the official norms that, in appearence, guide the schooling action. In fact, agents of the school system are guided, in their schooling practice, by some social values that are hidden and followed unconsciously. To understand the real nature of the school in a capitalist society, the researcher must establish a deep connection between school, values and social structure. This article exposes some techniques that allow the analyst to go beyond the mere description of the school in its official dimension.