Interpretation of Tables in Sociological Way - Research Paper Example

Final Project Introduction This proposed final project paper will use the IPUMS data to focus on how education levels in California relates to various variables. These variables are race, sex, year, employment status, proficiency in English and geographical region (rural/urban and city). This is attributed to the experience I encountered while studying as an international student in the United States. One and the most significant experience pertains to the differences in numbers of white students compared to the African American students in the classes (Holbrook & Alan 17). Most notably, there were few African American students as opposed to their white counterparts. This triggered my interest in the relationship between the education level and the race. However, my project will incorporate other variables to get the clear picture of the relationship. In this project, 7 mean comparison and cross-tabulation tables will be used to explore the relationship between the above mentioned variables. Overall, the education system/level in California has exhibited profound inequality based mainly on race, language status and socioeconomic/employment status. These educational inequalities in California have become more evident over the last four decades with the rapid transformation in the population. To date, little has been done to address these inequalities. This project will target to comprehensively analyze the complex education system in the larger California region. The mean comparison and cross-tabulation tables will show the trends in the variables related to education level in California. In addition, the project will rely on data based on these variables ranging between 1850 and 2011. This will aim to provide a clear lime light and solution to the future research. Background Information Education level in the United States (US) has attracted major attention due to great disparities between students. This has triggered it to be considered as the most significant issue politically and socially in the US. On the contrary, the US is renowned in investing a lot in the education sector more than other nations. Nonetheless, this has had little impact in the education level in the US. Several variables have been seen to influence the education level. These include race, language status, employment status and the geographical demographics. These factors are strongly embedded in the history, family background and culture. Relative to history, the historical connection between the whites and ethnic/racial minorities in the US have highly influenced the education level from then to date. For instance, enslavement of the African American created a big vacuum in the education system in the US. This hindered African Americans access to education. Even after the abolishment of slavery this huge gap in education level between the whites and the African Americans still persisted. Additionally, this has continued to haunt the education level in California and the larger US to date. In regards to family background, this is a crucial factor that has had a big impact on education level in the US and California included. Indeed, family background is connected widely to the variables to be explored. Furthermore, culture is also instrumental in enhancing education level in the US. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the factors that influence education level in the US particularly California. In California, race is regarded to have the greatest influence on education level. However, the education level in California stretches beyond the racial difference to sexual orientation, employment status, residential locations and language proficiency as well. In regards to the race, education level in California is divided between the White Americans and other minority races more so African Americans. Most of the studies have shown that there is persistent education inequality between the Whites and African Americans in California. Over years, the features of education system in California have taken dramatic shifts. Despite this, the education level gap between the whites and African Americans has reduced. In regards to sexual orientation, sex influenced education level in California. This is deeply rooted to the family background and culture. Most of the female students in California particularly from ethnic minority like the Blacks and Latinos were deprived education opportunity. Furthermore, employment status influenced the education level in California. This created different blocks of education level where students were attached to their employment status. Students from families with low employment status stick to schools with low employments status. For instance, the African and Latin Americans students were substantially linked to schoolsfilled with more Blacks and Latinos. Moreover; the employment status affected the education level in terms of enrolment. High enrolment rates directly correspond to students from high employment status. Finally in language status, students in California attended schools based on their language concentration. For example, the Latino students were highly associated to school with more learners of English Language (Holbrook & Alan 20). Results To understand the relationship between education levels and variable which influence it in California, I collected data relating to these variables. As noted earlier, this will rely on data collected ranging on the period between 1850 and 2011on a total of 7 tables. The first 3 sets of tables will present the mean comparison tables while the 4 tables are cross tabulation tables. All the tables are derived from the IPUMS website based on the requirements for this project. In addition, a filter will be employed in all the tables to filter all the variables intended for this project based entirely on California. In respect to the mean comparison tables, educational attainment is used as the dependent variable which is varied with other variables on the rows and columns. The row category represents the census year falling between the stated period while the column categorycontained the control variables under study, race, sex and employment status. COMPARISON MEAN Table 1: Comparison Mean of Education Level Distributions by Race in California: United States, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 white Black/Negro American Indian or Alaska Native Chinese, Japanese, Other Asian or Pacific Islander Total 1960 1.97 1.79 1.67 2.02 1.96 1970 2.11 1.93 1.92 2.23 2.10 1980 2.29 2.16 2.12 2.43 2.28 1990 2.50 2.35 2.30 2.51 2.48 2000 2.47 2.31 2.17 2.56 2.46 2010 2.49 2.45 2.30 2.67 2.51 Total 2.34 2.25 2.19 2.56 2.35 Only group 4 representing Japanese, Islanders and Other Asians had a continuous trend of improvement in educational attainment across all the years census was conducted. The other races had declined academic levels recorded during the 2000 census year. When compared to the rest of the races, this group has the highest mean across all the years in educational attainment. The least group in terms of educational performance is the American/Indian/Alaska Native. The trend is sustained across all the years. The white race leads in the second position in terms of educational attainment in America across all the census years. All the four groups are competitive in utilizing academic opportunities in America as the average increases across the years, except in 2000. This speaks on the liberality of education institutions in America in giving equal opportunities for all Americans despite their racial backgrounds. A close scrutiny of the results shows that improvement has been on average equal in all the races as the difference in each group is about 0.5 with exception of group three which has improved since 1960 by a factor of 0.66. Table 2: Comparison Mean of Education Level Distributions by Sex in California: United States, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 Male Female Average 1960 1.99 1.94 1.96 1970 2.14 2.06 2.10 1980 2.34 2.23 2.28 1990 2.45 2.40 2.42 2000 2.38 2.36 2.37 2010 2.44 2.46 2.45 Total 2.34 2.30 2.32 Across all the years of census, there was always an increasing trend among both men and women. However, men are always leading in all cases except in 2010 when women led and men had a score of below the average for that year. The traditional model that men are more advantaged when it comes to education opportunities seems to be growing into a myth as the difference between men and women seems to be closing in. In a country that is liberal every body is free to seek opportunities they consider best for themselves. Women as well as men have embraced the need for academic advancement and the need for education. The trend is expected to continue increasing until there is no gender will be ahead of the other in any degree. American example will be followed in other countries where women are still bound to household chores while their intellectual faculties remain uncultivated (Holbrook & Alan 23). Increased education could also be attributed to presence of adult education programs. Table 3: Comparison Mean of Employment Status based on Education Level in California for age 18 to 60: United States, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 Employed Unemployed Total 1960 2.19 1.92 2.18 1970 2.38 2.18 2.37 1980 2.56 2.25 2.54 1990 2.68 2.32 2.66 2000 2.64 2.27 2.61 2010 2.67 2.43 2.64 Total 2.58 2.31 2.56 Employment in America seems to be dependent upon educational attainment of an individual. Throughout the years the level of education among those employed continued to increase. It appears more people associate academic advancement with increased access to employment opportunities. This is why women and men sought education. Now that more people were being educated from year to year, how comes the number of people unemployed did not decrease? The census was able to capture more people than in previous years due to advancement in data collection and analysis. There were few errors committed as data enumerators were being trained better from one year to another. Another thing is the aspect that there were more immigrants flowing into the country, others were getting legal citizenship in the country thus increasing the population. Among those who were being captured as immigrants or omitted before majority might have been of low level in education. CROSS-TABULATION Table 4: Education Level Distributions by Proficiency of English in Californian 2010 Grade 5, 6, 7, or 8 Grade 9,10,11, and 12 1year of college-4year of college 5+ years of college Total Does not speak English 47.5% 43.5% 8.4% .7% 100.0% Yes, speaks very well 12.5% 39.3% 39.0% 9.2% 100.0% Total 16.3% 39.7% 35.7% 8.3% 100.0% Americans who do not speak English do not do well in education. They form the bulk of lower grades in academics. This can be attributed to the fact that learning institutions in America train students in English. The English non speakers face a great challenge. In case they do not master the language they most probably stop at basic academic grades, with only a few managing to go through to all grades to the final grades. Majority of English speaking Americans have middle grades of education. Table 5: Education Level Distributions by Four Selected City in California in 2001-2011 Grade 5, 6, 7, or 8 Grade 9,10,11, and 12 1year of college-4year of college 5+ years of college Total Fresno, CA 15.1% 46.7% 33.6% 4.7% 100.0% Long Beach, CA 13.3% 40.2% 39.5% 7.1% 100.0% Sacramento, CA 11.2% 41.2% 40.1% 7.5% 100.0% San Francisco, CA 7.9% 26.5% 48.1% 17.5% 100.0% Total 11.2% 36.5% 41.7% 10.7% 100.0% The cities of Fresno, Long Beach, Sacramento and San Francisco have a uniform distribution of grades, with only in San Francisco where the grades are reverse abnormal levels of grades in high categories. Less than fifty percent of the population in these first three cities have over one year of college in academics. The majority of their population has below college grades with Fresno leading with 61%. San Francisco’s majority has more than at least one year of college in education, over 65.6%. San Francisco has more academic opportunities compared to other cities and majority of those well of financially reside in this city. Table 6: Education Level Distributions by Regions (rural/urban) in California, United States in 1850 – 2011 Grade 5, 6, 7, or 8 Grade 9,10,11, and 12 1year of college-4year of college 5+ years of college Total Rural 22.7% 47.0% 26.7% 3.7% 100.0% Urban 17.1% 42.6% 34.7% 5.6% 100.0% Total 17.6% 43.0% 34.0% 5.5% 100.0% In terms of urban and rural status and education, academic seem to be distributed equally across the county of California as more than 50% in both urban and rural population have less than one year of college academic qualification. Urban population has more than 40% of its population with at least one year of academic qualification, and the rural population has about 30% educated to the same level. In California being a resident in urban or rural areas doesn’t prevent anybody from accessing education institutions. It appears education opportunities are accessible to all California Americans. Table 7: Education Level Distributions by Year in California: United States, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010 Grade 5, 6, 7, or 8 Grade 9,10,11, and 12 1year of college-4year of college 5+ years of college Total 1960 28.0% 51.1% 17.4% 3.4% 100.0% 1970 21.5% 51.8% 21.8% 4.8% 100.0% 1980 16.0% 47.6% 28.7% 7.8% 100.0% 1990 12.5% 39.1% 42.0% 6.4% 100.0% 2000 13.8% 42.9% 35.7% 7.6% 100.0% 2010 11.9% 39.8% 39.6% 8.7% 100.0% Total 15.6% 44.0% 33.4% 7.0% 100.0% Distribution of academic excellence is uniform throughout the several decades census was conducted. A very interesting pattern is on the way the lower grades decrease down the years while the higher grades increase at the same time. As more people realized their need of education, they went for those training opportunities and the number of those with advanced education attainment, the observed trend is expected to occur. As population increased in American there was an increase in education opportunities to accommodate more than the increased population (Johnson 34). Conclusion It appears that majority of American have gone to school since there are no data for people with below grade five. It appears that even people who move from their countries while illiterate are not able to access basic employment without basic school education. Thus they are forced to acquire this basic education. Among requirements which one must certify before a visa can be issued for those interested in residing in America are basic education skills. Whites and Negro are not advantageous over the others in terms of education attainment since they perform at almost equal weights. However, Japanese, Chinese and Slander are the best in terms of education attainment. It appears that America provides equal opportunities to students without color discrimination. Success in education remains a personal choice. Among people who are English speakers, education attainment remains uniform for those with poor or good performance. Education levels are slightly high among people in urban areas compared to those in rural areas due to increased level of opportunities in urban areas. There may be so many reasons behind the increasing trends of education standards in America. Technological innovations have contributed greatly to the current situation in academic standards in the United States of America. The need to use technological innovations at home and workplace has prompted many people to acquire literacy. Educational opportunities which have become very flexible and allow students to choose schedules which they are most comfortable with have greatly encouraged many people to further their studies. Works Cited Holbrook, Cay, & Alan Koenig. Foundations of Education: History and Theory of Teaching Children and Youths with Visual Impairments, Volume 1. Huntington: American Foundation for the Blind, 2000. Print. Johnson, Hans. Educating California: Choices for the Future. California: Public Policy Instit. Of CA, 2009. Print. Read More