EDUCATION, CHANGE AND SOCIETY TASKS 2 – ESSAY Success, achievement and participation in school are not simply a question of intelligence or ability. Discuss this statement with reference to the concepts of cultural capital, hidden curriculum, class, and socioeconomic status. Since the beginning of education there have been many forms, which have been passed on from one generation to the next. Over the years education has evolved and is now seen as the education system across the world. Today the education system is considered much more complex, but still involves notions of success, achievement and participation present from the beginning. Not only do these three aspects continue to contribute to the successful education of young people involved in the ever-changing society in which we live. Intelligence and ability have an impact on the success of individual students, and there are also other impacts that can influence outcomes on individual schools and the education system. This essay will provide a brief overview of cultural capital, hidden curriculum, class, and socioeconomic status and discuss the effect that success, achievement, and participation have on a student's education. Holmes, Hughes, and Julia (2007) defined cultural capital as an understanding and knowledge of culture, power, and communication within the society in which the child lives. All students will bring a backpack to school that will contain items such as a lunchbox, books, homework and personal items. Education and university experts often talk about a different type of backpack that students could bring to school. This backpack is often referred to as a “virtual backpack” (Thomson 2002). Throughout Thomson's (2007) book...... middle of paper...... gast D and Bahr N (eds), Teaching middle years, Allen and Unwin, pp. 101-118. Holmes, D, Hughes & Jullian, R, 2007, 'The more you earn, the more you learn: Education Today' Australian Sociology Pearson Education Australia, Sydney, pp.217-244. Meadmore, D, 2004, How do social class and education make the big divide, eds, Burnett, B, Meadmore & Tait, G, New questions for contemporary teachers, Pearson EducationPartington, G. (2001). From nursery school to peer group socialization and socialization agencies. Sociology of education. 2nd ed. (chap. 6), page. 109-128. Robert Hardingham, PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER: Building healthy communities for our most vulnerable generation, Australian Journal of Middle Schooling, vol l, n. 1, May 2001. Thomson, Pat (2002). 'Vicki and Thanh' educate Rustbelt children: making a difference in changing times NSW; Allen and Unwin: 1-16