The Sociological Problems of Vocational Education

Abstract

Abstract Societal and occupational orientation is a composite concept. Any analysis must, therefore, include a description of its three elements. The term "orientation" is derived from the Latin "oriens" (east) and literally means "determining the east"-that is, establishing a location relative to other parts of the world, in geographical space. From this it follows that "societal orientation" signifies, in the broadest sense of the word, an individual's definition of his place in "societal space"-relative to the classes, societal groupings, societal institutions, and so forth, that exist in society. In a narrower sense, an individual's societal orientation involves perception of societal origins and future societal "position"-an awareness of his place and role in the societal grouping which he intends to join and a definition of the means by which he proposes to attain that goal.