A growing body of research now points to the pivotal role social capital plays in long-term labor market success and economic mobility. Unfortunately, social capital building is a skill that’s not taught in schools nor in America’s workforce programs.

This webinar will explore the differences between the main conceptual approaches to social capital and their theoretical foundations. Social capital has a variety of different meanings, and this tends to create confusion, with the same term meaning different things.

This presentation will provide a brief history of the concept of social capital, paying special attention to its development in educational research. Using research on reading as a focal point, it will argue that commonly cited limitations of social capital as a concept are likely responsible for the concept’s relatively slow uptake in areas of research that draw on psychological theories and methods. Practical examples will be provided. The presentation will conclude by making tentative recommendations for improving the use of the concept in educational research.

The World Social Capital Monitor allows citizens to score eight local social goods in 50 languages on any Mobile anonymous without registration. The survey includes the offer to have a qualitative say and to choose a ZIP, district or even village.