4ED

Question 1

What did Althusser believe about education?

Answer 1

• The state consisted of 2 elements which serve to keep the ruling class in power

Question 2

What were the 2 elements that Althusser described?

Answer 2

• Repressive state apparatus: consists of army, police, the judiciary and the prison system
• Ideological state apparatus: consists of education, churches, family and the media

Question 3

What did Althusser says school teaches children?

Answer 3

• Capitalism is acceptable and normal

- To accept their future exploitation in the workplace

Question 4

Criticism of Althusser

Answer 4

• Armchair theorist

Question 5

What did Bowels and Ginitis say got children ready for their future exploitation?

Answer 5

• The hidden curriculum

Question 6

What did Bowels and Gintis describe the hidden curriculum as?

Answer 6

• A hidden agenda behind schooling in which values and norms are taught to young people which benefit the ruling class and capitalism

Question 7

What did Bowels and Gintis describe the correspondence principle as?

Answer 7

• A way that school mirrors a capitalist workplace

Question 8

What did Bowels and Gintis describe the myth of meritocracy as?

Answer 8

• Schools make it seem like everyone has an equal chance when in fact higher classes have had a chance at succeeding

Question 9

Criticisms of Bowels and Gintis myth of meritocracy

Answer 9

• Truancy rates and behavioural issues show children are not docile and unquestioning
• Used a limited sample size in their study

Question 10

What methods did Willis use in his study?

Answer 10

• Informal interviews

Question 11

Who was in Williss sample?

Answer 11

• Working class boys

Question 12

What culture did Willis say the boys developed?

Answer 12

• Anti school

Question 13

Why did the boys in Williss study see no point in school?

Answer 13

• Can go into the working class jobs that their fathers were in

Question 14

Positives of the Marxist explanation of education

Answer 14

• Reviles the undeclared agenda of schooling

- Unveils the interests of the dominant and powerful groups in shaping schooling

Question 15

Negatives of the Marxist explanation of education

Answer 15

• Describing a hidden agenda of schooling can seem like a conspiracy theory
• Post modernists would argue that education needs to produce a different type of labour force that the one declared by Marxists, schools now reproduce diversity not inequality