Education (1) Flashcards
Define anomie
Lack of standard within society
What functions of education did Durkheim identify?
Creating social solidarity
Teaching specialist skills
How does education contribute to social solidarity?
It transmits societies beliefs and values from one generation to another
How is school a place of secondary socialisation?
Students have to interact with other people and abide by rules similar to the workplace
How do functionalist and Marxist views differ?
Functionalists see education as vehicle for installing shared societal values, whereas Marxists argue that education only transmits views of the ruling class
What is Denis Wong’s opinion on the functionalist view?
He argues that functionalists over-socialise the view of people as puppets of society and students are not passive recipients of what they are taught and can challenge school values
What do Davis and Moore believe the function of education is?
Role allocation
What type of theorists are Bowles and Gintis?
Marxist
Explain the Correspondence Principle.
School is deliberately made to be similar to work
Give some similarities between school and work.
Hierarchy, different fragments of subjects, working for rewards
Who developed the Correspondence principle?
Bowles and Gintis
According to Marxists, what are the 2 main societal groups?
The ruling class and the subject class
Define means of production.
Land, buildings, machinery, raw materials
Explain the power division between the ruling class and the subject class.
Ruling class have power over the subject class because they own production and the subject class sell labor to the ruling class
What is class conflict in Marxist terms?
the exploitation of the subject class by the ruling class creates conflict, leading to a workers revolution, creating a communist society, meaning exploitation and oppression would end as classes disappear
How is the capitalist ideology reproduced?
ideology passed to generations through education, law, religion and mass media
What is false class consciousness?
When workers are unaware of their exploitation to prevent the overthrow of capitalism
What type of theorist is Althusser?
Marxist
Who developed the Ideological State Apparatus?
Althusser
Explain Ideological State Apparatus.
Education is ideological state of apparatus which helps pass on ruling class ideology. It prepares working class students to accept a life of exploitation
How are Althusser’s and Durkheim’s views similar?
They both believe education serves to teach people norms and values of society and to preserve value consensus
Explain Paolo Freire’s main idea.
Education should be people working with one another, not one person acting on another.
Explain Iven Illich’s idea.
Anti-school. Education systems are manipulative institutions and society is better without schools
What is one of the primary purposes of education?
differentiate children as part of their passage into wider society
Sterotypically, who is the best performing student?
A middle class Indian girl.
Explain the effects of material deprivation in class differences in educational achievement.
Lack of food, can’t concentrate in school
Lack of technology, can’t complete homework
Part time work, no time for school work
Unstable Accommodation, inability to concentrate
What did Waldfogel and Washbrook discover?
That children from low income families are likely to live in damp crowded conditions, linking to poor health.
Low income families have less access to nursery facilities, stunting development.
What did Gibson and Asthana discover?
The greater the parental disadvantage, the greater the underachievement
Describe JWB Douglas’ research
Found that WC parents place less value on education, therefore, read less with children, visit school less and rarely discuss profess
This meant the children were less motivated and achieved less than MC children
What does Barry Sugarman argue?
Working class subculture has four key features that act as a barrier to educational achievement
What are Barry Sugarman’s 4 key features of working class subculture?
Fatalism, Collectivism, Immediate Gratification, Present-time orientation
Define Fatalism.
A belief in fate and that you can do nothing to change your status.
Define Collectivism.
Valuing being part of a group more than succeeding as an individual
Define Immediate Gratification.
Seeking pleasure immediately rather than making sacrifices in order to get rewards in the future
Define Present-Time Orientation
Seeing the present as more important than the future and so not having any long term goals or plans
Explain Barry Sugarman’s view on job security
Middle class jobs are secure careers leading to continuous individual advancement whereas working class jobs are less secure and have no career structure.
What were the 2 language codes Bernstein (1971) identified?
Restricted code
Elaborated code
Define the restricted code
Speech code typically used by the working class with simple and limited vocab
Define the elaborated code
Speech code typically used by the middle class, with wider vocabulary and more complex sentences
How does the elaborated code give middle class children an advantage?
Teachers and textbooks often use the elaborated code which MC children already understand
Why do WC children fail according to Bernstein?
State schools fail to teach WC children the elaborated code which sets them up for failure in later life
Who developed the concept of Cultural Capital?
Pierre Bourdieu
Define Cultural Capital
Skills and knowledge which individuals can draw upon to give them an advantage in education
Define Habitus
The cultural framework that each class has
Briefly explain the interactionist perspective on education
They examine the social processes within a school, particularly teacher-pupil relationships
Explain how teacher-pupil relationships affect educational achievement
Teachers actively judge and stereotype students, including their ability and behaviour whether they are deviant or average
What did Becker discover, in terms of the self-fulfilling prophecy
Teachers initially evaluate pupils in relation to their stereotype of the ‘ideal pupil’
What traits would an ‘ideal pupil’ have?
Organised, determined, hardworking, punctual
Define stereotype
A set of assumptions connected to superficial features of that person
Define ideal student
The student that teachers would want to teach
Define labelling
A term used by interactionists to describe the way social actors attach ‘labels’ to others
Define self-fulfilling prophecy
Someone labelling another person, expecting a certain outcome. This outcome happens because the person believes it will
Which theorists devised the Pygmalion Effect?
Rosenthal+Jacobson
Briefly describe the Pygmalion effect
Our beliefs influence our actions, which impact others beliefs about us which cause others actions towards us
How do teachers set low expectations to groups of students?
Ignoring students in class Judging or labelling
What did Keddie (1971) explore?
The relationship in a comp school between streaming, teaching methods and knowledge conveyed.
How does social class influence labelled students?
MC pupils may have greater ability to re-negotiate the label where WC pupils lack confidence to
How does parental attitude affect labelled students?
Parental support acts as a barrier to negative influence of label
How does anti-school subcultures affect labelled students
It might offer an alternative set of values which match those of the label
How does pupil identities and subcultures affect educational achievement
Pupils attach different meanings to their education, meaning not all students can conform to ‘ideal student’. Some achieve well and others fail to do so.
Define subculture
Set of values, attitudes and behaviours employed by a group which usually differs to dominant culture
Explain Hargreave’s theory on labelling and streaming
Pupils with negative labels attached to them were defined as failures through the lower stream and secondary modern. Regarded as “worthless louts” by teachers
How does the curriculum affect educational achievement
Content of deliberate teaching may underestimate or ignore the experience of WC students
What are the external factors that affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Racism in wider society
Parental attitudes
Language issues
How can Racism in wider society affect educational achievement?
Racism within job applications is common
Wood et al’s study with 3 job applications
How can parental attitudes affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Indian+Chinese families have a higher level of parental control, pushing for better grades
White families have less academic expectations that most ethnic minorities
How can language issues affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Bereiter and Engelmenn consider language spoken by low income black American families inadequate for academic success.
Children with English as a 2nd language lack parental support
What are the internal factors that affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Teacher/pupil interactions Organisation of teaching and learning Anti-school subcultures The curriculum Hidden curriculum
How can teacher/pupil interactions affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Gillborn+Youdell found that teachers were quicker to discipline black pupils than others for the same behaviour
Archer found teachers stereotyped Asian girls as quiet and passive so were often punished more severely
How can the organisation of teaching and learning affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Moore+Davenport (1990) found that in USA ethnic minority students struggled to get into better high schools due to discrimination
Strand (2012) found black pupils were under-estimated in higher tier tests which reflects teachers expectations
How do anti-school subcultures and pupil identities affect affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Fuller (1980) found some black girls were subject to negative labelling and placed in lower streams, where they proved teachers wrong and achieved academic success.
Others didn’t seek approval from teachers, showed deliberate lack of concern and socialised with others in lower streams
How does the curriculum affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Coard argues british people are represented as bringing civilisation to “primitive” people they colonised
Suggests that images of inferior black people undermines black children’s self-esteem
How does the hidden curriculum affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Often biased towards particular culture (eg. role models often white, history is white) Reinforces ethnocentrism (eg. uniform, changing rooms for pe may conflict with other cultural norms) School holidays Christian orientated
What are the internal factors that affect educational achievement in terms of ethnicity?
Teacher/pupil interactions Organisation of teaching and learning Anti-school subcultures+pupil identities The curriculum Hidden curriculum
What are the external factors that affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
Equal opportunities
Growing ambition+positive role models
Work ethic
Declining male employment opportunities
How does equal opportunities affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
Boys are often given more freedom than girls, boys encouraged to take up sports and play outside while girls encouraged to stay inside (reinforces ‘bedroom culture’
How does growing ambition+positive role models affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
Sharpe compared attitudes of working class girls in London during 1970s and 1990s Found that 1990s girls were more assertive, ambitious and committed to gender equality 1970s girls priorities were ‘love, marriage, husbands and children’ More female role models in schools (head teachers, governors etc)
How does work ethic affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
In general, girls spend more time doing homework, are better behaved in class and truant less often Girls have higher expectations of themselves and are more enthusiastic about continuing studies
How does declining male employment opportunities affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
Mitsos+Browne say decline in manual, low skilled ‘mans work’ is making boys see little point in educational achievement as there’s little work for them
42% of boys report that having male teachers makes them want to work harder
What are the internal factors that affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
Teacher/pupil relationships
Organisation of teaching and learning
Hidden curriculum
Pupil identities and subcultures
How do teacher/pupil relationships affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
Hartley and Sutton suggest stereotyped expectations and labelling from teachers generates a self-fulfilling prophecy in the performance of boys Swann found gender differences in communication styles, boys dominate class discussions, and interrupt each other, where girls preferred group work and taking turns
How does the organisation of teaching and learning affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
Increase in proportion of female teachers, gives message to boys that schools are feminine domain
Only 15% of primary school teachers are male
Marketisation policies meant that girls are desirable recruits bc they achieve better exam results, boys seen as liability
How does hidden curriculum affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
Belief that girls and boys are entitled to the same opportunities is now mainstream thinking and influences educational policies
Sewell says patriarchy of 1950s has been challenged, but “boys have been thrown out with the bath water”
Schools don’t celebrate masculine traits such a competitiveness and leadership
How do pupil identities and subcultures affect educational achievement in terms of gender?
Girls feel sense of worth in having a boyfriend and being ‘loud’ which pleases peers but brings negative attention from teachers
Epstein argues construction in schools may not move on, WC boys are likely to labelled as ‘sissies’ and subjected to homophobic abuse if they work hard in school
Define Policy
A course or principle of action adopted by an organisation or individual
Which legislation established the tripartite system?
The Education Act (1944)
Describe the tripartite system
Students would take 11+ test.
Academic students sent to grammar schools
Average students attend secondary schools
Below average students attend technical schools
What was included in the 11+ test?
Maths, English, Verbal and non-verbal reasoning
Define social mobility
Movement of individuals/family within or between social classes
What are the advantages of grammar schools?
Selective education allows for greater social mobility
Allows bright students that come from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn with others of similar ability
What are the disadvantages of grammar schools?
Fosters inequality
Pupils are 4 or 5 times more likely to come from independent prep schools than disadvantaged backgrounds
Mostly pupils with wealthy parents
Define comprehensive school
Local schools of mixed ability
What was the aim of establishing comprehensive schools?
Give students equality of opportunity
Who invented the 11+ exam?
Cyril Burt
Explain Cyril Burt’s fraud scandal
Claimed that intelligence was hereditary and social circumstances play minor role, but a year after his death, evidence showed that he invented his results
Briefly explain marketisation in schools
In 1980s schools were encouraged to act like private businesses rather institutions under control of local governments
Which policies would promote marketisation?
Publication of league tables and ofsted reports
Business sponsorships of schools
Formula funding
School competition to attract pupils
Define formula funding
Each pupil receives same amount of funding
Briefly explain the Education Reform Act (1988)
Gives central government more legal power and reduces local authorities discretion to set policy
Changed relationship between dept. of education+science and local authorities in England
Explain Will Bartlet’s theory in terms of marketisation
Pressures from marketisation have lead to schools
Cream-skimming (selecting higher ability students)
Silt-shifting (off-loading students with learning difficulties)
What were the aims of educational policies?
Raising educational standards
Create equality of opportunity
Economic efficiency (developing skills of workforce, meeting needs of industry)
What were the problems with the tripartite system?
Unreliable and disadvantaged those from the WC
MC children often received tutoring to pass
Girls had higher pass mark than boys
Damaged self esteem of children who failed
Wealth parents could still send parents to private schools
Which government introduced comprehensive schools?
Labour government
What were the advantages of comprehensive schools?
Opportunities remain open
More choice of subjects
More social mixing and fewer social divisions
What are the disadvantages of comprehensive schools
Overlooked talents
Discipline problems
High flyers held back
How have equality of opportunity policies been implemented in terms of gender?
Equality Act (2010) implemented in schools
National Curriculum Act (1998)
Primary school grants (1999)
GCSE/A-Level reading lists checked for equality
How do local schools implement national policy
Turn/fit them into their own policies
How have equality of opportunity policy’s been implemented in terms of ethnicity?
Racism in schools taken more seriously (4590 exclusions in 2016)
‘Show racism the red card’ charity that does workshops exploring stereotypes and prejudice
Celebrating Black History Month
How have equality of opportunity policies been implemented in terms of social class?
Introduction of free school meals (£2-3)
Breakfast clubs made more regular
Define privatisation IN education
To have values and practices of the private sector and become more business like
What does privatisation in education include?
Schools managing themselves w/ few external controls
Per capita funding (schools being funded by no. of students they attract)
Performance related pay for teachers
Consumer (parents) choice of schools
Define privatisation OF education
aspects of education formerly run by the state have been passed to private businesses that operate outside of education
What are some examples of privatisation OF education?
Administration staff, maintenance, catering, supply teachers and staff training
Privately managed chains of academy schools
Briefly explain the Education Reform Act (1988)
Introduction of national curriculum National assessing through SATs (7, 11, 14, 16) Open enrolment Formula funding Vocational education initiatives
Define globalisation
Growing inter-connectedness of societies across the world (sharing ideologies, cultures and consumerism)
Briefly explain the Education Act (1993)
More institutions made free of LEA control
Government have ability to take over failing schools
Introduction of student loans
Schools can specialise
How did educational policies increase competition?
Open enrolment (parents became customers in new ‘education market’ National testing (compare school performance) League tables (GCSE and A level publication) Creation of different types of schools (greater parental choice)
Evaluate marketisation
advantages MC parents who’s economic and cultural capital puts them in a better position to choose schools
What were the 3 types of school choosers that Gerwitz identified?
Privileged skilled choosers (MC parents)
Semi-skilled choosers (WC parents)
Disconnected local choosers (WC parents)
What is the problem with the National Curriculum?
puts pressure on children to succeed, giving them a sense of failure very early on in their schooling
