Education

Question 1

What are Durkheim’s views on the function of education?

Answer 1

Education should emphasise moral responsibilities and national solidarity.
Social solidarity should be achieved through the establishing of common values.

Question 2

What are Parson’s views on the functions of education?

Answer 2

Education forms a bridge between family and wider society.
Children get used to the meritocratic culture of society. In society universalistic standards apply and the individual will be judged by everyone’s standards. School is preparation for this.

Question 3

What are Davis and Moore’s views on the functions of education?

Answer 3

Education allocates people for the best job to match their talents using exams and assessments - meritocracy.
Education helps identify the few people needed for the most highly skilled jobs. It’s ok that these people end up making more money, because ultimately everyone benefits from the best people being in the best job they’re suited for.

Question 4

What was the new right view of the education system that developed in the 1970’s and influenced the policies of Margaret Thatcher in the 1980’s?

Answer 4

Education is important for a healthy economy but needs to be run in a way so that schools are not a drain on the state’s resources.

Question 5

What is ther assertion of the new right thinkers, Chubb and Moe (1988)?

Answer 5

Education needs to be treated like a business.
Customers needs to be pleased and as a result, schools need competition in order to remain dynamic and likely to improve.

Question 6

What are the criticisms of the functionalist view?

Answer 6

Ignorant of the aspects of education that might be dysfunctional and benefit some groups in societies more than others.
Too much is assumed - a number of studies suggest not all pupils are socialised into the system.
Acceptance of an institution that is not fit for all.

Question 7

What are criticisms of the new right view?

Answer 7

Competition creates undue stress on children, by treating them as adults.
The stress of school improvement and constantly needed to evidence progress has adversely affected schools.
The wider marketisation of schools has led to some financial bad practise.

Question 8

Using a functionalist perspective, why is education meritocratic?

Answer 8

The assessment and the exam system is the same for everyone at the point of taking the exam. Any student can study to pass if they are willing to work hard and overcome any perceived barriers.

Question 9

Criticising the functionalist perspective, why is education not meritocratic?

Answer 9

The view that education is meritocratic ignores how social divisions might affect achievement.
The existence of private schools is seemingly ignored. Social class impacts educational opportunity.
Private school students are 55 times more likely to get into Oxford or Cambridge.

Question 10

Whitty, Power and Sims (2013)

Answer 10

Students from private schools are more likely to get accepted to top universities with lower grades.

Question 11

How can it be argued that education “serves the purpose of capitalism”?

Answer 11

The basic principles of achieving in a free market are established. Work hard and your efforts will lead to reward. You may need to rely on luck.

Role allocation - the best for the job - and with exams we also get used to losing out in life.

The inequalities and social relations of productions in a capitalist society are reproduced over generations.

Question 12

What is the marxist view of education?

Answer 12

The inequalities and social relations of productions in a capitalist society and reproduced over generations.

Working-class children are in general left behind by the system and end up in menial jobs, while the children of the wealthiest are provided with an elite education that is applicable to middle class values which mean they are prepared to take up positions of power in society.

Question 13

What is the correspondence principle (Bowles and Gintis)?

Answer 13

There is a close relationship between school and work. The school system prepares children to take their place as part of a hardworking, docile and obedient workforce.
This is achieved through a hidden curriculum of how school is organised.

Question 14

What is meant by cultural capital (Bourdieu)?

Answer 14

The education system tricks the working class into accepting failure and limited social mobility when in fact it is just the case that the system values the culture of middle and upper classes far more.

The argument is the cultural assets of the wealthy are regarded as cultural capital. A process of cultural reproduction takes place

Question 15

What is meant by cultural capital (Bourdieu)?

Answer 15

The education system tricks the working class into accepting failure and limited social mobility when in fact it is just the case that the system values the culture of middle and upper classes far more.

The argument is the cultural assets of the wealthy are regarded as cultural capital. A process of cultural reproduction takes place

Question 16

What is the feminist view of the education system?

Answer 16

Heaton and Lawson (1996) see the education system as reproducing patriarchy through established norms in textbooks and other hidden curriculum messages within schools.

Question 17

How do liberal feminists argue that education serves the purpose of the patriarchy?

Answer 17

The education system is improving, but a lot of parts of the system still suggest more expectations placed on boys than girls.

Question 18

How do radical feminists argue that education serves the purpose of the patriarchy?

Answer 18

The education system exists to marginalise female concerns and oppress women.

Question 19

How do intersectional feminists argue that education serves the purpose of the patriarchy?

Answer 19

Not all women have equally benefited from changes in gender expectations over the last 20 years.

Question 20

What are criticisms of the marxist view of education?

Answer 20

Too much focus on class inequality, ignores other inequalities.
The correspondence principle is now dated.
Not all education is anti-critical thinking (Sociology)

Question 21

What are criticisms of the feminist view of education?

Answer 21

Education is currently a female dominated sector.

Girls consistently outperform boys in the system.

Question 22

How could it be argued that the education system is meritorcratic?

Answer 22

The rules of the game are set. There are no laws that overly restrict a group or individual from accessing the system.

There might be gaps in equity but not equality

The introduction of the national curriculum in 1988 ensures all assessment in equal at every point regardless of educational setting.

Question 23

Define material deprivation

Answer 23

The inability to afford basic resources and services such as sufficient food and heating.

Question 24

Smith and Noble (1995) - material deprivation

Answer 24

Isolation and stigmatisation that can come from no access to uniforms, trips and equipment.

No equipment means students will fall behind in learning.

Low incomes lead to little room in the home to learn and access resources through the internet.

Marketisation of schools has led to high price houses near “good” schools.

Older students require extra work or have to care for younger siblings.

Question 25

Washbrook and Waldfogel (2010) - material deprivation

Answer 25

31% of the difference in scores of five years olds in vocab tests can be explained by material disadvantage, e.g. less books in the house / not read to.

Question 26

Hirsch (2007) - material deprivation

Answer 26

“variety of advantages for the better off”:

• structured out of school activities.
• these lead to confidence, life skills and specific cultural literacy that links into the school curriculum.
• more space and home and overall more likely to benefit from the specific privilege of private education.

Question 27

Define cultural deprivation

Answer 27

Cultural deprivation theory is the view that different classes have different cultures and these differences lead to cultural differences in the chance for success.

Question 28

Sugarman (1970) - cultural deprivation

Answer 28

instant gratification vs delayed gratification.

collectivist vs individualist mindset

Question 29

Lockwood (1966) - cultural deprivation

Answer 29

The middle class are more likely to buy into the mantra of meritocracy whereas the working class is more likely to believe it is all down to luck.

Question 30

Feinstein (2003) and Goodman and Greg (2010) - cultural deprivation

Answer 30

“material factors matter but culture is more important”:

• the quality of mother child time
• how often children are read to
• attitudes towards education system of the parent
• the extent of positive behaviour (e.g. clubs attendance) vs negative behaviour (truancy)

Question 31

Bernstein (1972) - cultural deprivation

Answer 31

Speech shapes educational achievement. Restricted codes vs elaborate codes which are used in schooling and professional settings.

Question 32

What action has been taken to try and improve the quality of education provided to students from predominantly working class backgrounds?

Answer 32

Emphasis on OFSTED to improve failing schools, particularly in working class area.

The academisation of schools.

“The knowledge turn” - with the purpose of raising cultural literacy and therefore achievement of the working class.

Question 33

Sullivan (2001) - improvements to education

Answer 33

Reading complex fiction and watching TV such as arts, science, current affairs and documentaries has an impact in achievement.

Question 34

Why can working class students in predominantly rich areas still be “left behind”?

Answer 34

A-C economy has allowed schools with higher middle class uptake to appear to be succeeding.
The move to judging schools on A8 and P8 scores has adjusted this somewhat.

Question 35

What do interactionists Hargreave, Hester and Mellor (1975) claim about how social class background affects the way teachers label pupils?

Answer 35

Pupils’ appearance, how they respond to discipline, how likeable they are and personality can lead teachers to group them into “good” or “bad”. Subsequent behaviour can then be labelled either way.

Middle class behaviour is more likely to reflect the teacher “ideal” of how a student should be.

Question 36

What do interactionists Hargreaves, Hestor and Mellor (1975) conclude about the negative impact labelling can have on the progress of pupils in education?

Answer 36

A pupil’s course of action will change based on a “prophesy” of events.

Question 37

What were the findings of Rosenthal and Jackson (1968) study on teacher expectation and its impact?

Answer 37

After giving false information to primary teachers in the USA about the IQ of pupils. Researchers found that pupils who were “told” they had a higher IQ performed better.

Question 38

Ball (1981) - setting and streaming

Answer 38

Working class children were more likely to be in lower sets even if they had the same attainment data as their middle class peers.

Question 39

Hallam (2009) - setting and streaming

Answer 39

Children in higher sets have a higher sense of esteem.

Question 40

Dunne et al. (2011) - setting and streaming

Answer 40

Students that receive free school meals (FSM) are more likely to be in lower sets.

Question 41

Willis (1977) - setting and streaming

Answer 41

Setting and streaming doesn’t matter. Willis found they were pronounced class divisions in school and students from unskilled backgrounds were hostile towards the middle-class children. The position of bots from different class backgrounds in the class structure shaped attitudes towards school and formation of subcultures that were anti-school.

Question 42

Bernstein (1972) - elaborated / restricted codes and cultural capital

Answer 42

Speech shapes educational achievement. Restricted code vs elaborate codes which are used in schools and professional settings.
A fundamental problem for the working class is that the education system operates in terms of culture of the middle and upper classes.

Question 43

Bourdieu (1984) - elaborated / restricted codes and cultural capital

Answer 43

The possession or lack of possession of different types of capital shapes your opportunity in society.

Question 44

Evans (2007) - elaborated / restricted codes and cultural capital

Answer 44

Middle-class mothers were able to give their children a head start using their cultural capital.

Question 45

Ball et al. (2007) - elaborated / restricted codes and cultural capital

Answer 45

Middle-class parents can use their cultural capital to “play” the system.

Question 46

What has inspired greater emphasis on equal opportunities in schools since the 1980’s?

Answer 46

Research carried out by a number of researchers suggested there was systematic discrimination against girls in the education system due to presentation in materials, attitudes or teachers, etc.

Question 47

Rothermel - differences in educational achievement based on gender

Answer 47

Boys who were home-schooled tended to do as well, if not better than girls within the education system. This suggests that what goes on inside the school has an impact on boys’ achievement.

Question 48

Epstein (1998) - differences in educational achievement based on gender

Answer 48

Identifies a poor boys discourse that blames schools for failing to cater for boys.

Question 49

Haralambos and Holborn (2013) - differences in educational achievement based on gender

Answer 49

In more recent times, the generalisation that girls do better than boys is more applicable to working class boys. The gender gap is small within the middle classes.

Question 50

Sukhanda et al. (2000) - how can it be argued that school has become feminised?

Answer 50

Research found that boys feel that schools have a higher expectation of girls than boys and boys feel less supported in school. This adds to a sense of alienation.

Question 51

Abraham (1995) and Mitos and Browne (1998) - how can it be argued that school has become feminised?

Answer 51

Deviant boys are more popular with teachers and teachers are not as critical of boys. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy of underachievement.

Question 52

Coffee and Delamont (2000) - how can it be argued that school has NOT become feminised?

Answer 52

Schools have always been patriarchal, illustrated by the gender composition of school leadership teams.

The hidden curriculum is one which is male orientated.

Question 53

How can it be argues curriculum and assessment play a role in how well different genders achieve?

Answer 53

When coursework is more important in the qualification process, girls tend to do better because of organisational and research skills that are necessary over a sustained period of time.

Question 54

Prie (2001) - curriculum and assessments on gender achievement

Answer 54

Pre-1988, O-levels were exams geared towards boys and the final “throw of the dice” high stake assessment mentality.

Question 55

Machin and McNally (2006) - curriculum and assessments on gender achievement

Answer 55

Change to GCSEs coincided with greater achievement for girls.

Question 56

Hurst (2014) - curriculum and assessments on gender achievement

Answer 56

Since 2010 and the coalition government “knowledge turn”, boys have begun to close the gap with girls and even overtook achievement in maths where coursework was removed altogether.

Question 57

What has the pattern of girls’ achievement been since WW2?

Answer 57

Girls have out performed boys and gradually barriers to their success have been removed.

It’s clear that there were some institutional barriers for women in the immediate years after WW2. For example, no extra places in schools were made for them.

Question 58

Edward and David (2000) - primary socialisation on gender achievement in education

Answer 58

Boys are allowed to be noisier at home.

Girls differentiated primary socialisation can give girls an advantage due to how the education system works.

Girls are taught more to conorm through their behaviour standards.

Girls are more likely to be talked to by their parents as babies which can help with development of language skills.

Question 59

Edwards and David (2000) - influence of male “peer groups”

Answer 59

boys’ behaviour was more readily shaped by peer groups and this behaviour was shaped around macho values.

Question 60

Hannan (2000) - influence of male “peer groups”

Answer 60

Research found that girls relate more to one another based on what they perceive inside and outside the home and girls relate more to one another through talking.

Question 61

What is meant by “genderquake”?

Answer 61

The Wilkinson argument:

• In the last two decades of the 20th century, young women experiences profound changes in their attitudes and expectations about their futures.
• Repeat research carried out by Sue Sharpe in the 1970’s and 1990’s seems to support this.

Question 62

What is meant by a crisis of masculinity?

Answer 62

The argument that the development of more individualism and the realities of a post-industrial society has led to lack of confidence and self-esteem.

Question 63

Mac and Ghali (1994)

Answer 63

Masculinity crisis

Question 64

Coard (1971) - how can the curriculum impact the achievement of some students?

Answer 64

The lack of black history, culture and success on the curriculum has led to lower self-esteem among some students.

A disconnect between a cultural experience outside of school and inside school can lead to alienation.

The national curriculum has continued to remain ethnocentric. Since 2015, there have been increasing calls to “decolonise” the curriculum.

A hidden curriculum exists of very few Black teachers. This could be because of a lack of black history and cultural literacy in schools which puts off students from certain backgrounds going into the profession: a vicious cycle is therefore created.

Question 65

What did Gilborn (2002) assert regarding institutional racism in schools?

Answer 65

Teachers interpret policy in a way that disadvantages Black students. For example, the way students are deemed to be gifted and talented or written off as “no hopers”.

Following on from this, in 2008, Gillborn argued that racism affects some minorities more than others. “Model minorities” who are seen to have a positive attitude and treated differently to those that present a “gruff” exterior.

Question 66

What did Sewell (1997) argue the impact of a high proportion of lone-parent households was on Black African pupils?

Answer 66

Lack of success within the sub-group of Black males could be linked to a higher proportion of single parent households. Less discipline and structure at home and lack of a male role model can subsequently impact on performance in school.

Question 67

What has been asserted as a reason for more detentions / exclusions for some students in schools?

Answer 67

Teachers misinterpret dress or speech or language choice as a severe challenge to authority.

Question 68

What have O’Donnell and Sharpe concluded regarding teacher labels, racism and poor economic prospects?

Answer 68

In responding to a mix of teacher labelling and external factors of racism and poor economic prospects, black males construct a form of masculinity that earns respects from male peers and girls.

Question 69

Sewell (2007) - teacher labelling

Answer 69

Being a “street hood” becomes a way to gain validation among peers. Educational failure becomes a badge to wear with pride as educational success is closely linked to femininity.

Question 70

Gillborn and Youdell - A-C economy on educational achievement by ethnicity

Answer 70

As schools were judged on how many student could get a C or above, some students were written off as no hopers. Black males were disproportionately written off.

Question 71

Why could it be argued that some minorities experience less racism in schools than others?

Answer 71

They present in a way that is seen as a “model” to the education system.

Some minorities have they behaviour interpreted differently.

Question 72

Connolly (1988) - teacher labelling

Answer 72

Research found that teachers tended to see South Asian boys as immature as opposed to deviant.

Question 73

How has it been argued by O’Donnell that some students respond differently to racism than others?

Answer 73

Some students use a perceived barrier or injustice as motivation to do well regardless.
This was particularly witnessed in the attitudes of black girls.

Question 74

Platt (2011) - home life, race and educational achievement

Answer 74

Given the relative incomes of families, you would expect students from Black families to perform better than students from Chinese and Bangladeshi families. If only material factors affected achievement.

Regardless of ethnicity, one pattern is consistent: the poorer you are, the less well you are likely to do.

Question 75

Gillborn and Mirza (2000) - home life, race and educational achievement

Answer 75

There is a strong relationship between social class and achievement in all ethnic groups, however students from a middle-class background did better than students from a middle-class background.
African-Caribbean boys did less well than their peers, even when class was taken into account.

Question 76

Modood (2004) - home life, race and educational achievement

Answer 76

The relative success of pupils from some ethnic minorities might be explained through cultural capital.

Many ethnic minority parents have more cultural capital than is typical for their income or class position. E.g. skills are far higher than position in the economy suggests.

Question 77

Archer and Francis (2007) - home life, race and educational achievement

Answer 77

Research found that Chinese parents do place an exceptionally high value on education.

Question 78

Basit (2013) - home life, race and educational achievement

Answer 78

Research found that even the relatively poor Asian communities she studied in the West Midlands had found a way to provide space and structure for children to do schoolwork at home.

there was a communal sense of wanting the next generation to do better than the previous one.

Question 79

How was it argued by Gillborn and Youdell that teachers can systematically discriminate against students?

Answer 79

Teachers fail to recognise the intelligence of the working class because they do not exhibit in the “right” way. Blinkered judgements are more influential in decisions that are made.

Question 80

How can labelling theory in fact spur on educational achievement?

Answer 80

Students can be motivated to prove the label wrong.