education Flashcards
views of hidden curriculum
- FUNCTIONALIST - positive - teaches valuable lessons needed to “get on”
- MARXIST- negative - prepares students for capitlism
- FEMINIST - negative - perpetuates gender inequalities
bowles and gintis
- marxist
- schools made to mirror workplace
- correspondance theory
2 marxist theories
BOWLES + GINTIS
- mirror workplace
- correspondance
WILLIS
- the lads + ear oles
- social mobility
WILLIS
- two types of students lads + ear oles
- working class
- dont believe in social mobility
2 functionalist views
PARSONS
- education is bridge family wider world
- school is key component in society
- passes on societys culture via hidden curriculum
- meritocracy
DIRKHEIM
- the function of schools is to bind society together
- this is social sosidarity/ cohesion
- school needed to pass on core values + culture
via assemblies + subjects
who gives feminist view
becky FRANCIS
feminist view
FRANCIS
- boys dominate class
- girls do better s they construct feminine identities - obediant etc - helps in school
- gs expect descrimination at work - work harder/ motivation
hargreeves
- labelling causes subcultures
- techers attach labels
- self fulfilling
- unable to achieve stattus
- creates subculture
Cultural factors on education
- Working-class groups may not have the appropriate values, language codes and parental encouragement needed to succeed at school.
- Marxists, argue that the working class do not possess the cultural capital to succeed at school. This refers to economic and cultural factors such as language skills and interests, and knowledge of art, theatre and literature.
- Others argue that some working-class groups may not possess social capital. This refers to the ability to navigate the education system and to achieve success.
What is taught in the hidden curriculum[5]
- Hierarchy: The hierarchy in school can be seen to reflect the structure of society and in the workplace.
- Competition: School encourages competition between students e.g. sports, exam results.
- Social Control: Rules, regulations, obedience and respect for authority.
- Gender role allocation: teacher expectations and subject choice
- Lack of satisfaction: Preparing students for boring, meaningless and repetitive jobs is a similar experience to employees at work,
Comprehensive school
A type of school introduced in 1965 where all students are educated together regardless of ability.
Correspondence theory
Correspondence principle - schools reflect the workplace and through learning routine and obedience, children are prepared to be exploited in capitalist life.
social capital
The skills and knowledge middle class parents have that they can use to give their children an advantage in the education system.
Deschooling
An alternative form of education proposed by Illich where formal schools are replaced by other methods of education such as home schooling
Ethnocentric curriculum
A curriculum (things that are taught) that focuses on a particular ethnicity
Formal curriculum
Formal curriculum - The subjects and topics that are directly taught in schools
Hidden curriculum
Hidden curriculum - Things that are indirectly learnt in school (in and outside on lessons) e.g. competition.
Labelling
Labelling - Attaching a name or trait to a person or group e.g. smart. This is often based on a stereotype
Material deprivation
Material deprivation - When students lack the money and the things that money can buy to succeed
Meritocracy
Meritocracy - The functionalist view that all students have an equal chance in education and success is based on ability and effort
Selective schools
Selective schools - Where students are selected for a school based on certain criteria such as academic ability or religion
Social capital
Social capital - The networks of relationships/contacts that middle class parents have to help pupils succeed
Social cohesion
Social cohesion - When individuals in society are brought together and share the same norms and values.
State school
Funded by the government (state)
Free to attended (admissions by catchment) Teach the National Curriculum
Independent/ private schools
Not funded by the government (state)
Parents usually pay for their children to attend Do not have to teach the National Curriculum Usually have smaller class sizes and improved facilities / opportunities
Grammar schools
These select pupils based on academic ability Pupils must pass the 11+ to attend
High ability pupils can be ‘challenged’ and ‘stretched’ in these schools
Academies
These receive funding directly from the government (rather than the local authority) and have more control over how to spend it Do not have to follow the National Curriculum and may have different term dates
Functionalist view of education
Education is positive as it prepares individuals for work and creates a stable society All pupils have an equal chance to succeed as education is based on meritocracy
-Durkheim – Education transmits shared norms and values, promoting social cohesion. Schools act like a ‘mini society’ encouraging cooperation.
- Parsons – Education acts as a ‘bridge’ between family and society, children are judged by ‘universalistic standards’ and have an equal chance to succeed.
Durkheim theory
Durkheim – Education transmits shared norms and values, promoting social cohesion. Schools act like a ‘mini society’ encouraging cooperation.
Parsons theory
Parsons – Education acts as a ‘bridge’ between family and society, children are judged by ‘universalistic standards’ and have an equal chance to succeed.
Marxist view of education
- Education is negative as it helps to maintain the class divide and benefits the middle classes who have a better chance of succeeding.
Education prepares working class pupils for low paid jobs and to accept capitalism. - Bowles and Gintis – ‘correspondence principle’ – school corresponds to (reflects) the workplace through teaching obedience, accepting boredom and to be motivated by external rewards (qualifications or pay)
Bowles and gintis correspondence principal
Bowles and Gintis – ‘correspondence principle’ – school corresponds to (reflects) the workplace through teaching obedience, accepting boredom and to be motivated by external rewards (qualifications or pay)
Marxist view evaluation ( correspondence theory)
Could be outdated as pupils are prepared for a range of jobs today
Feminists view of education
- Education is negative as it helps to maintain the gender divide and transmits patriarchal values and ideas.
- Females learn to adopt the stereotypical ‘expressive’/housewife role in society through gender stereotypes shown in textbooks, the majority of headteachers being male and being encouraged to take ‘softer’ subjects which could lead to lower paid jobs than males.
Evaluation of feminist view of education
Could be outdated as girls are encouraged to take ‘STEM’ subjects and more females are becoming headteachers.
Functionalist view of education evaluation
Education may not benefit all students equally (due to class, gender)
Functions of education
- social mobility
- serving the economy
- social cohesion
- secondary socialisation
How does education aid social mobility
Social mobility
Education helps pupils move up the social class ladder through gaining qualifications and skills (through work and effort)
In school factors affecting achievement
- mixed ability teaching
- setting and streaming
- teacher expectations and labelling
Mixed ability teaching
The opposite to setting/streaming where all abilities are taught together
Improves achievement – higher ability students could help lower ability students but could mean they are not ‘challenged’ or are held back
Setting and streaming
- Setting– pupils are in different sets for different subjects,
- streaming – in the same ability set for all subjects
Improves achievement – pupils in higher sets could be challenged but
Could decrease achievement in lower sets
Teacher expectations and labelling
Teachers could label pupils because of stereotypes which could lead to a self- fulfilling prophecy
Improves achievement – if pupils accept positive label, could decrease achievement if pupils accept negative label
Outside school factors effecting achievement
- parental values
- cultural deprivation
- material deprivation
How parental values affect achievement
- 1) Parents may value education and see it as important so encourage their child to work hard, get them a tutor etc.
- 2) Parents may not value education and don’t see it as important so don’t encourage their children
Hiw cultural deprivation affect achievement
Children may not learn the correct norms and values to succeed in education (could affect working class children)
Affect of material deprivation on education
Parents may ‘lack money and the things that money can buy’ so cannot afford resources for their child to succeed (e.g. revision books, a computer) or may not have a quiet place for them to study
How do subcultures and peer groups affect achievement
Pupils may join subcultures who have their own set of norms and values
Improves achievement – joining ‘pro-school’ subcultures which value education, working hard (more likely with females), could decrease achievement if join ‘anti/counter school subcultures who don’t value education (more likely with males)
Trends of class and achievement
Working class pupils achieve less 5 A*C grades than middle class pupils
Achievement gap between FSM and non-FSM Working class less likely to go to University
Argument why class is important for success in school
- Material deprivation – w/c may lack resources to study
- Cultural deprivation/parental values – w/c parents may not value education as highly
W/c parents may lack cultural capital (knowledge/skills) and social capital (social networks) to help their children succeed - W/c pupils more likely to join counter school subcultures (Willis)
Argument why vlass isn’t important for success in school
- Functionalism – education is based on meritocracy (ability and effort not money)
- A higher % of w/c pupils are going to Uni
- Other factors (gender, ethnicity) more important
Trends of gender and achievement
- Girls are more likely to achieve 5 A*-C grades than boys
- girls outperform boys at A Level in most subjects
Argument gender is important for success in education
- Gender socialisation – girls may be socialised to be more hard-working and obedient so are better suited to achieve in school (boys may be more boisterous and less hard-working)
- Teacher expectations – girls may be labelled as bright but boys could be labelled as lazy or trouble makers
- Subcultures – girls more likely to join pro-school whereas boys more likely to join anti-school
Argument gender is not important for success in education
- Functionalism – all pupils have an equal chance
- Marxists – class is more important in achievement The gender gap in achievement could be narrowing
Trends of ethnicity and achievement
Chinese students are the highest performing ethnic group, black pupils and gypsy/Roma pupils are among the lowest performing (also white British)
Argument ethnicity is important for success in education
- Material deprivation – some ethnic groups are more likely to be living in low income households so pupils could lack money to buy resources and succeed
- Cultural deprivation – some cultures may not value education as highly as others (such as Chinese families) and so do not encourage/push pupils
- Ethnocentric curriculum – the national curriculum may only be focused on White British culture and show negative aspects of other cultures (e.g. in history) – could decrease motivation
- Teacher labelling – teachers may label some ethnicities - self-fulfilling prophecy
Argument ethnicity is not important for success in education
Higher % of ethnic minorities going to University Worst performing group = white, working class boys
Policies in education
- To improve standards – Ofsted, league tables, academies
- To increase competition – Marketisation, league tables. Ofsted
- To make education fairer – comprehensive system (1965) which replaced the tripartite system
- To improve opportunities for low income pupils – EMA, longer compulsory education
Halo effect
Judging a student as ‘bright’ while they tend to question the good performance of those children who are less well behaved.
Two effects if teacher labelling
- halo effect
- self fulfilling prophecy
State schools
State Schools-
Free schools available for everyone of all abilities
Public schools
Public Schools-
Older, more famous schools such as Eton & Harrow
