Education Flashcards
What is the functionalist theory?
society is made up of different institutions that must work together to ensure the smooth running of society
What is Durkheim’s theory of education?
provides a moral environment for socialisation
creates social solidarity between individuals
What does Parsons believe the functions of education are?
providing a bridge between family and wider society
provides secondary socialisation
creates social solidarity
trained and qualified labour force
What is Parsons theory about meritocracy?
System of reward in exchange for hard work and ability
students have an equal chance to succeed as they all learn the same curriculum
What is role allocation?
process by which people are slotted into roles which best suit their abolities
What is David and Moore’s theory of education?
‘the most able people get the best education to carry out most important jobs and yet higher rewards’
social class allows society to place people in appropriate roles due to their talents and qualifications
What are the criticisms of functionalist perspective on education?
New right argue that state education fails to prepare people adequately for work
what people do in school has little to do with their jobs
meritocracy is a myth
there is no equality of opportunity
What is the New Right view of education?
they do not believe that the current education system is achieving the goals it should be as it is run by the state
What is the New Right solution for education?
marketisation - competition between schools and empowering consumers will bring greater dividers and choice
What is Chubb and Moe’s theory?
introduction of a market system in state education
each family given a voucher to buy education from a school of their choice
schools become more responsive to parents wishes as vouchers are their source of income
What are the criticisms of the New Right perspective?
the real cause of low education attainment is social inequality
contradictions between support of parental choice and imposition of national curriculum
completion between schools benefit middle class
What is the Marxist theory of education?
important part of the superstructure
serves the need of the ruling class who control economic base
creates an efficient work force that serves ruling class ideology
What are the two elements of Althusser’s ideological state apparatus
repressive - physical control through institutions like the military
ideological - control over thinking and passing on dominant ideologies
What are the two functions of Althussers ideological state apparatus
reproduces class inequality as lower classes perform worse
legitmaises class inequality through ideologies - lower class deserve their subordinate position
What is the correspondence theory?
education mirrors the workplace in its organisation and rewards
How does Bowles and Gintis say the workforce is produce?
through hidden curriculum and correspondence theory
education legitimising inequality
What is the hidden curriculum
all the learning which takes place in school that is not taught as the national curriculum - listening to authority, being subservient, motivation
What does Illich say about deschooling society?
genuine learning is replaced by advancement through insitutions through meaningless credentials
school only teach consumerism and obedience
What is the new marxist perspective?
Willis (1977) working class pupils resist indoctrination
What was Paul Willis study?
qualitative research
participant observation and unstructured interviews
a group of 12 boys
counter culture of being disobedient and unmotivated
prepared them for later life of unskilled work that capitalism needs someone to perform
What are the criticisms of marxist theory?
much work requires teamwork rather than obedience (Brown et al 1997)
education encourages critical thinking (1984)
hidden curriculum not always accepted (Willis
functionalists say education. benefits society as a whole
What is the feminist perspective on education?
enforce patriarchy as males hold most of the power and dominate social positions
Heaton and Lawson )1996) and five feminist features hidden curriculum?
resources - children’s books and textbooks portray women dependent on men
students - male students make female students feel uncomfortable in certain subjects like compute b
teachers - posses sexist attitudes about tasks in a classroom
curriculum - boys sports and girls sports
lack of senior role models - men outnumber women at senior management levels
What is the postmodernist view of education?
modern era has ended and education needs to adapt to changes
What is the difference between fordism and post fordism
20th century used forfeit methods of mass production where everyone was trained in a particular skill
post fordism means production methods have become more flexible and adaptable where people are trained or be multi skilled
What is the definition of social class?
A way of dividing society into different eg groups, usually measured by income
What is the difference between between internal and external?
internal - factors within school
external - factors outside education system
What do cultural deprivation theorists say is the reason for difference between class?
working class families fail to socialised their children equality as they lack the cultural equipment to do well at school like language and subculture
What did Feinstein (3008) find about language?
educated parents use language to ask questions and challenge their children
less educated parents only use simile descriptive statements
What are Bernstein (1975) two types of speech code?
restricted - used by working class and had a limited vocabulary which is based on short, grammatically simple sentences
elaborated - used by middle class and has a wide vocabulary based on longer, more complex sentences
What did Douglas(1964) find about working class parents?
they places less value on education therefore their children were less ambitious
What did Feinstein (2008) say the four ways were that middle class socialise their children better?
parenting style - emphasis on disciple and high expectations supports achievements
educational behaviours - educated parents are more aware of how to assist their children’s progress
income - spending income in ways to promote education succeed like buying
educational acyicties or books
parents education - better educated parents have children who are more successful
What are the four factor is working class subculture?
fatalism - belief that you cannot change your lot in life
collectivism - value being part of a group rather than an individual
immediate gratification - seeking pleasure now rather than making sacrifices in the future
present time orientation - present is more important than the future
What is compensatory education?
aims to tackle to problem of cultural deprivation by providing resources to deprived areas
Exp. Operation Head start in the U.S
What does Keddie (1973) argue about cultural deprivation
a child cannot be deprived of it own culture and working class children are isn’t culturally different rather than deprived
schools should recognise this and build on their stengths
What is material deprivation?
living in poverty?
What are the material factors that can affect education?
housing
diet and health - young people form poorer homes have lower vitamin intake so are ill more often
financial support - £218.88 spent on average a year for child’s uniform at state school
children in poverty are more likely to have part time jobs
fear of debt - Raey found work v class students were more likely to apply to local universities to limit costs
What is Bourdieu theory of cultural capital?
having the skills, knowledge, norms and values which can be used to get ahead in education
What was Leech and Campos study on catchment area?
middle class parents are more likely to afford house in catchment areas of good schools
What is labelling?
define someone to a certain title
