Education

Question 1

Durkheim (1925) - Education and the Division of Labour

Answer 1

Functionalist theory that believes education should prepare young people for specific roles in life. Furthermore it promotes a shared identity among the population

Question 2

Davis & Moore (1945) - Role Allocation

Answer 2

Believes that social stratification and a push for unequal reward will create the best society, putting the best people in top positions - otherwise society won’t function efficiently

Question 3

Parsons (1961) - Particularistic and Universalistic Values

Answer 3

Particularistic - Personal relationships and social status
Universalistic - Objective criteria that applies to everyone equally
This has created a more meritocratic society

Question 4

Althusser (1972) - Ideological State Apparatus

Answer 4

The belief that education is used by the ruling class to covertly control the population by normalising the state ideology and maintaining the status quo

Question 5

Illich (1973) - Deschooling Society

Answer 5

A critique of the modern education system, proposing a way to empower people to learn in their own way - this led to a rise in homeschooling

Question 6

Bowles and Gintis (1976) - Correspondence Theory: Hidden Curriculum and Meritocracy

Answer 6

Believes that schools teach and normalise values that benefit the capitalist system. The Hidden Curriculum is the teaching of norms and values in society.
It is privilege and status that leads to success, not working hard

Question 7

Willis (1977) - Learning to Labour

Answer 7

A challenge to Marxist theory - he found that working-class boys rejected the idea of school, wanting to focus on manual labour, thus reinforcing their working-class heritage

Question 8

Halsey et al (1980) - Social Democracy

Answer 8

Education should create a fairer society that gives everyone the opportunity to succeed - making sure that everyone has access to quality education

Question 9

Chubb and Moe (1997) - Competition and self-management

Answer 9

Believe that combining self-management and competition in education will lead to higher standards and better performance overall - while acknowledging challenges surrounding the need to accountability and oversight

Question 10

Arnott et al (1999) - Male dominance in STEM

Answer 10

They suggested that less women complete STEM degrees because of gender stereotypes and other social factors

Question 11

Rikowski (2002 & 2005) Marketisation of education

Answer 11

An in-depth look at how education is used to bolster the economy rather than advance social development - stresses the need for education to prioritise human development and critical thinking

Question 12

Woolf (2002) - Questioning Education v. Economic Growth

Answer 12

Questions the idea that education is main factor behind economic growth - arguing that governments need to prioritise poverty reduction and sustainability

Question 13

Blanden and Gregg (2004) - Income v. Educational attainment

Answer 13

Found that those with more qualifications earn more than those without due to increased job opportunities - found that this relationship is strengthening over time

Question 14

Evans (2007) - Social Variations in parental teaching

Answer 14

Found that middle class parents used more explanations when teaching children, while working class parents were far more direct

Question 15

Bourdieau (1971/74/84) - Cultural Capital & habitus

Answer 15

Cultural Capital - Skills, knowledge, education, cultural tastes that is passed down from generations
Habitus - Attitudes, behaviours that can be modified through socialisation
These two are closely linked and may lead to barriers to success

Question 16

Reay et al (2005) - Habitus and University

Answer 16

Found that working class students had less social connection than middle class students, meaning they found it more difficult to fit in.
Concluded that universities need to take into consideration social backgrounds

Question 17

Hargreaves et al (1975) - Labelling and deviance in the classroom

Answer 17

This found that labelling students can greatly impact the way teachers act towards students, which can learn to a deviant attitude within the classroom

Question 18

Dunne and Gazeley (2009) - Teacher expectations and social class

Answer 18

Found that teachers have their own biases regarding students and the social class they come from - showing that teachers need to be aware of their own biases

Question 19

Connor et al (2004) - Differences in participations and performance based on ethnicity

Answer 19

Students from White and Asian backgrounds tend to perform better in school than Black and Mixed backgrounds - this is due to social expectations and familial income

Question 20

Cassen (2007) - White, Working class, Male underachievement

Answer 20

Found that low income and lack of drive in school has led to attainment gap between white-working-class boys and other groups

Question 21

Strand (2008) Parental Attitudes and ethnicity

Answer 21

White Kids were expected to do well
Black families prioritised discipline and obedience
Asian families placed high value on education and attainment

Question 22

Jackson (2006) - Lads and ladettes

Answer 22

Boys will adopt a masculine way because they want to reject the idea of educational attainment, while girls may do the same as a means of escaping traditional gender roles

Question 23

Machin & Vignoles (2006) - Assessment of educational policy since 1988

Answer 23

There has been improvements in attainment and standards, however there is a noticeable gap between wealthy and poor students - this could be addressed through funding disadvantaged areas more

Question 24

Francis, Hutching and De Vries (2014) - Assessment of Academies

Answer 24

While more can be done to ensure all academies are a high standard, generally academies have improved attainment and increased the quality of education within schools allowing for more cohesion between parents, businesses and the schools