ROLE OF EDUCATION

Question 1

Functionalist: Functions of EDUCATION

-Parsons: MERITOCRACY
- Durkheim: SOCIAL SOLIDARITY+SPECIALIST SKILLS
- Davis and Moore: ROLE ALLOCATION

Answer 1

PARSONS: sees the SCHOOL as the ‘FOCAL SOCIALISING AGENT’ in society by ACTING ACT as a BRIDGE BETWEEN the FAMILY+WIDER SOCIETY. Whilst in the FAMILY, children are JUDGED BY PARTICULARISTIC STANDARDS (rules that apply ONLY to that INDIVIDUAL) AND their STATUS is ASCRIBED (GIVEN BY BIRTH). At SCHOOL, children are judged by UNIVERSALISTIC STANDARDS and their STATUS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH MERIT. EDUCATION prepares us for WIDER SOCIETY as they BOTH OPERATE on MERITOCRATIC PRINCIPLES( everyone has the EQUAL OPPORTUNITY to achieve through HARD WORK)

DURKHEIM saw TWO FUNCTIONS: creating SOCIAL SOLIDARITY (transmits society’s culture: HISTORY instils shared heritage )+ teaching SPECIALIST SKILLS (needed for SOCIAL DIVISION of LABOUR)

DAVIS and MOORE: school PERFORMS the function of SELECTING+ALLOCATING pupils to their FUTURE WORK ROLES (by assessing the ABILITY+APTITUDES of pupils). Argue that INEQUALITY is NECESSARY to ENSURE the IMPORTATNT ROLES in society are filled by the MOST TALENTED PEOPLE, thus ENCOURAGING ppl to COMPETE for them. Education ‘SIFTS and SORTS’ us by our ABILITY. The MOST ABLE gain the GIGHEST QUALIFICATIONS and FULFIL SUCH ROLES.

Question 2

New Right view on EDUCATION

Answer 2

CHUBB and MOE argue that one of the reasons STATE EDUCATION HAS FAILED IS BECAUSE IT FAILS TO PRODUCE PUPILS WITH SKILLS NEEDED FOR THE ECONOMY. They call for the INTRODUCTION of SCHOOLS being run like BUSINESSES and COMPETE to ATTRACT CONSUMERS (PARENTS+ LOCAL COMMUNITIES) by PROVIDING THEM with what they want. CHUBB and MOE propose a SYSTEM where EACH FAMILY is given a VOUCHER to SPEND on BUYING EDUCATION from a SCHOOL of their CHOICE, making schools MORE RESPONSIVE TO PARENT’S WANTS as it is the SCHOOLS MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME.

Question 3

Marxist view on EDUCATION:

Althusser: IDEOLOGICAL STATE APPRATUS

Bowles + Gintis: CORRESPONDENCE PRINCIPLE+ HIDDEN CURRICULUM

Answer 3

the MAIN ROLE of education is to TRANSMIT R/C IDEOLOGY that SUPPORTS CAPITALISM to LEGITAMISE+REPRODUCE INEQUALITY

ALTHUSSER: as an ISA the EDUCATION SYSTEM MAINTAINS the RULE of the BOUREGEOISIE by CONTROLLING PEOPLE’S IDEAS+BELIEFS. He ARGUES it had TWO FUNCTIONS: REPODUCES INEQUALITY TO EACH GENERATION by FAILING the SUCCESSIVE GEN of W/C pupils + LEGITIMATES CLASS INEQUALITY by PRODUCING IDEOLOGIES that DISGUISE it TRUE CAUSE, this PERSUADES WORKERS to ACCEPT that INEQUALITY is INEVITABLE and DESERVE this SUBORDINATE POSITION, PREVENTING CHALLENGE to CAPITALISM.

BOWLES+GINTIS see the ROLE of the EDUCATION SYSTEM is to REPRODUCE an OBEDIENT WORKFORCE that ACCEPT INEQUALITY as INEVITABLE. The CORRESPONDENCE PRINCIPLE are the STUCTURES of EDUCATION that MIRROR those of the WORKPLACE,OPERATES using the HIDDEN CURRICULUM (lessons that ARENT DIRECTLY TAUGHT:PUNCTUALITY,HIERARCHY,
COMPETITION. Ultimately, SCHOOLS prepare W/C PUPILS for their ROLS AS EXPLOITED WORKERS. COHEN- YOUTH TRAINING SCHEMES TEACH VALUES NEEDED IN A SUBORDINATE LABOUR FORCE NOT ACTUAL SKILLS FOR A JOB.

ALSO see there is a MYTH OF MERITOCRACY that JUSTIFIES the PRIVILEGES of the R/C , SUGGESTING they EARNED THEM THROUGH EQUAL+OPEN COMPETITION at school. This HELPS PERSUADE the W/C to ACCEPT INEQUALITY as LEGITIMATE, making it LESS LIKELY they SEEK to OVERTHROW CAPITALISM.
EDUCATION SYSTEM justifies POVERTY by the ‘DUMD ARE POOR’ THEORY OF FAILURE which BLAMES INDIVIDUALS RATHER THAN CAPITALISM and RENONCILES WORKERS to their EXPLOITED POSITION.

Question 4

SIMILARITIES between NEW RIGHT+FUNCTIONALISM

Answer 4

1. BOTH believe SOME people are NATURALLY MORE TALENTED than OTHERS

2.BOTH favour an EDUCATION SYSTEM run on MERITOCRATIC PRINCIPLES

3. BOTH believe EDUCATION should SOCIALISE people into SHARED VALUES: COMPETITION + NATIONAL IDENTITY

Question 5

DIFFERENCE with FUNCTIONALISM + NEW RIGHT

Answer 5

NEW RIGHT DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE CURRENT EDUCTAION SYSTEM IS ACHIEVING THESES GOALS AND ARE FAILING BECAUSE THEY ARE RUN BY THE STATE.

Question 6

NEW RIGHT’S 2 ROLES OF THE STATE

Answer 6

1. IMPOSES a FRAMEWORK on SCHOOLS within which THEY MUST COMPLETE eg. publishing OFSTED REPORTS
2. ENSURES that SCHOOLS TRANSMIT a SHARED CULTURE eg SINGLE NATIONAL CURRICULUM, guarantees pupils are socialised into a SINGLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

Question 7

MARXIST
WILLIS: LEARNING TO LABOUR