Education Flashcards
What is the economic role of education?
Teachings skills for work.
For functionalists
Schools teach the skills and knowledge necessary for work in the modern society. Therefore, education prepares young people for their future occupational role and benefits the economy eg by offering vocational courses.
For marxists Education i seem as reinforcing the class system. Children from less powerful groups learn the skills necessary for lower status occupations. However, the more powerful groups gain the qualification needed for high-status occupations.
What is the selective role of education?
Choosing the most able people for the most important jobs.
For functionalists
The education system is a sieve which grades students according to their ability and places students in occupational roles best suited to their talents. This is based on the belief that all students have equal opportunities. Therefore, it is a meritocratic system.
For Marxists The education system is built to benefit the powerful groups. They claim that working class children are rejected causing them to underperform. They think it isn’t meritocratic because it does not offer equal opportunities to all groups in society.
What is meritocracy?
A system in which an individuals achievements are based on their own talent and effort rather Than on the position they were born in.
What is the socialisation role of education?
Teachings norms and values
For functionalists
School is seen as an agent of secondary socialisation through which young people learn a common culture. The education children ‘knits’ children from different backgrounds into a flexible whole.
For Marxists
Schools socialise individuals into accepting the values of the powerful groups. Schools socialise students into accepting the hard work/long days of the work place which will benefit the powerful classes.
What is the social control role of educations?
Teaching acceptance of rules and authority.
For functionalists
Schools act as an agent of social control by teaching rules such as obedience and punctuality. There are two types of formal control:
Formal - discipline of staff, punishments and school rules
Informal - general school life (peer group pressure), learning to live and work with others.
For Marxists
Social control in the wider society, which benefits those groups in power eg obeying a teacher in school is seen as preparation for obeying a boss in the workplace.
What is the political role of the education system?
Teaching people to be effective citizens creating social cohesion. As well as teachings norms and values it will also help individuals identify themselves as part of the wider-society.
For functionalists
People learn about society through education. The fore they accept the political system. Therefore, they accept the political system and eg are able to exercise their voting rights wisely at election time.
For Marxists
Only certain political opinions and ideas are tolerated in education - radical ideas are rejected. In this way, the political ideas of the powerful groups come to be accepted by individuals.
What is social cohesion?
The idea that people in society should have a shared set of values.
What is the formal education/curriculum?
This is provided by the ‘official curriculum’ which includes all of the subjects studied in lessons eg maths, English, science.
What is the informal education/curriculum (hidden curriculum)?
Learning that takes place outside of normal lessons as part of general school or college life eg school dress code.
How is hierarchy part of the hidden curriculum?
School has a hierarchy of teachers, sixth formers and students. This mirrors bosses, managers and workers.
The hierarchy in schools can be seen to reflect the hierarchy in wider society eg bosses and workers.
How is competition part of the hidden curriculum?
Competition between students, for example in sport or for exam results. Society is also based on competition, for example of jobs. Schools prepare students for a place in a competitive society.
How is social control part of the hidden curriculum?
Students learn to accept societies social control while they are in the education system. For example, rules, regulations, obedience, and respect or authority.
- detentions
- sanctions
How is gender role allocation part of the hidden curriculum?
Job segregation begins at school. Eg teachers may expect boys to be better at science which will put girls off entering science based jobs. Or boys may dominate the playground which may prepare girls to accept that men also dominate aspects of the social world.
-sport expectations
How is lack of satisfaction part of the hidden curriculum?
Some people argue ghat the school day is taken up with boring or meaningless activities. Students have little say in the content of the subjects. Eg repetitive timetables week in and week out. It is argued that schools prepare students for boring, meaningless and repetitive jobs.
What did Emile Durkheim believe the four functions of the education system are?
Social solidarity
Society in miniature
Skills for work
Rules and punishment.
What is social solidarity?
Emile Durkheim
Saw the main function of education as the transmission of societies norms and values to individuals. Value consensus leads to social solidarity, where a person sees themselves as part of a community united behind a shared set of values. He argues that not only the hidden curriculum that teaches values but subjects such as history could a,so instil a sense of shared past. Leads to social cohesion.
What is society in miniature according to Emile Durkheim?
Schools prepare us for the wider society where we have to cooperate with with people who are neither family nor friends. This sets out rules to guide our interactions with others. In turn, students are prepared to deal with a variety of people where there is no personal connection.
How does the education system provide skills for work according to Emile Durkheim?
In complex industrial societies the production of goods and services involves cooperation between a number of different specialists. This cooperation promotes social solidarity, but also requires individuals to have developed specialists skills. One function of an education system was to provide these skills.
How does the education system implement rules and punishment according to Emile Durkheim?
Durkheim believed that punishments should reflect the seriousness of the damage done to the wider society. This would lead to self-discipline because they would realise that their behaviour damaged society as a whole.
What are some criticisms of Durkheim?
Ignores class differences
Assumes that there is a shred culture. There may not be one single culture transmitted.
Education may not adequate teach specialist skills that are useful in society.
He assumes students will come to accept the values of society.
Marxist would argue that the transmitted culture would benefit the ruling class.
Feminists argue the culture transmitted is patriarchal.
What does Parsons think about the education system?
The education system was the key socialising agency in modern society, acting as the bridge between the family and societies, where children are prepared for their adult roles.
What are universalistic values?
Parsons argues that children are prepared for wider society by being treated according to the same universalistic values. Eg school rules or the laws. People’s status in society is achieved status eg through educational qualifications and hard work. The education system prepares people for the transition.
This is different to the particularistic standards that apply in the family. Parents treat and judge their child in line with the values and standards of their particular family. They status in the family is ascribes status - given to the eg eldest daughter, and so are judged as good/bad depending on family values.
How did Parsons believe the school promotes values consensus?
Schools promote two key values: the importance of achievement and the value of equality of opportunity.
- students are encouraged to value high achievement and reward this brings. Therefore, encouraged to maximise their potential which will benefit society.
- students are encouraged to believe they are competing with each other on equal terms in the classroom. This causes the lower achievers to accept their lower status as fair.
How does Parsons believe the education system is meritocratic?
Students achievements are based on their abilities and efforts, not social class, gender or ethnicity. The education system is seen is seen as treating everyone equally, with status being based on merit alone. He believes this mirrors wider society, which he felt was based on achieved status.
What does Parson’s believe about role allocation?
The education system is an effective device for sorting people out so they are matched to the correct job for their abilities. Due to role allocation, the most able should reach the top jobs in society. This is seen as fair due to the meritocratic system.
What are some criticisms of Parsons?
Parsons is accused of not fully considering whose values are being transmitted via the education system. Marxists would argue that it is the bourgeoisie’s values.
Questioning the idea that the education system is meritocratic. Feminists argue that gender can influence achievement and subject choice = no equal opportunity.
Role allocation is criticised on the basis that those with the best qualifications don’t always get the top jobs and many of the highest financially achieving people in society left school with few qualifications.
What do Bowles and Gintis believe about the education system?
They view the education system as reproducing a workforce with the correct characteristics to meet the needs of the capitalist economy. eg hardworking, disciplined and submissive.
What did Bowles and Gintis find in their research?
Researched 237 ny high school students, as well as using findings of other studies. They found that schools reward students who display the above characteristics (hardworking etc), while students who show greater independence and creative thinking are more likely to gain lower grades.
What is the correspondence principle?
Another word for close link or equivalent
Bowles and Gintis believe there is correspondence between the relationships and interactions expected and values in schools and in the workplace.
The correspondence principle operates through the hidden curriculum by teaching capitalist values. It works because:
-Students learn to obey rules.
-Students learn to accept hierarchy in school, which is similar to the workplace eg manager have authority.
-students learn to be motivated by external rewards, in the form of exam results and grades, rather than enjoying the subject.
An internal reward would be feeling proud.
What is the myth of meritocracy?
Bowles and Gintis argue we are led to believe that every he is treated equally. However, they argue ghat social class background is the main factor affecting someone’s income, not educational achievement or intelligent. Although, we are led to believe that those with the highest income deserve it as a result of their ability. In reality, not everyone has an equal chance to succeed.
What are some criticisms of Bowles and Gintis?
It is deterministic - assumes students don’t have free will and passively accept the values of the school. Do all students do this? Not everyone follows the rules. In reality, many students reject values.
Does modern society need the passive and unthinking workforce that Bowles and Gintis describe.
What was the 1944 Butler Education Act?
Introduction of the tripartite system - a meritocratic system where children would receive an education based on their own academic ability, rather the ability of their parents to pay. Children will go the one of three schools.
How was children’s ability tested in the tripartite system?
11 plus exams. Based on this exam children. Went to one of three schools, each was designed to meet their needs.
What is a secondary modern school?
General education for less academic (around 75% of children)
What is secondary technical?
Practical education eg craft, skills (around 5%of all students)
What is a grammar school?
Academic education for more academic (around 20% of all students).
What was the aim of the 1944 education act?
To give all students equal chances to develop their talents through free, meritocratic, free education.
The result of this meritocratic dea was the tripartite system where a child went to one of three schools based on an 11 plus exam.
How did the tripartite system divide class?
The ruling class children got tutors for the 11 plus exam, consequently getting into the grammar schools.
What is the comprehensive system?
Education so that all students, regardless of academic ability, attended the same type of school. This became known as a comprehensive school (one type of school for everyone).
Why was the compressive system thought to be a good idea?
Social barriers such as class are broken Cater for children of all abilities as there is no entrance exam, so no child is labelled as ‘failure’. Therefore, it is seen as fairer.
What are some possible disadvantages of the tripartite system?
Argued that more academically able students are held back by the less able, particularly in mixed ability groups.
Does the comprehensive system break down class barriers?
Not really mixed class because they are based on local neighbourhood eg suburban comprehensives are usually middle class. Stream students according to ability within the school.
What is pre-school education?
Education for children under the age of 5
- day nurseries provided through local authority or voluntary or private means. Usually for working parents. Extended.
- playgroups which is care and learning for 3-5 year olds.
- nursery education.
What is primary education?
Refers to infant and junior schools, which are usually co-educational (boys and girls) and take children from 5-11. Most private education is provided through the public sector.
What is secondary education?
Schools that take students from 11-16, although may be up to 18 through sixth-form. Many are free as they are provided by the state. However, private, independent faith and grammar schools are also secondary.
What is further and higher education?
Education outside of schools, beyond the compulsory age of 16. From 16-18 students can study a range of qualifications at sixth form colleges or further educational colleges.
Now we must remain in Full time education until 18. (Or go to apprenticeships)
At age 18 students then may go onto higher education and study at universities.
What is the independent sector?
Refers to schools that charge fees
Private = all schools that charge fees.
Public = older and more famous independent secondary schools, such as Eaton, Harrow and Rufby.
Around 7% of all schoolchildren attend independent schools. 40% of accepted children at Oxford are these 7% of children who had been educated at independent schools.
What are market forces?
Factors that affect the demand for, and the availability of a commodity, such as clothing, cars, houses and education.
What is marketisation?
Refers to the idea that forces of the market such as consumer choice and competition have been introduced to education. We se this in the focus on parental choice, finding based on student numbers, and more freedom for schools.
What effects does marketisation have in schools?
Some students are excluded because the more able students are focussed on more. The school may focus more on their reputation instead of on the well-being or inclusiveness of students.
What is the 1988 education reform act?
Introduced: The National Curriculum SATs (standard assessment tasks) League tables Ofted (office for standards in education)
These are all intended to raise the standard of education in the UK.
What was the aim of the National Curriculum?
To measure students performance against national target. This is so parents and schools can be informed as to whether a child is performing above or below expected level for their age. Measures ca. Then be take. To help those below the expected level.
How does the national curriculum provide equality?
By ensuring all students take the same subjects. For example, science was traditional for boys but it is now compulsory for all pupils up to GCSE level.
How does the national curriculum allow marketisation to happen?
The national curriculum allows competition to happen because it provides competition.
What are particularistic standards?
Subjective judgements based on individual characteristics - people are seen and judged as individuals.
What are universalistic standards?
Objective judgements applied equally to all members of society, regardless of who they are.
