Education - Functionalism Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the main points of the functionalist view of Education

A

The main functions of education :

. promoting social solidarity / core values - through secondary socialisation

. Skills for work

. Belief in the education system being meritocratic
- moving from ascribed status to achieved
- moving from paricularistic values to univarsalistic

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2
Q

What does parsons argue about the education system ?

A

Argued that education is a focal socialising agency which is a bridge between family and a wider society

Parsons believes the education system to be equal meritocratic - achieved status over ascribed

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3
Q

Evaluation of Parsons ~

A

. Equal opportunities does not exist in education

. Achievement is greatly influenced by class background rather than ‘ability’

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4
Q

What does Durkheim argue about the Education system

A

The education system promotes social solidarity and the promotion of specialist skills

  • this is done by passing on the cultural and values of society - through hidden curriculum and PSHE lessons
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5
Q

Evaluation of Durkheim

A

Social solidarity evaluation -

. Despite education ‘achieving’ social solidarity - individuals still peruse their selfish desires even if it doesn’t fit the norms of society - deviance

Specialist skills evaluation -

. School doesn’t teach specialist skills adequately
. Despite being trained for specialist jobs - high quality apprenticeships are rare

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6
Q

What does Davis and Moore argue about the education system

A

it serves the purpose of role allocation

Argues that education prepares students for their future work based on their ability

Inequality is a necessity to ensure that all roles are fill

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7
Q

How does the education system ‘Allocate rolls’

A

.By promoting social mobility and meritocracy

. Through streaming and setting
- To ensure that only higher status students that
will benefit the economy receive educational
triage

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8
Q

What is streaming and setting ?

A

The idea that students are ‘sifted’ and ‘sorted’ based upon their perceived ‘ability’ into different sets for subjects - limited in subject choice

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9
Q

What are the results of ‘role allocation’ in the education system ?

A

Students who show less important skills for the economy - typically W/C - have lower status jobs - Like manual labour

Students who show higher academic abilities that benefit the economy - typically M/C - Have higher status jobs - like lawyers

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10
Q

What does Shultz argue about the education system?

A

Education can provide a properly trained, qualified and flexible workforce

  • Education makes sure that the best and most qualified people end up in jobs that require the most skill
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11
Q

EVALUATION OF FUNCTIONALISM ON EDUCATION

A

Marxists - argue that there is a ‘myth of meritocracy’

Marxists - Hidden Curriculum reinforces social inequality and maintains ruling class ideology

Feminists - Hidden curriculum maintains and reinforces patriarchy and not meritocracy

Despite the idea of ‘role allocation’ - There is a weak link between educational achievement and economic success

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