Education P2

Question 1

The Role and Function of Education:

Answer 1

• Functionalism: Functionalists view education as a positive institution that performs essential functions, like socialisation, social integration, and preparing individuals for the workforce. Key theorists:

Emile Durkheim: Education promotes social solidarity and teaches shared norms and values.
Talcott Parsons: Education acts as a bridge between family and society, preparing children for adult roles and helping with role allocation based on merit.
Davis and Moore: Argue that education is a meritocratic system that sorts individuals into roles suited to their talents.

• Marxism: Marxists argue that education serves the interests of the ruling class by reproducing class inequality and promoting capitalist values.

Louis Althusser: Education is an Ideological State Apparatus that controls beliefs to maintain capitalist power.
Bowles and Gintis: The “correspondence principle” shows how schools mirror the workplace hierarchy and prepare students for exploitative roles.

• Feminism: Feminists critique the education system for perpetuating gender inequality, though they acknowledge that changes (like the national curriculum) have reduced gender stereotyping.
• Liberal Feminists: Focus on progress made in achieving gender equality in education.
  Radical Feminists: Argue that patriarchy persists, with hidden curriculum elements and classroom interactions reinforcing gender roles.
• New Right: Similar to functionalists, New Right theorists believe in a meritocratic system, but they argue that the state-run education system fails due to lack of competition. They advocate for policies promoting school choice, like free schools and academies.

Question 2

Social Class and Educational Achievement:

Answer 2

• Cultural Deprivation: Argues that working-class students may lack cultural capital and language skills valued by the school system.

Basil Bernstein: Identified restricted and elaborated speech codes, with middle-class students often more familiar with the latter, which aligns with the language used in schools.
Pierre Bourdieu: Introduced cultural capital, where middle-class families possess cultural knowledge, tastes, and values that give students an advantage in education.

• Material Deprivation: Working-class students may face barriers like poor housing, lack of resources, or having to work part-time, which can impact performance.
• Labelling and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Teachers may label students based on class, which can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies.

Howard Becker: Found that teachers often evaluate students based on an “ideal pupil” image, typically fitting middle-class norms.
Rosenthal and Jacobson: Conducted a study showing that teacher expectations can influence student achievement.

Question 3

Ethnicity and Educational Achievement:

Answer 3

• Ethnic minorities may experience various challenges in education due to language barriers, cultural differences, or teacher bias.
• Institutional Racism: Some sociologists argue that the education system is biased against ethnic minorities, through curriculum content or disciplinary practices.
• Sewell’s Study on Black Boys: Identified
  responses to stereotyping, such as the development of anti-school subcultures as a response to negative labels.

Question 4

Gender and Educational Achievement:

Answer 4

• Girls’ Achievement: Girls now outperform boys at most levels, partly due to changes in gender roles, greater ambition, and policies aimed at promoting equality in education (e.g., GIST and WISE initiatives in STEM).
• Boys’ Underachievement: Some sociologists argue that the decline in traditional male jobs and a lack of male role models in schools impact boys’ motivation. Additionally, “laddish” subcultures may discourage academic effort.

Question 5

Educational Policies:

Answer 5

• Key policies and their impacts:
  1944 Education Act (Tripartite System): Created grammar, secondary modern, and technical schools, but was criticised for reinforcing class inequalities.
• 1988 Education Reform Act: Introduced the national curriculum, standardised testing (e.g., SATs, GCSEs), and parental choice, leading to a more marketised system.
• Academies and Free Schools: Aim to increase school autonomy, though critics argue they may increase social inequalities.
• Recent Policies on Equality: Include measures like Pupil Premium funding to support disadvantaged students.

Question 6

Globalisation and Education:

Answer 6

• Globalisation has influenced education through the spread of technology, international competition, and educational reforms.
• Schools increasingly emphasise skills like digital literacy and adaptability to prepare students for a globalised workforce.