education - Theories Flashcards
1
Q
What is Organic Analogy in the context of education?
A
Society is like a human body, where all institutions work together to keep it functioning. Education is one part of this body.
2
Q
Define Value Consensus.
A
Shared norms and values that hold society together. Education teaches these values.
3
Q
What is Role Allocation in education?
A
The education system sorts and sifts people into roles based on ability. Those who work harder and do better attain higher-status jobs.
4
Q
Differentiate between Particularistic and Universalistic Values.
A
- Particularistic: Values based on personal circumstances, used in families.
- Universalistic: Values applied equally to everyone, used in schools and society.
5
Q
What are Specialist Skills?
A
Skills taught in schools necessary for specific jobs, such as numeracy, literacy, and teamwork.
6
Q
What does Social Solidarity refer to?
A
A feeling of being part of a larger community, essential for a stable society.
7
Q
Define Meritocracy in education.
A
Everyone has an equal opportunity, and success is based on effort and ability.
8
Q
How do schools contribute to National Identity?
A
Schools help create a sense of national belonging through shared language, history curriculum, and national events.
9
Q
Who is Émile Durkheim?
A
A sociologist who saw education as essential for social solidarity and teaching specialist skills.
10
Q
What is Talcott Parsons’ view on education?
A
Education acts as a bridge between family and wider society, moving children from particularistic to universalistic standards.
11
Q
What was the focus of Davis and Moore’s 1945 study?
A
Education sorts people by ability to match them with the right job, with the best jobs going to the most talented.
12
Q
List the positive functions of education according to Functionalists.
A
- Creating social solidarity.
- Teaching specialist skills.
- Acting as a bridge between family and society.
- Role allocation.
13
Q
What does the TV series ‘Educating Yorkshire’ illustrate?
A
It shows schools help most students succeed despite challenges, supporting the functionalist view of education.
14
Q
What is the significance of vocational education?
A
The increase in work-related courses supports the view that education provides specialist skills for the economy.
15
Q
How do graduate earnings support the functionalist perspective?
A
People with degrees earn on average 85% more than those without, evidencing that the system rewards ability and achievement.
16
Q
True or False: Truancy and exclusion statistics indicate that education works equally well for everyone.
A
False.
17
Q
What do cross-national studies suggest about education systems?
A
Countries with longer education systems tend to have more developed economies.
18
Q
What is a Marxist critique of education?
A
Education reproduces class inequality; the idea of meritocracy is a myth.
19
Q
What does the functionalist view overlook regarding conflict?
A
Functionalism ignores racism, sexism, and other inequalities in education.
20
Q
Fill in the blank: Functionalism assumes a _______ consensus in values.
A
[value]
21
Q
What factors affect student success according to critics of functionalism?
A
- Material deprivation.
- Teacher labelling.
- Cultural factors.
22
Q
What is a criticism regarding the relevance of skills taught in schools?
A
Some argue schools teach irrelevant content, leaving students unprepared for work.
23
Q
A
24
Q
What is the Ideological State Apparatus (ISA) according to Althusser?
A
Institutions like schools, media, religion that transmit ruling class ideology and maintain capitalist control.
ISA plays a crucial role in socializing individuals into the dominant ideology.
25
What does Repressive State Apparatus (RSA) refer to in Althusser's framework?
Institutions like the police and military that control the working class through physical force or threat.
## Footnote
RSA functions to enforce compliance and maintain order.
26
What is an Ideological Tool in the context of education?
Education spreads capitalist values to justify and maintain inequality.
## Footnote
This concept highlights the role of education in perpetuating social structures.
27
Define Dominant Ideology.
A system of ideas (e.g. meritocracy, individualism) that justifies the dominance of the ruling class.
## Footnote
Dominant ideology shapes societal norms and values.
28
What is Correspondence Theory as proposed by Bowles & Gintis?
School mirrors the workplace (hierarchy, rewards for obedience, fragmentation), preparing students for exploitation.
## Footnote
This theory suggests a direct link between educational experiences and labor market expectations.
29
What does the Hidden Curriculum refer to?
Unspoken rules and values (obedience, punctuality, respect for authority) taught through school routines.
## Footnote
The hidden curriculum reinforces social norms and expectations beyond formal education.
30
What is the Myth of Meritocracy according to Bowles & Gintis?
The false belief that success is based on merit; in reality, it reflects social class background.
## Footnote
This myth obscures the structural inequalities present in society.
31
Define False Class Consciousness.
Working-class people wrongly believe the system is fair, blaming themselves for failure.
## Footnote
This concept illustrates how ideology can distort perceptions of social justice.
32
What is Cultural Capital as defined by Bourdieu?
Non-financial assets (speech, manners, knowledge) passed down by middle-class families that match school expectations.
## Footnote
Cultural capital influences educational success and social mobility.
33
What does Habitus mean in Bourdieu's theory?
Socially ingrained ways of thinking/acting shaped by class background.
## Footnote
Habitus affects individuals' behaviors and attitudes in various contexts.
34
What is the main argument of the Marxist view on education?
Education reproduces class inequality, legitimates inequality, prepares obedient workers, and spreads dominant ideology.
## Footnote
These arguments emphasize the role of education in maintaining social hierarchies.
35
What did Bowles & Gintis find regarding student success?
Schools reward obedience, not creativity; success linked to conforming to expectations, not intelligence.
## Footnote
Their research challenges traditional notions of meritocracy in education.
36
Who were the subjects of Paul Willis' study 'Learning to Labour'?
12 working-class boys known as 'the lads' who rejected school values.
## Footnote
Willis' study highlights the complexities of resistance and its implications for social mobility.
37
What was a significant outcome for Willis' 'lads' despite their resistance?
They still ended up in manual labour jobs, demonstrating that education reproduced inequality despite resistance.
## Footnote
This outcome illustrates the limitations of individual agency in the face of structural constraints.
38
List key criticisms of the Marxist view on education.
* Too Deterministic
* Romanticises Rebellion
* Ignores Gender & Ethnicity
* Functionalist Critique
* Postmodernist Critique
## Footnote
These critiques challenge the singular focus on class and highlight the multifaceted nature of educational experiences.
39
What does the term 'attainment gap' refer to?
The consistent underperformance of working-class students compared to their peers, supporting Marxist claims.
## Footnote
The attainment gap is a significant area of concern in educational policy and equity discussions.
40
True or False: Intelligence guarantees achievement according to recent findings.
False. Background and conformity are more important than intelligence in determining success.
## Footnote
This challenges traditional meritocratic views of success in education.
41
What is Cultural Deprivation?
Cultural Deprivation means having inferior norms and values, skills and knowledge that make it difficult to access education.
42
What does Material Deprivation refer to?
Material Deprivation means not having the resources or spaces available to do well in school - linked to poverty.
43
What are External Factors in education?
External Factors means elements from outside of the school environment which will affect educational achievement.
44
How does parental communication affect cognitive development?
The way parents communicate with their children is essential for cognitive development. Parents who challenge their children to evaluate their thinking are more likely to have children with higher cognitive ability.
45
What did Feinstein suggest about educated parents?
Feinstein suggested that higher cognitive development is more likely to happen in families where the parents are educated and therefore middle class.
46
What are the language codes identified by Bernstein?
Bernstein identified that the working class use a restricted code with simple grammar and limited vocabulary, while the middle class use an elaborate code with complex grammar and fuller sentences.
47
What impact do parental attitudes have on educational achievement?
Douglas argues that parental attitudes to education and their own levels of education significantly impact educational achievement.
48
What are Sugarman's four elements of working class subculture?
Sugarman identified four elements: Fatalism, Collectivism, Immediate Gratification, and Present time Orientation.
49
What is Material Deprivation?
Material deprivation refers to poverty and lack of material necessities which aid educational achievement.
50
What hidden costs affect working class pupils in education?
Hidden costs include transport, books, computers, uniforms, equipment, and field trips, which can burden working class families.
51
How does housing and health affect educational achievement?
Housing and health can have direct effects, such as overcrowding leading to lack of study space, and indirect effects, such as poor health impacting attendance.
52
What did Howard note about diets in poorer families?
Howard noted that children from poorer families have poorer diets and nutrition, leading to lack of energy and higher absence rates.
53
What are Bourdieu's three types of capital?
Bourdieu's three types of capital are Cultural Capital, Economic Capital, and Educational Capital.
54
How can different types of capital be converted?
Bourdieu argued that these three types of capital could be converted from one to another and are interlinked.
55
What did the study on cultural capital find?
The study found that students with greater cultural capital, often children of graduates, were more likely to succeed at GCSE.
56
57
What does Middle Class mean?
Occupations that are mostly white collar and professional jobs.
58
What does Working Class mean?
Mostly blue collar and manual jobs with low educational achievement.
59
What are Internal Factors?
Factors inside of the school which influence educational achievement.
60
What does Educational Triage mean?
Putting students into 3 streams: M/C in the top streams, C/D borderline, W/C in lower streams.
61
What is the A-C Economy?
Schools are judged based on the number of students who achieve A - C grades at GCSE.
62
What is Labelling Theory?
Suggests that teachers attach a label to a pupil that has little to do with their actual ability.
63
What is a Self Fulfilling Prophecy?
When students take on the label attributed to them by the teacher or school.
64
What is Setting?
The placement of students into ability classes within individual subjects.
65
What is Streaming?
The placement of students into ability groups going across all subjects.
66
What are Anti-school subcultures?
Subcultures formed by lower streams that reject school, often involving truanting and disruption.
67
What are Pro-school subcultures?
Subcultures committed to school values, gaining approval through academic success.
68
What is Habitus?
Learned or taken for granted ways of thinking, being or acting shared by a particular social class.
69
What did Margaret Fuller's research find?
Black girls labelled as low-achievers responded by studying hard to prove teachers wrong.
70
What is the impact of negative labelling on W/C students?
Can lead to forming an anti-school subculture and underachieving at school.
71
What is the impact of positive labelling on M/C students?
Can lead to a pro-school subculture and help students to achieve at school.
72
How does being placed in lower streams affect W/C students?
Can lead to lower self-esteem and limit access to opportunities to achieve.
73
What is a criticism of Labelling Theory?
It attributes too much importance to teacher agency and focuses on negative effects.
74
What do postmodernists argue about class impact on student identity?
Class doesn't have much of an impact anymore due to the pick and mix culture.
75
76
How has the impact of feminism contributed to girls’ educational achievement?
Feminism has challenged traditional gender roles and increased awareness of gender inequality. Campaigns like #MeToo and legal progress (e.g., Equal Pay Act) have influenced female aspirations. Ongoing feminist discourse in media/social platforms empowers girls to value independence and careers.
## Footnote
Boosts girls’ confidence and ambition, changing their role models and educational goals. Radical feminists argue inequality persists (e.g., pay gap, underrepresentation in STEM).
77
What did Sue Sharpe find about changing ambitions of girls?
Sue Sharpe (1976, 1994) found a shift in working-class girls’ priorities. In the 70s, girls prioritized love, marriage, and children; by the 90s, they prioritized careers and independence. A 2022 UCAS report shows more girls applying to university than boys (43% vs 32%).
## Footnote
Reflects how changing gender norms shape achievement. Some argue class and ethnicity still limit career goals for many girls.
78
How has the increase in women’s employment influenced education?
Increased female employment provides more role models and motivation for girls. Female employment reached 72.3% (ONS 2022). More women in leadership (e.g., CEOs, MPs). Girls now see education as a pathway to economic independence.
## Footnote
Encourages long-term career planning, raising motivation to succeed in school. Gender pay gap and glass ceiling still persist in many industries.
79
How does the growth of female-headed households impact girls’ education?
Rise in lone-parent families (often headed by women) gives girls financially independent female role models. ONS: ~90% of lone-parent families are led by women. Girls may view education as essential to avoid economic dependence.
## Footnote
Motivates self-reliance and high educational aspiration. May place stress on girls to take on caregiving roles or responsibilities at home.
80
What is differential gender socialisation and how does it affect education?
Girls are socialised into passive, communicative play, while boys are encouraged to be physical and independent. Girls often develop better language and reading skills earlier. Girls outperform boys in reading at every key stage.
## Footnote
Prepares girls better for school routines and literacy-based subjects. Reinforces gender stereotypes, limiting both genders in the long term.
81
Is there evidence to support the view that innate ability causes gender differences in achievement?
Spelke (2005) – no evidence of innate gender differences in cognition. Gender gap is not fixed; it varies over time and between subjects, suggesting social causes. Boys outperform girls in some STEM fields, showing it’s not biologically determined.
## Footnote
Supports nurture-based explanations. Some biological arguments (e.g., Baron-Cohen’s brain structure theory) still persist in public discourse.
82
How do subject choices reflect gender patterns in education?
Gender socialisation affects subject preference and achievement. Girls dominate in English (13% gap at GCSE), Psychology (82.2% girls at A-level), and Health & Social Care (BTEC: girls 2x more likely to get Distinction*). Boys overrepresented in Physics and Engineering.
## Footnote
Subject gendering links to external norms and parental expectations. Efforts like GIST/WISE show some progress, but deep-rooted stereotypes remain.
83
What is the evidence of a gender gap in educational outcomes across key stages?
Gender differences are evident throughout schooling. At GCSE (2022), 52.5% of girls achieved Grade 5+ in English & Maths vs 46.8% of boys. Girls are nearly 10% more likely to be entered for the EBacc. Girls more likely to enter and succeed in higher education (43% vs 32%).
## Footnote
Shows consistency across school years; likely due to long-term social influences. Doesn’t consider how school policies may benefit girls more (e.g., coursework favours organisation).
84
What long-term trends show widening gender disparities in university entry?
Girls have increasingly outpaced boys in higher education. From 1994 to 2022, girls’ university applications rose by 140%, boys’ by 77%. UCAS data (2022): 43% of girls vs 32% of boys entered university.
## Footnote
Supports external influence of changing female ambition and opportunity. Middle-class boys still succeed disproportionately; doesn’t fully explain ethnicity/class overlap.
85
What are some recent concerns about girls’ engagement and safety in school?
Despite outperforming boys, girls face mental health and safety challenges. UCL (2024): Only 21% of Year 9 girls feel safe in school, down from 43% in 2019. Social media, sexual harassment, and post-COVID anxiety impact girls’ engagement.
## Footnote
Shows that high achievement doesn’t equal well-being. Less commonly discussed in gender gap debates – needs more attention in policy.
