education topic 1 Flashcards
the role and functions of the education system, including its relationship to the economy and to class structure
What does durkheim suggest?
valued consensus created harmony and social stability seen through social institutions such as education, religion and media that shape the norms and values of people in society. Also, he refers to the biological analogy.
4 basic functions of the education system according to functionalists
1 - passes on society’s culture and builds on social solidarity through the hidden curriculum and overt curriculum. Building social solidarity. 2 - providing a bridge between the family and wider society providing a bridge between particularistic values and universalistic values by being a small scale version of society. 3 - developing human capital meaning high levels of spending on education is justified. 4 - selecting and allocating people to roles in a meritocratic society allowing for people to be most suitable for their jobs as there is an equality of opportunity.
What is the new right?
1 - with training the workforce should be concerned with making sure the most able students have their talents developed. 2 - education should socialise young people into collective values and responsible citizenship.
Chubb and Moe - marketisation of education
What does the work of Althusser suggest?
He saw the main role of education in a capitalist society as the reproduction of an efficient and obedient workforce through the reproduction of the necessary technical skills and the reproduction of the ruling class ideology and working class accepting this dominant ideology through false class consciousness. This is called the ideological state apparatus.
What does Bordieu suggest?
Habitus - each social class possesses it’s own cultural framework like what counts as good and bad. Cultural capital - those who come from better off class backgrounds have more access to the culture of the dominant class making them successful. He argues that the education legitimizes and reproduces class inequality. This is because success ad faliure is based on cultural capital.
What does Illich suggest?
schools are representative institutions which promote conformity and encourage students into passive acceptance of inequalities.
What does Bowles and Gintis suggest?
that the major role of education is to reproduce hard working, submissive workforce. Through the hidden curriculum and a legitimization of inequality.
What are the criticisms of Bourdieu, Illich, Freire and Bowles and Gintis?
Lack of detailed research, ignored the formal curriculum, deterministic
What was the work of Paul Willis?
Found two different groups in a school - the lads - developed an anti school subculture and attached little value to school - the ear oles - conformed to school and wanted to get their qualifications. Argues that not every student in school wants to conform.
What do functionalists and new right’s think of vocational education
See this as beneficial as it boosts the economy.
What do Marxists think of vocational education?
This is second rate education for those from working class backgrounds, producing passive and conformist workers to support a profit making capitalist society.
what does Birdwell suggest about vocational education?
Secondary schools neglect pupils with vocational aspirations and focus on brighter students destined to go onto higher education.
What is the main focus of vocational education and how does it do this?
Improving the quality of basic skills of the workforce. Reducing unemployment. Ending status division between academic and vocational qualifications. Through work experience, expansions of post-16 education and a stronger emphasis on key skills.
