Functionalism

Question 1

according to DURKHEIM, what are the two main functions of education?

Answer 1

creating social solidarity

teaching specialist skills

Question 2

how does education create social solidarity?

give example

Answer 2

transmitts society’s culture from one generation to the next

e.g. teaching of a country’s history instils a sense of a shared heritage and commitment to the wider social group

Question 3

why is school described as a ‘society in minature’?

Answer 3

prepares us for life in wider society.

e.g. both at school and at work we cooperate with people who are neither family/friends

Question 4

why must people have specialist skills and knowledge?

Answer 4

modern industrial economies have a complex division of labour

Question 5

what happened in the UK to give the complex skills needed for the economy?

Answer 5

1960s - more universities and colleges built to provide degrees in computer technology

Question 6

what did New Labour do to help GB remain competitive in the global marketplace?

Answer 6

expanded the Apprenticeship scheme
introduced specialist schools
raised school leaving age

Question 7

what does school act as according to PARSONS?

Answer 7

a bridge between the family and wider society

Question 8

what standards are children judged on in the family and wider society?

Answer 8

particularistic standards - family

universalistic standards - wider society e.g. same laws apply to everyone

Question 9

how is status provided in school and wider society?

Answer 9

ascribed - family

achieved - society

Question 10

According to PARSONS how does school prepare us to move from the family to wider society?

Answer 10

school and wider society are based on meritocratic principles
school - achieved status e.g. passing exams through individual, hard-work
universalistic standards - same pass marks for everyone

Question 11

which sociologists explore role allocation?

Answer 11

DAVIS and MOORE

Question 12

why is inequality neccessary according to DAVIS and MOORE?

Answer 12

the most important roles in society need to be filled by the most talented. Society has to offer higher rewards for these jobs to encourage everyone to compete for them and society can then select the most talented individuals.

Question 13

education ……….. us according to our ability?

Answer 13

sifts and sorts

Question 14

role allocation ensures a …………..

Answer 14

more efficient economy

Question 15

what is human capital?

Answer 15

the stock of knowledge , skills, values and creativity embodied in the ability to perform work that produces real economic value

Question 16

how does a meritocratic education system use its human capital best?

Answer 16

enables each person to be allocated to the job best suited to their abilities.
This will make most effective use of their talents and maximise productivity.

Question 17

on what grounds does the New Right criticise funtionalist view of education?

Answer 17

state schools aren’t producing the right sorts of workers required for GB businesses to successfully compete in global economy

Question 18

the numbers going to university don’t match the number of jobs. what is the problem with this?

Answer 18

over-qualified workforce - over-qualified people are less efficient because their job may be neither interesting nor challenging.

Question 19

what did Wolf review on education find 2011?

Answer 19

high-quality apprenticeships are rare and 1/3 of 16-19 year olds are on courses that don’t lead to HE/jobs.

Question 20

there is evidence that the education system is not…

Answer 20

meritocratic. Class and race play a huge part in achievement

Question 21

why does the interactionist WRONG criticise the functionalist view of ed?

Answer 21

wrongly sees people as puppets of society. They ignore the fact that people may reject the school’s values
over-socialised view of people

Question 22

rather than instil the shared values of society as a whole, Marxists believe…

Answer 22

education transmits the ideology of the ruling class minority

Question 23

why does TUMIN criticise DAVIS AND MOORE?

Answer 23

their argument is circular - claiming jobs are important because they are highly rewarded, and they are highly rewarded because they are important.