functionalism in education

Question 1

functionalists foundational belief

Answer 1

every institution in society performs one or more important function

Question 2

social solidarity

Answer 2

the feeling of being part of a larger social group or community

Question 3

role allocation

Answer 3

sifting and sorting people into the roles they will go on to perform in life

Question 4

secondary socialisation

Answer 4

functionalists argue education bridges the gap between the family and wider society

Question 5

consensus theorists

Answer 5

look at the purpose education serves for society, and for individual people, functionalists highlight the positive aspects of education

Question 6

Emile Durkheim

Answer 6

believed that all social institutions, including the education system exist because they have useful functions and contribute to society

Question 7

Durkheim believed education had two main functions for society

Answer 7

1. to create social solidarity
2. to teach specialist skills

Question 8

secondary socialisation

Answer 8

Durkheim believed the education system created social solidarity by socialising children into the norms and values of society

Question 9

value consensus

Answer 9

the need for society to have a common set of beliefs and principles to work with and towards

Question 10

subjects that help to teach social solidarity

Answer 10

1. history
2. English

Question 11

criticisms of Durkheim

Answer 11

1. Marxists would criticise this concept as they believe education is there to uphold capitalism by allowing the bourgeoisie to succeed and keeping the workers poorly educated and in low paid jobs
2. it has been suggested Durkheim’s theory is no longer relevant in out multi-cultural society. his theory of promoting social solidarity doesn’t highlight how faith schools teach the values of a specific religion rather than the values of a whole society

Question 12

ways to foster group solidarity in schools

Answer 12

1. cooperative group projects in the classroom
2. school plays
3. school camps
4. inter-school sports

Question 13

Davis and Moore

Answer 13

believe that education is:
“the proving ground for ability and hence the selective agency for placing people in different statuses according to their capabilities”
- for society to operate efficiently all the roles must be filled and they need to be filled by the most able
- some role require considerable training, and intelligence levels
- to fill these roles, people make a sacrifice, such as the time, effort and financial cost of university
- schools develop human capital to ensure each job is filled effectively

Question 14

Parsons: the bridge

Answer 14

-believes school is a key socialising agency in society
- school acts as a bridge between the family and wider society
-bridge is necessary because families and society operate on different sets of principles and to cope in wider society children need to learn how to manage in the wider world

Question 15

particularistic standards

Answer 15

social norms and values that are specific to a particular group or society

Question 16

universalistic standards

Answer 16

everyone is judged by the same standards, regardless of race, family ties, ethnicity, gender, class or sexuality

Question 17

meritocracy

Answer 17

in society status is achieved- people achieve according to merit

Question 18

criticisms of Parsons

Answer 18

some sociologists (Marxists) do not believe in meritocracy
1. there is some evidence the social background results in students being treated differently. social class and ethnicity may result in poorer results due to lower expectations rather than lower ability
2. some schools only teach the values of their faith which may not be universalistic
3. school rules may not always apply in wider society