Functionalism/Marxism and Education Flashcards

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1
Q

What approach do Functionalists take?

A

They take a macro approach, they conduct their studies on a large scale.

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2
Q

Why is this approach useful for Functionalists?

A

They are highly representative meaning their findings apply beyond the sample they have used.

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3
Q

Why is this approach not useful for Functionalists?

A

Due to their sample size, they miss smaller details/feelings, therefore limiting the validity (accuracy).

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4
Q

What view do Functionalists take?

A

They take a consensus view. This means that they sell all parts of society as sharing the same norms and values working together for the good of all.

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5
Q

What would functionalists think is the role of education?

A

They believe that the role of education is to give secondary socialisation into norms and values to achieve consensus and social stability.

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6
Q

Do Functionalists take a structural or social action view?

A

They take a structural view. This means that they believe that we are shaped by external forces, known as social institutions.

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7
Q

What theorists are Functionalists?

A

They are positivists. This means that they see society as a science and believe it can be analysed using scientific methods.

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8
Q

What data do Functionalists collect?

A

They collect quantitative data. This is data is in numerical form, they use methods such as official statistics and questionnaires with closed questions.

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9
Q

Why is this type of data good for Functionalists?

A

It is highly reliable as we can see patterns and trends to identify cause and effect relations.

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10
Q

Why is this type of data bad for Functionalists?

A

We cannot understand why people act that way so we cannot gain verstehen.

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11
Q

How many functions of education do the functionalists identify?

A

5

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12
Q

What are the 5 functions of education?

A
  1. Social solidarity
  2. The bridge theory
  3. The promotion of meritocracy
  4. The transmission of specialised skills
  5. Role allocation.
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13
Q

What is social solidarity?

A

The idea that all members of society feel together as part of something bigger.

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14
Q

How do schools enforce social solidarity?

A

Uniforms - all look the same.
Assemblies - Everyone at the same time given the same message.

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15
Q

How would a Marxist criticise social solidarity?

A

No consensus in society. Higher classes exploit the lower classes and have different norms and values.

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16
Q

What is bridge theory?

A

Parsons suggests that education bridges the gap between the family, and the real working world. Parsons suggests that the family teaches particularistic standards, whereas the education system teachers universalistic standards.

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17
Q

What are particularistic standards?

A

Teaching your children as individuals - that you are special.

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18
Q

What are universalistic standards?

A

Teamwork, obedience, conformity, all do as your told and behave the same way.

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19
Q

What would a Marxist say about bridge theory?

A

These are the standards of the ruling class eg, A Levels more difficult - keep lower classes in their place.

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20
Q

What is meritocracy?

A

People earn money, respect, status based on their efforts. The harder you work the more merits / rewards you get. Eg, GCSE grades.

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21
Q

What would Marxists say about meritocracy?

A

They say about the myth of meritocracy. The higher classes achieve more highly due to material capital, cultural capital and positive labelling in school.

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22
Q

What are specialised skills?

A

School teaches us skills which are required for a specific future occupation so that we can play our specific role in society to maintain consensus.

23
Q

How does education teach us specialised skills?

A

Accountant - maths.
Teacher - Presentations.

24
Q

How can specialised skills be criticised?

A

School subjects don’t always relate to specific jobs.

25
Q

What is role allocation?

A

Davis and Moore believe that education shows us who are the best people for the best jobs to maintain consensus and keep society functioning. Education does this by sieving those higher achievers to the top and concentrating on them and leaving those low achievers behind.

26
Q

How does schools apply role allocation?

A

Highest achievers into top sets and lowest achieving in bottom set.

27
Q

How can role allocation be criticised?

A

Marxists suggest that those who are cream skimmed and not the most talented, but are the highest classes. Giving them more educational opportunities to succeed and fulfil higher paying jobs in the future.

28
Q

Who supports the functionalists theory of education?

A

New Right support the ideas of the functionalists and believe that meritocracy makes people responsible for their own achievement by telling them to work hard meaning that it stops the state paying for them through unemployment benefit.

29
Q

Criticisms of the functionalist theory?

A

Rose tinted, ignores the inequalities which happen in education.
We don’t have shared norms and values in a multicultural society.
Education doesn’t always teach us the specialised skills which we need for work.

30
Q

What approach do Marxists take?

A

They take a macro approach, they conduct their studies on a large scale.

31
Q

Why is this useful for Marxists?

A

They are highly representative meaning their findings apply beyond the sample they have used.

32
Q

Why is this not useful for Marxists?

A

Due to their sample size, they miss smaller details/feelings, therefore limiting the validity (accuracy).

33
Q

What view do Marxists take?

A

They take a conflict view. This means that they see all members of society sharing and focus on existing inequalities between social groups which cause conflict.

34
Q

Do they take a structural or social action view?

A

They take a structural view. This means that they believe we are shaped by external forces, known as social institutions, such as the education system.

35
Q

What theorists are Marxists?

A

They are positivists. This means they see society as a science and believes it can be analysed using scientific methods.

36
Q

What type of data do Marxists collect?

A

They collect quantitative data. This is data is in numerical form, they use methods such as official statistics and questionnaires with closed questions.

37
Q

Why is this data good for Marxists?

A

It is highly reliable as we can see patterns and trends to identify cause and effect relations.

38
Q

Why is this data bad for Marxists?

A

We cannot understand why people act that way so we cannot gain verstehen.

39
Q

How many functions do the Marxists think education has?

A

4

40
Q

What are the four functions of education for Marxists?

A
  1. Ideological State Apparatus
  2. The correspondence principle
  3. The transmission of meritocracy
  4. Indoctrination
41
Q

What is an ISA?

A

A social apparatus/institution which maintains Bourgeoisies power by reproducing and justifying inequalities.

42
Q

How does education reproduce inequalities?

A

Slit shifting lower class students and cream skimming higher class students in the higher classes so they receive better opportunities.

43
Q

How does education legitimise inequalities?

A

Teaching workers that inequality is inevitable and that lower class individuals should accept it because they haven’t worked hard enough therefore reproducing meritocracy. Education does this by praising students for obeying capitalism.

44
Q

What is the correspondence principle?

A

The things we learn in school correspond/mirror the way we are expected to behave in work to reproduce an obedient and efficient workforce, achieved through the hidden curriculum.

45
Q

How is the correspondence principle shown in school?

A

Being on time/punctual.
Respecting authority.
Completing monotonous tasks.
Following a structure.
Uniform.
Working for extrinsic rewards.

46
Q

How can the correspondence principle be criticised?

A

Hidden curriculum isn’t hidden. Skills and knowledge. Lack of detailed research.

47
Q

What is the idea that education transmits the myth of meritocracy?

A

Education promotes meritocracy by saying that everyone has an equal chance, achievement is based on hard work. Marxists believes that not everyone has an equal chance. Structural factors such as class affect this.

48
Q

How are the higher classes advantaged in education?

A

Better facilities, material capital, cultural capital.

49
Q

What is indoctrination?

A

In the 1977 study, Paul Willis suggest education is an attempt to indoctrinate its audience. However, he believes that although indoctrination is transmitted, people have the ability to escape it.

50
Q

What was Paul Willis ‘learning to labour’ study?

A

Boys group in a non-selective secondary school, in the Midlands. All white though diverse school, twelve lads. Unstructured interviews, observation attended all classes, leisure classes and career classes. PP observation. The lads were uninterested in school and saw the whole point as having a laugh, rather than getting education. Lads rejected the indoctrination into the idea of meritocracy.

51
Q

How can indoctrination be analysed?

A

Willis said the WC can resist being indoctrinated by the HC in education by not obeying in school. But his study is ironic because they did resists this indoctrination into the WC, the WC children ended up doing WC jobs anyway.

52
Q

Strengths of Marxist theory of education?

A

Makes us aware of the unequal treatment of groups in education.

53
Q

Weaknesses of Marxist theory of education?

A

Postmodernists claim Marxists views are outdated.
Feminists criticise Paul Willis as being ‘gender blind’.