Functionalism on Education

Question 1

What does Durkheim say are the two main roles of education?

Answer 1

1. Promoting Social Solidarity
2. Specialist Skills Provision

Question 2

What is social solidarity?

Answer 2

The ties that bind people together in society (e.g. learning about shared history in history lessons)

Question 3

What are the 3 ways in which Durkheim suggests education achieves social solidarity?

Answer 3

1. Passed on shared heritage (history lessons etc.)
2. Communal gatherings (Assemblies, prize-giving, etc.)
3. Social cohesion (Sports, house system, etc.)

Question 4

How did Michael Gove attempt to encourage social solidarity with his 2013 curriculum reform?

Answer 4

1. “Island story” of the U.K.
2. Removal of American and English history
3. Removing non-English writers from the literature curriculum

Question 5

What is the Marxist criticism of Durkheim’s idea of social solidarity?

Answer 5

Benefits the ruling classes - the ruling class’s values and heritage are being passed on, not the working class majority.

Question 6

What is Ball’s evaluation of Durkheim’s idea of social solidarity?

Answer 6

“little Englandism” - curriculum focused on conquest and rule rather than the diverse culture England has amassed

Question 7

Why did Durkheim suggest the UK education needed specialist skills provision?

Answer 7

Post industrial revolution created a change in skills due to new “complex division of modern labour”

Question 8

How does Durkheim suggests education achieves specialist skills provision?

Answer 8

• Core knowledge
• Specialist knowledge (A-level subject choice)
• Vocational skills
• Creation of universities - “red bricks”

Question 9

In what four ways are specialist skills provisions applied in real life?

Answer 9

1. Additional funding for maths students
2. Standardised Assessments (SATs) for testing key skills
3. Teaching bursaries for subjects with a shortage
4. Reforms to the curriculum

Question 10

How do marxists criticise Durkheim’s idea of specialist skills provision?

Answer 10

• Produces an over-qualified work force - creating a reserve army of labour
• Lowers wages due to high demand
• Skills shortages creating larger immigration (demonstrating failures)

Question 11

How do feminists criticise Durkheim’s idea of specialist skills provision?

Answer 11

Girls are discouraged from certain “masculine” subjects

Question 12

What does Parsons suggest education is for?

Answer 12

Secondary socialisation - the bridge between childhood and adulthood

Question 13

How does Parsons suggest education achieves all aspects of secondary socialisation?

Answer 13

• Hidden curriculum
• School norms and values (mirror the real world)
• Assessments
• Competition between students (collectivism –> individualism)
• Sanctions and discipline

Question 14

How do marxists criticise Parsons’ ideas?

Answer 14

They suggest that the hidden curriculum prepares students for exploitation by capitalist society

Question 15

How do post-modernists criticise Parsons’ ideas?

Answer 15

They say that the nature of society means socialisation happens through multiple agents

Question 16

How do other sociologists criticise Parsons ideas?

Answer 16

They suggest that clashes between M/C and W/C values can lead to issues and underachievement.

Question 17

What do Davis and Moore suggest is the main role of education?

Answer 17

Role allocation

Question 18

How do Davis and Moore suggest education achieves role allocation?

Answer 18

• Sorting and setting students
• Most able pupils end up in better universities and therefore higher status jobs
  -Promotes the idea of social mobility/ meritocracy

Question 19

How is role allocation seen in real life?

Answer 19

• Setting
• University admissions system
• Subject choice (vocational vs academic)

Question 20

How do Marxists criticise Davis and Moore?

Answer 20

They suggest that meritocracy isn’t real and creates the myth that the working class did it to themselves (Old boys network, privately educated advantage)

Question 21

How do Feminists criticise Davis and Moore?

Answer 21

They suggest that streaming focuses on male-heavy jobs which have “higher status” because of the gender pay gap