functionalism (role and function of education)

Question 1

what are the 4 functionalist explainations of the role and function of education

Answer 1

1. The education system teaches social solidarity & value consensus (Durkheim)
2. The education system provides students with specialist skills (Durkheim)
3. The education system is responsible for secondary socialisation (Parsons)
4. The education system is responsible for role allocation (based on functional importance) (Davis and Moore)

Question 2

who supports the idea that ‘education teaches social solidarity and value consesus’ + their ideas

functionalist

Answer 2

DURKHEIM
* education emphasises moral responsibility to society
* society has to create social solidarity + value consensus
* achieved through teaching everyone the same core curruculum so everyone in society has a homogenous experience of education
* education provides links to individual and society- part of a community- committment and loyalty

Question 3

who supports the idea that ‘education creates a provision of specialist skills for the workplace’ + their ideas

functionalist

Answer 3

DURKHEIM
* ensures that people have skills for specialised division of labour
* teaches skills for future roles
* benifits wider society as develops specialist skills required for workplace & economy
* modern industrual economies have complex diision of labour- creates solidarity

Question 4

who supports the idea of ‘the education system being a secondary socialisation’ + their ideas

functionalist

Answer 4

PARSONS
* education acts as a bridge between school and work
* in the family- children tend to be treated in terms of particularistic values (values particular to you)- so the parent judged the child alone
* in wider society, individuals are judged by universalistic values (universal/apply to everyone) e.g. school rules/exams
* education system trains individuals to accept norms and values- system is fair and just

Question 5

who supports the idea that ‘education allocates roles ready for the workplace’ + their ideas

functionalist

Answer 5

DAVIS & MOORE
* effective role allocation + performance
these factors must be met if the system is to survive:
1. all roles are filled
2. must be filled by those best to fulfil
3. all necessary training for them
4. roles must be preformed conscientiously
* society needs ‘social stratification’ for effective role allocation
* people differ in ability & talent- ensures the most functionally important roles are filled best and performed diligently

Question 6

individual achievement (parsons)

Answer 6

This is learned through competing with others and rewarded with praise from teachers, higher grades and educational qualifications. This prepares young people for the world of work where they will have to compete with others to achieve.

Question 7

equality of opportunity (parsons)

Answer 7

Schools reflect the values of society based on a belief that everyone has an equal chance of success. Schools reflect this by encouraging all pupils to succeed. This is reflected in British schools which usually have an equal opportunities policy emphasising that all children irrespective of gender, ethnicity, social class or disability should be treated equally and given equal opportunities

Question 8

role allococation (parsons)

Answer 8

important function of education is selecting and grading pupils for their future roles in society. Schools are seen as operating on the principle of meritocracy , rewarding the most talented and hard-working students with higher grades and better qualifications. This in turn ensures that employers can identify the most able individuals and recruit them to fill more important positions on the world of work.