Functions of Education Flashcards
Define ‘function’ in terms of a Functionalist society.
The job that an institution does to contribute to the maintenance and continuation of social agreements.
Briefly outline what the Organic Analogy is.
- Every part of the body has a function to keep it alive and depends on other body parts
- This can be compared to the institutions in society in that they all depend on each other playing their part in keeping society going
- The body also has ways in which it can fight off disease and illnesses, whilst society utilitises organisations such as the police
Identify 3 things Durkheim (1903) argues about the functions of education in society.
1) Social solidarity to help children feel part of society
2) Complex division of labour in learning social roles
3) Specialist skills sort people for most appropriate jobs for their abilities
Identify 3 things Parsons (1961) argues about the functions of education in society.
1) Education acts as a bridge between home and work for parents
2) Meritocratic principles with the best people getting the best jobs
3) Universal standards of schools teaching children that the system is equal for all
Identify 3 things David and Moore (1945) argue about the functions of education in society.
1) Role allocation with schools putting the right children to the right jobs
2) ‘Sifting and sorting’ of high and low achievers
3) Need for inequality to motivate people to work hard
Give 2 strengths of the Functionalist approach to education.
1) It provides motivation to raise standards with competition for the right jobs
2) It emphasises the importance of socialisation within schools
Give 3 weaknesses of the Functionalist approach to education.
1) Justifies inequality and doesn’t make it out to be a bad thing
2) Out-dated with overemphasis on the consensus of society
3) Those who fail at school feel as though they don’t belong in society
Give 3 reasons why society isn’t meritocratic.
1) People who go to private schools and receive the best education get the best jobs
2) People can ‘buy’ certain advantages such as tuition and connections in private schools
3) Social mobility has declined since the 70’s and so meritocracy doesn’t increase it
List the 3 main sociologists for Functionalism.
1) Durkheim (1903)
2) Parsons (1961)
3) David and Moore (1945)
What do Marxists claim happens in education in relation to the ruling class.
The ruling class pass on their norms and values through the education system by acting as the ‘thinkers’ of education and so producers of ideas, this is called the ruling class ideology.
Identify 3 things Althusser (1971) argues about the functions of education in society.
1) Ideological state apparatus socialising the ideology of the ruling class which justifies capitalism
2) Reproduction of class inequality with working class students continuing to achieve less
3) Legitimisation of inequality as education socialises working class children into accepting their subordinate status to the middle class
Identify 2 things Bowles and Gintis (1976) argues about the functions of education in society.
1) The myth of meritocracy as an obedient workforce will not challenge authority of the ruling class so cannot encourage social mobility
2) The hidden curriculum socialises obedient workers through punctuality an d coping with boredom
Identify 3 things Willis (1977) argues about the functions of education in society.
1) Counter school-culture
- Did ethnographic research on 12 anti-school boys
2) Resistance
- These boys rejected school and other children within it, presenting themselves as superior
3) Ruling class ideology
- Their rejection to the school is seen as an act of resistance to the ruling class ideology
Give 3 strengths of the Marxist approach to education.
1) Provides an explanation for class polarisation in educational attainment
2) Challenges the idea of meritocracy
3) Identifies how inequalities in education is a bad thing
Give 3 weaknesses of the Marxist approach to education.
1) It views teachers as agents of the middle class which is an inaccurate generalisation
2) Overlooks inequality relating to gender and ethnicity
3) Very negative approach with little positives
List the 4 main sociologists of Marxism.
1) Marx
2) Althusser
3) Bowles and Gintis
4) Willis
Give 2 views of Feminists on education.
1) Education socialises gender roles through subject choices
2) It maintains male dominance through reproduction of patriarchal values
Define ‘formal education’.
Learning takes place in a school or in colleges and universities using a set curriculum.
Define ‘informal education’.
Learning takes places in clubs and societies within the school in non-assessed situations.
Define ‘non-formal education’.
Learning takes place in the home.
What are the 4 main functions of education, disregarding Sociological theories.
1) Socialisation of norms and values
2) Training children for future employment
3) Passing on key knowledge of culture
4) Protection of children from exploitation
How does the Compulsory School Act (1880) protect children from exploitation?
It was designed to end child labour and stop them from being exploited by business owners by safeguarding them in the home up to the age of 18.
Define ‘hidden curriculum’.
What children learn in school that isn’t part of the formal curriculum.
Give an example of something a child would learn in the hidden curriculum.
Punctuality - by arriving on time to lessons.
What does McNeil say about the hidden curriculum?
That it includes learning things such as conformity and how to get on with teachers and pupils and also learning how to cope with boredom.
