Functions of education system

Question 1

Functionalist theories on education

Answer 1

-Positivist view that ed benefits individual and wider society
-Helps maintain value consensus (agreeing on same values by teaching children values of society
-System = meritocratic (gives everyone equal chance of success)

Question 2

5 Functions of education (Functionalism)

Answer 2

-Secondary socialisation (Parsons)

-Social solidarity (Durkheim)

-Focal socialising agency (Parsons)

-Specialist skills (Durkheim)

-Role allocation (Davis and Moore)

Question 3

Parsons secondary socialisaiton

Answer 3

-Learn norms + values beyond family
-Noms like queuing but also competition working hard + respect.
-Teaches first instrumental relatioships (those based off getting smthg off them , deferred gratification + meritocracy)
-Judged by ability + work ethic rather than family

Question 4

Criticism of idea of secondary socialisation

Answer 4

-Feminists –> schools patriarchal
-Radical feminists –> male gaze : girls feel pressure to conform to stereotypes keeping subordinate to men
-Wrong –> ppl not puppets of system and pupils may reject values education attempts to pass on

Question 5

Durkheim : Social solidarity

Answer 5

-Ed meets functional requisite by passing on to new gens the central or core values + culture of society

-Helps make sure students are integrated fully into society creating value consensus
-Hidden curric + overt curric

EXAMPLE usa–> children pledge allegiance to American flag
–> School assemblies and team sports

Question 6

Criticism of social solidarity

Answer 6

-Marxist Bourdieu –> m:c institutions teaching m.c culture . m:c students fit into the mc habits
SO w.c children not integrated bec culture = devalued and ignored by education system . w.c children suffer symbolic violence in schools .

-Feminists : Passes on patriarchal values and disadvantages girls .

Question 7

Parsons : Focal Socialising agency

Answer 7

-schools = ‘society in miniature’ (prepare young ppl for life in wider society)
-Takes over from family as they grow older
-Bridge between family and
wider society
-Family : particularistic standards (treated special which is given to them at birth –> ascribed status
-Wider society : universalistic standards (same standards apply to everyone + have to work to achieve status) –> achieved status
-Wider society = meritocratic + ppl earn status through individual achievements eg qualifications
-Schools bridge gap
-All work marked on same standards

Question 8

Criticisms of idea of meritocracy

Answer 8

-Marxist Bowles and Gintis –> meritocracy is a myth
>Students social class background determines educational success
>w.c children lack cultural capital (set of tastes , values , interests and knowledge which lead to rewards

-Many inherit wealth
-Many upper class jobs where ascribed status ccharectaristics = important

Question 9

Durkheim : Specialist skills

Answer 9

-Prep for payed employment
-Schools teach students specialist skills for work
-Range of qualifications which become more specialised
-GCSES give range of knowledge
-Post 16 : Fewer courses with more specialised knowledge
-Good for economy
-Vocational education w/ job specific knowledge eg BTEC hairdressing , childcare , catering etc

Question 10

Criticism of specialist skills

Answer 10

-Employers often complain schools dont prep young people enough for work
-Vocational courses often seen as lower skilled courses in schools –> w.c children chanelleded into these ending up in low paid job

Question 11

Davis and Moore role allocation

Answer 11

-Helps prep fit children into economy
-Shifts and sorts students into future roles through role allocation.
-example : student who gets a star in biology will go on to become a doctor
-Makes sure most talented and qualified allocated to most important jobs.
-Meritocratic + there is equality of opportunity

Question 12

Criticism of role allocation

Answer 12

Marxists : No equality of opportunity : everyone doesn’t start at same point and not everyone has same chance of success
Feminists : girls role allocation determined by patriarchy + girls socialised into stereotypically ‘feminine’ subjects like health and social care.

-Doesn’t act as ‘natural sieve’

Question 13

How does new right ideas also reflect functionalist ideas

Answer 13

Believe:
-Education = meritocratic
-Should train future workforce
-Should socialise children into shared national identity

BUT argue education should be controlled by gov not market forces

Question 14

What do New right argue?

Question 15

1.The problem with the education system

Answer 15

-ed system fails if controlled by state
-State schools run by bureaucracies which are accountable to elected politicians
-UK : called LEAS - Local Education Authorities

-G Tulloch : Producer capture
>Those who produce are in control rather than those who control
>Groups such as teachers + other employees in ed bureaucracies have interest in inc of expenditure on ed to make jobs more secure

Question 16

Criticisms of N.R theories

Answer 16

Brown and Lauder : Reasons given above are excuses to cut costs –> educational achievement will be impacted (especially in disadvantaged areas)

Question 17

2. Solution to the problem : Marketisation

Answer 17

-Businesses + parental choice
-Market forces of sup + demand introduced
-Open days , school websites, prospectuses
-Competition –> raising standards to attract cosnumers

Question 18

Criticism of N.R + marketisation

Answer 18

-Exam factories–> grade focus –> negative impact on wellbeing –> students sugaring from m.health concerns increasing

-A-C economy (gilbourn and youdel) –> students who have no chance of achieving c labelled as hopeless cases as won’t contribute to image of school

Question 19

3.Solution to problem : Parentocracy

Answer 19

Chub and Moe:
-Parents should have vouchers w/ money to offer the school of their choice.
-Every school will work hard to improve teaching and exam results to appeal to new parents and students .
-soooo students will leave school w/ better exam results.

Question 20

Criticism of n.r and idea of parentocracy

Answer 20

Gerwitz + Ball :
-Parentocracy = myth
-Only m.c parents have greater choice bec they have educational capital.
-Know how schools work etc
-Also can move into catchment areas of good schools as they can afford higher house prices (Selection by mortgage)

Question 21

4. Solution : Involvement of private companies

Answer 21

-Support of privatisation : taking state funded education out of state control and into hands of private companies
-EXAMPLE : exam boards = priv businesses and make profit from schools entering students for exams
-Privatisation would make ed system more efficient and improve standards

Question 22

Criticism of N.R theories and involvement of priv companies

Answer 22

-ed became multi million pound business w/ companies attracting customers for money
-Competing exam boards –> schools will chose examinations that lead to better grades as they are evaluated on their league table options –> not increasing standards but rather a ‘race to the bottom’

Question 23

5.BUT still some involvement of the state

Answer 23

-Some involvement of state needed to imposed judgement framework on schools.
-Ofsted , League tables and SATS .
-Will allow schools to compete and be compared to by parents

Question 24

Criticisms of n.r theories and the idea of imposed judge work frameworks

Answer 24

-Means state is deciding what a ‘good education’ looks like so not a ‘free market’
–> summer hill (school founded on lib perspectives w/ progressive teaching methods) failed by Ofsted despite it being pop w/ parents and then later won a court case to overturn the judgement.

Question 25

6.To transmit a shared culture through the national curriculum

Answer 25

-n.r argued schools should teach British values through subjects such as History and religious studies w. emphasis on single set of values and move away from multiculturalism

Question 26

Criticisms of N.r theories and idea of imposed framework

Answer 26

-Contradictory –> emphasis on letting schools give education that parents / pupils choose (academies don’t have to teach natural curriculum)

-Marxists: Other cultures devalued

Question 27

Bowles and Gintis

Answer 27

-Argue education system supports capitalism in three ways :
>Myth of meritocracy
>hidden curriculum
>Correspondance principle

Question 28

Bowles and Gintis - Myth of meritocracy and legitimation of inequality

Answer 28

-Education system not meritocratic
-Students don’t have equal chance of success
-Achievement determined by students social class background not effort or ability
-W.C more likely to fail or get poor exam results bec they’re disadvantages
-Made to believe m.c is meritocratic so they don’t challenge the system
-Pupils blame selves for educational failure and accept their lot in life
-Reproducing social class inequalities and reproduction o labour power .

Question 29

Criticism of B+G Marxist theories + beliefs meritocracy is a myth

Answer 29

–Func –> meritocrrati all students have equal chance . grades are down to work (equality of opportunity)

Question 30

B+G Hidden curriculum

Answer 30

-Attitudes and expectation taught informally and not part of formal curriculum
-Everything learnt not just taught in lessons (dealing w/ boring lessons , being obedient etc)
-Sends powerful messages to students about what is expected of them
-Helps reproduce capitalist system as students take attitudes + values w/ them when they leave school
-Preparatuon for workforce.
-
EXAMPLES
>Being obedient and not challenging system, (raising hands to talk)
-Accepting authority of teachers (being polite and not questioning their decisions)

Question 31

Criticisms of hidden curriculum producing obedient workers

Answer 31

-Post forests ; outdated view of ‘mindless workers’ aslive in society w/ high lvls of specialised good so students need range of skills.
-ignore influence of formal curriculum . Reynolds : humanities like sociology produce critical thinkers –> lack of correspondence where formal curriculum is concerned.

Question 32

b+g : The correspondence principle

Answer 32

-Schools mirror world of work prepping students for future roles
-Scooling takes place in ‘long shadow of work’
-w.c students –> preparing for futures in low paid + status employment
-m.c –> prepping for high status jobs being owners of means of production

EXAMPLES

-students expected to respect authority –> employees expected to respect authority as boss

-School uniform has to be worn –> work uniform or dress code

-Pupils rewarded for hard work through grades –> employees rewarded for work thru promotions

Question 33

criticisms

Answer 33

-Employers often complain education doesn’t produce well qualified / conformist workers w/ suitable skills

Question 34

Support for Bowles and Gintis (Tomlinson)

Answer 34

tomlinson
>Students are simply taught for examination and are being taught to be non critical.
>B+G theory can be applied to forest method of production line work w/ mundane and repetitive work
BUT
Post modernists–> marxist theory outdates bec we now work at high levels producing specialised goods w/ a range of skills
SOOOOOO….education reproduces diversity not inequality

Question 35

Bourdieu - Working class habits

Answer 35

-Legitimises class inequalities and class structure.
-Each social class possesses own cultural framework / set of ideas called habitus.
-Dominant class has power to impose /force own habits onto education system
-What ciybts as educational jbiwkedge isn’t culture of society as whole but that of dominant class
-School has m.c habitus giving mc pupils advantage since they have been socialised at home into m.c tastes dead and values
-MC studs gain recognition from school –> called ‘symbolic capital’
-wc habitus seen as inferior so experience ‘symbolic violence’
-WC culture devalues ++ forced to learn mc knowledge and values
-Makes feel uncomfortable in education so the symb.violence reproduces class structure by keeping w.c ‘in their place’
-SO dont apply to uni etc

Question 36

criticisms of Bourdieu w.c

Answer 36

-In working class areas w.c culture would be dominant in school and gains status.
-Doesn’t explain why some w.c children are successful in education

Question 37

Althusser - schools = part of ruling class methods of keeping control

Answer 37

-Ed part of ideological state apparatus `9institut which spreads ruling class beliefs values and ideas)
-Persuade studs to accept cap values and belief w/ being rewarded for hard work + obeying
-Kids kept in false class consciousness (dont realise being exploited)
-Brainwashed into thinking cap system = fair and meritocratic
-Will believe failing exams is down to own effort and ability which isn’t true
-Fail due to social class background
-Face mat. dip so cant afford bus to good school or tripss)

Question 38

Criticisms of Althussers theories and beliefs that schooling = part of ideological state apparatus .

Answer 38

-too deterministic –> students not passive and may have lil regard for teachers authority and rejecteachers’ values as indicated by willis. Students break rules etc

BUT
supported by Friere –> education plays important role in producing the hegemonic control of ruling class.
>schools = repressive institutions where learners are conditioned to accept oppressive relations of domination and subordination

Question 39

Neo marxism - Pupils have free will and are not robots - Willis - ‘The lads’

Answer 39

-Not brainwashed into being obed workers
-Rebellion
-12 w.c boys (lads) formed anti school subculture which rejected school vlues
-SO schools not directly preparing obedient workforce that simply follow r.c ideology like other marxists thought.
-Not persuaded by school to behave
-HOWEBER….
their rejection meant they ended up in low paid unskilled jobs bec they failed exams SOOOO rejecting school will still end up being exploited by ruling class.

Question 40

Criticism of Willis

Answer 40

-Glamorising lads violent sexist + racist attitudes????/
>feminists: education reproduces patriarchal ideology
>Radical feminist : male gaze pressuring them to conform to gender stereotypes.

-Small sample –> can It be generalised???

-Trad marxists ; Pupils may reject school but still end up in wc jobs –> shows structure of society controls individual

Question 41

Overal criticism of marxism (other types of inequality matter)

Answer 41

-Critical modernists Morrow and Torres:
–> Focused too much on social class as key inequality
-Soc = more diverse (sexuality , ethnicity and gender just as important)
-Should seek to understand how ed reinforces and legitimises all forms of inequality and how diff forms are interelatted
BUTTTTT

Mirza–> when examining class and ethnicity stated class was still most important factor.

Question 42

Feminist theories : 4 main points on education

Answer 42

1-Patriarchy
2-The objectification of females + male gaze
3-Peer pressure
4- Gendered subject choices

Question 43

FEMINISM : Patriarchy

Answer 43

-Schools are patriarchal (male dominated)
-Rad fems: girls exp institutionalised sexism
-Boys gain most attention
-Gordon –> teachers preferred teaching boys
-Best –> stereotypes in prim schools etc in reading female characters in domestic spheres and passive

Question 44

Criticisms of feminism : Patriarchy

Answer 44

-Is patriarchy still as relevant ?
>Girls performing higher than boys in education + feminisation of education (fem teachers + coursework based subjects _
-Female teachers breaking thru ‘glass ceiling’ and becoming senior leaders giving role models to female pupils

but
-feminists :
>Reversal of coursework based subjects and return to exam based assessment will benefit boys

Question 45

Feminism : The objectification of females –> The male gaze

Answer 45

-Face male gaze- girls judged by males about appearance
-Pressures girls to conform to stereotypes to be ‘female’ - looking pretty and being quiet
-May be bullied if don’t conform

Archer study of underachievement of year 10 and 11 in London schools_
-Girls main priority = look good
-Gained respect + status from ‘sexy nike’ appearance
-Feared being labelled as tramps
-Would get into trouble for breaking school rules
-Radical feminists : argue behaviour = due to male gaze, maintaining patriarchy

-Girls sexual behaviour = maintained by monitoring by boys
-Rep can be tarnished if negatively labelled as slag by girls/boys
-Sooo… girls behaviour supervised + controlled more than boys

Question 46

Criticism of male gaze

Answer 46

-Feminisation of education:
>Ed becoming more female friendly + no longer feeling out of place
>girls have correct norms + values for school whereas boys habits may be subjected to symbolic ivolence
-Boys may be subject to ‘female gaze’

Question 47

Feminism (education) - Peer pressure

Answer 47

-Face negative informal sanctions for behaviour judged to be different from whats seen as normal for boys and girls
-EXAMPLE : being labelled ‘lesbians’ or ‘butch’ if they take part in traditional male sports whilst boys fear being labelled gay
-Archers study : girls judged and monitored others behaviour maintaining control over friends actions.

Question 48

Criticisms of peer pressure

Answer 48

-Binary definitions may not be as important as in past in terms of shaping identity
-Post modernists argue pupils can have choice over lvs of femininity and masculinity they can portray

Question 49

Feminism (education) - Gendered subject choices

Answer 49

-When girls given chance to choose subject, choose stereotypically female subjects
-Due to socialisation at home where we are socialised into gender identities
-Subject choices influenced by gender domains (real of imaginary areas seen as male or female) eg physics is seen as a masculine domain whilst childcare is seen as a feminine domain so students choose subjects accordingly

Question 50

Criticisms of gendered subject choices

Answer 50

-Theories such as GIST (girls into science and tech) and WISE (women into science and engineering) introduced to encourage girls to choose traditionally masculine subjects

-Women slowly beginning to turn academic success into world of work e.g some women taking senior positions in society

Question 51

2 Main ideas for education of social democrats

Answer 51

1- Equality of opportunity
2- Positive discrimination

Question 52

Soc democrats –> Equality of opportunity

Answer 52

-Gov should create ‘level playing field’ so everyone has an equal chance to succeed at school

Question 53

Criticism of equality of opportunity

Answer 53

-Debatable whether education can fix inequality in wider society .
-Policy changes help children at school (eg breakfast club, funded school trips) but cannot change how parents’ socialise or motivate children at home

Question 54

Soc democrat - Positive discrimination

Answer 54

-Sup positive discrimination : gov should target schools from disadvantaged backgrounds and provide extra support in schools eg revision sessions , free school meals , breakfast clubs
-State control and regulation Is necessary to protect individual freedoms and ensure all children receive a quality education .

Question 55

Criticism of positive discrimination

Answer 55

-P.discrim may not improve educational achievement e.g free school meals - stigma means many pupils don’t take it bec they worry they’ll be laughed at

Question 56

Lib perspective : 3 points

Answer 56

1- Full potential (Dewey)
2-Positive impact on society (Shultz)
3-Deschooling (Illich)

Question 57

Liberal perspective : Full potential

Answer 57

-Ed should focus on individual rather than society
-Dewey : role of ed is to help students develop full potential
-Supports progressive teaching where students learn through experience and become free and critical thinkers

Question 58

Criticism of full potential idea

Answer 58

N.R :
-Allows pupils to be lazy + doesn’t push brightest students enough
-and expensive

Question 59

Liberal perspective : Positive impact on society

Answer 59

-Capital investment in humans could have same impact as investment in machinery
-If more money = spent on education + individuals are helped to reach full potential , productivity would increase _ extra money would be repaid by extra contribution made to economy in future.

Question 60

Criticism of - positive impact on society

Answer 60

N.R - Spending too much money in education is wasteful

Question 61

Deschooling - Illich

Answer 61

-Illich :
-Should get of mainstream schools and allow students to guide own learning
-Mainstream schools no good bec turn studs into mindless consumers who are ‘spoon fed’
-EXMPLE of school based on liberal thinking : Summerhill
>Children given space to be selves and can play all day if want to (no timetable , can choose any subjects + equals to staff)

Question 62

Criticism of deschooling

Answer 62

-Marxism :
-Schools like summer hill only accessible to middle classes/upper classes.
-Tends to ignore causes of inequality in society

Question 63

Postmodernism on education

Answer 63

-Society chanced and we now live in post-modern society characterised by choice, diversity and individualism
-Look at how ed system is changing to reflect changes in society such as development of new technologies (mobile phones and internet)

Question 64

4 main aspects of postmodernism + education

Answer 64

1- Individualism
2- Technology
3- Choice
4- Globalisation

Question 65

Postmodernism : Individualism

Answer 65

-Ed become inc individualised , tailored to needs + demands of individuals (study online + open uni, wide ranges of courses available)
-Inc wanting to be seen as individuals and not defined through gender , ethnicity or class.

Question 66

Postmodernism : Technology -Usher et al

Answer 66

-Schools increasingly focusing on individuals learning stlyes using new forms of tech emerging
-Reflects postmodern ideas which focus on role of tech in changing the experience of education

Question 67

Postmodernism : Choice - Usher + Taylor

Answer 67

-Postmodern society = characterised by choice + education system offers many different types of schools including faith schools , academies specialist schools and free schools .
-Parents able to ‘shop around’. for best school for children( education become part of our consumer patterns)
-Growth of active consumption - Taylor - students changing (consumer oriented + want instant gratification)
-Types of knowledge learnt shapes our identity (learn knowledge we learn because we find it useful or because we seek the truth)

Question 68

Criticisms of choice

Answer 68

-Apple : Not everyone has choice over schools they attend –> the more money you earn the more choice you have.

-Govs still exercise control over what knowledge is important + increase in emphasis on business/economic knowledge over arts subject
SOOO…apple claims knowledge only useful if can contribute to making money

Question 69

Postmodernism : Globalisation

Answer 69

-Growing interconnectedness of countries all over world –> politicians + education specialists learning much more about education styles in other countries
-EXAMAPLE : Introducing Swedish style free schools (free from state control) offer much more freedom for those who run them
-Skills ppl needs to work changing so it skills becoming more important in education

Question 70

Criticisms of postmodernism : Globalisation

Answer 70

-Govs may still seek to use education to implement sense of value consensus (In USA swearing allegiance to flag) and Soc solidarity rather than being part of a localised society .

Question 71

Criticisms of postmodernism : Globalisation

Answer 71

-Govs may still seek to use education to implement sense of value consensus (In USA swearing allegiance to flag) and Soc solidarity rather than being part of a localised society .

Question 72

Two main components of post fordism

Answer 72

1. Moving out of a forest economy
2. The post fordist economy

Question 73

1. Moving out of a fordist economy

Answer 73

Henry ford - moving assembly line reduced cost of making motor cars so need for workers basically trained and learnt the same info
-Education reform act (conserv 1988) appeared to have numb of fordist elements
-Example : nat curriculum
-Pupils in state schools subjected to standard learning package to prep for work

Question 74

2. Post fordist economy

Answer 74

-Schools should train highly skilled workers to comp in global economy
-SO ed system should focus on quality not quantity
-Could explain move form comprehensives to specialist schools
-New labour more post fordist in attitude
-To comp against upcoming economics : manufacture highly specialised goods
-Students needed to stay in ed longer for higher qualifs

Brown and Launder - companies see profits thru high quality services + consumers have rapidly changing tastes
SO economic success requires highly skilled educated + flexible labour force w. lifelong training
-needed due to rapid tech change making existing skills outta date