Intro to education Flashcards
FUNCTIONALISM
What are the 2 functions Emile Durkheim believes the education system performs? Explain?
1) Creating social solidarity
- schools acts as a ‘society in miniature’ by preparing students for wider life in society.
2) Teaching specialist skills
- education teaches the specialist knowledge + skills needed to play our part in the workforce.
FUNCTIONALISM
Define meritocracy?
What do David and Moore say about role allocation?
Define role allocation?
1) success is based on hard work (merit) - anyone can achieve their status.
2) David + Moore argue that schools fullfill a function of selecting + allocating pupils to future roles in relation to work.
3) Role allocation = assessing individuals + assigning them to a job they are most suited for.
FUNCTIONALISM
Strengths of the functionalist view? (1)
Weaknesses? (1)
1) highlights the importance of hard work = success.
2) doesn’t take into account people with disabilities.
MARXISM
Describe Althusser’s ideological state apparatus?
What are the 2 functions marxism believes education performs?
1) Maintains the rules of the bourgeoise by controlling people’s ideas/beliefs through education/media/religion.
2)
- Education reproduces class inequality: by failing the W.C. generation by generation
- Education legitimates class inequality: through production of an ideology to persuade workers that inequality is inevitable.
MARXISM
What did Bowles + Gintis believe about education?
What did they find?
Criticism of their work?
1) the education system creates an obedient workforce that will be passive + accept inequality as they believe this is what a capitalist society needs.
2) they found that those who showed independence + creativity achieved lower grades. They were rewarded for this art/drama/music.
3) outdated.
MARXISM
What is the correspondence principle?
What is the hidden curriculum?
Examples? (4)
1) The idea that in a capitalist society, there are parallels between the expectations of schools + workforce.
- schools mirrors the workplace through norms + values taught.
2) The skills learnt in school that are not formally taught but acquired through the daily workings of the day.
- Authority
- External rewards
- The fragmentation of subjects
- Competition
MARXISM
How does social class play into education?
What did Paul Willis research?
What did Willis find?
1) social class is the biggest influence in educational achievement.
2) Willis studied W.C. lads who had negative attitudes to academic work + formed anti-school subcultures.
3) he found similarities between the lads + manual workers
- the lads don’t expect satisfaction from work so don’t aspire for more.
- they’re attitudes guarantee them unskilled jobs + they fail to gain higher qualifications for a better job.
MARXISM
Strengths?
Weaknesses?
1) useful approach - ‘myth of meritocracy’ supports ‘ideological state apparatus’ and how capitalism reproduces + justifies inequalities.
2) Post modernists would argue they only focus social class + ignore other inequalities (such as ethnicity, sexuality, gender).
NEW RIGHT + NEO-LIBERALISM
What does neo-liberalism believe?
What does the new right believe? (examples)
1) believe competition between businesses should be encouraged + schools should be run this way (political outlook).
2) believe in the marketisation of schools (economic outlook).
- reduce state spending.
- introduction of free market principles into life.
NEW RIGHT + NEO-LIBERALISM
Strengths of Neo-liberalism? (2)
Weaknesses? (1)
1)
- individual freedom
- efficiency (business try maximise profit)
2)
- lack of government run services
NEW RIGHT + NEO-LIBERALISM
Describe the social policy?
How do they propose this works? (4 examples)
1) Neo-libs believe governments should play a reduced role in managing the economy + controlling their lives.
2)
- Deregulation: removing restrictions.
- Fewer protections for workers + the environment (min wages/permenant contracts)
- Privitisation: selling government services to private companies
- Cut taxes (no welfare)
NEW RIGHT + NEO-LIBERALISM
What are the 2 roles the state should play according to New Right?
Strengths?
Weaknesses?
1) The state should compose a framework where school have to compete (ofsted)
- the state should ensure schools transmit values that ensure social solidarity in society
2) increased pressure on schools to perform better - improves opportunities for disadvantages students.
3) schools competition only benefits M.C. as they use their cultural capital + economical capital to take the advantage of the best schools.
