Key studies Role of Education (Functionalism)

Question 1

According to Bernstein (1961) what was the vital task of the education system?

Answer 1

• ‘the welding of a mass of individuals into a united whole’
• people from all backgrounds need to form a united society

Question 2

According to Durkheim what is the best way to create a united society of people from different backgrounds?

Answer 2

• teach subjects
  > history, (so they feel more connected and seen as part of something bigger)
  > English (learn a common language)
• having a national curriculum which instils norms/values of all races/religions.

Question 3

What does Durkheim believe the function of social institutions is?

Answer 3

• promote/maintain social cohesion/unity

Question 4

According to Durkheim (1925) how does education promote Social solidarity?

Answer 4

• through learning social rules of behaviour of a society from one gen to another
• helps unite all individuals in society, creates sense of belonging/commitment to society

Question 5

How does education promote Cooperation?

Answer 5

• through learning of social rules of behaviour, backed by sanctions
• people socialised to become effective workers

Question 6

According to Durkheim (1925) what does education develop to benefit society?

Answer 6

• all special/specific skills needed in society for specialist jobs
  e. g. literacy, numeracy/cooperation

Question 7

What did Durkheim (1925) see as the main role of education?

Answer 7

• the transmission of norms/values of society

Question 8

How did Durkheim (1925) view schools?

Answer 8

• societies in miniature = individuals learn to interact with others/follow fixed rules
• prepares for later life when individuals have to get on with others/adhere to societal rules

Question 9

According to Durkheim what is moral responsibility in education?

Answer 9

• how we treat each other
  e. g. prevent strategies (gov) (tolerance/respect, British values, cyberbullying awareness)
• argues education should emphasise it

Question 10

What is moral education?

Answer 10

• helping individuals to acquire a set of beliefs and values regarding what is right and wrong
• guides behaviours towards others/environment

Question 11

What did Durkheim want education to be seen as?

Answer 11

• an agency of secondary socialisation

Question 12

According to Durkheim what is one of the primary functions of education in industrialised society?

Answer 12

• socialise people into instrumental relationships (relations based on what you do can benefit you)

Question 13

According to Durkheim what are the two basic functions of education?

Answer 13

• prepare individuals for roles they’ll play in adult life
• promote social solidarity (unity) :
  > understanding the world
  > experience collective behaviour by secondary socialisation

Question 14

What does Durkheim conclude?

Answer 14

• family charged with functions of basic primary socialisation/developments of individual personalities
• education charged with forging those personalities into a wider sense of social solidarity based on instrumental bonds

Question 15

What does Parsons stress in addition to what Durkheim argues?

Answer 15

• education has significant role in allocating individuals to their social roles
• for society to function properly must be an agreement about values (value consensus)

Question 16

According to Parsons how are individuals allocated their roles?

Answer 16

• Through a meritocracy (idea that everyone has equal opportunity for achievements or position/reward based on effort/ability)

Question 17

What standard is socialised within the family?

Answer 17

• particularistic standards (children treated as particular individuals)

Question 18

What standard is socialised within school?

Answer 18

• universalistic standards (children judged according to standards that apply equally to everybody)

Question 19

What is ascribed status?

Answer 19

• in families status fixed by birth

Question 20

What is achieved status?

Answer 20

• society as a whole status based in merit = status being achieved

Question 21

According to Parsons (1961) what are the three main functions of education?

Answer 21

• bridge between family and wider society
• socialises children into basic values of society
• selects people for their future roles in society

Question 22

According to Parsons (1961) What does the education system represent?

Answer 22

• one of a number of inter-related/inter-dependent institutions in society
• each institutions (education, family…) preform different functions

Question 23

According to Parsons (1961) what is the needs of work?

Answer 23

• trained people (literate/numerate)
• socialised people
• specific skills (technical/practical)

Question 24

According to Parsons (1961) what was the purpose of the family?

Answer 24

• primary socialisation
• basic literacy/numeracy
• care/comfort

Question 25

According to Parsons (1961) what was the purpose of education?

Answer 25

- secondary socialisation - vocational training (low level) - academic training (higher level) - selection of individuals (adult role allocation)

Question 26

According to Parsons (1961) how does education benefit society?

Answer 26

- develops/co-ordinates human resources - selects individuals on basis of ability (meritocracy) - develops social cohesion through secondary socialisation (socialising individuals into core social values)

Question 27

According to Parsons how does the education system arise to fill 'social need'?

Answer 27

- socialising individuals into basic needs of workplace > punctuality > routines > respect for authority figure > development of varying levels of responsibility/initiative

Question 28

What does Parsons conclude?

Answer 28

- education should socialise people young people into consensus agreement - schools should be meritocratic (equality of opportunity)

Question 29

According to Davis/Moore ( 1945) what is the main function of education?

Answer 29

- role allocation (education system sifts/sorts people according to their abilities/qualifications, so important jobs are allocated to most abled people) - based on meritocracy

Question 30

According to Davis/Moore (1945) how is education beneficial to society?

Answer 30

- most important jobs are very rewarding = motivating those to work hard to achieve these positions

Question 31

According to Davis/Moore (1945) what does education ensure?

Answer 31

- competent people fulfil the important roles within society/motivated to work hard

Question 32

What does Davis argue?

Answer 32

- education is the proving ground for ability, hence the selective agency for placing people in different statuses according to abilities

Question 33

What does Davis/Moore (1945) argue?

Answer 33

- for modern industrialised society to develop successfully it is necessary for most able/talented to take on most functionally important adult roles in workplace

Question 34

What does Blau/Duncan (1978) argue?

Answer 34

- modern economy depends for its prosperity on using 'human capital' (workers skills) - meritocratic system does this best, enables each person allocated the best job for their abilities