key studies-The role and function of education

Question 1

Durkheim-functionalist

Answer 1

Durkheim identified two main functions of education :
creating social solidarity and teaching specialist skills.
Durkheim argues that society needs a sense of
solidarity and also argues that without social solidarity social life and cooperation would be impossible because each individual would pursue their own selfish desires.
Durkheim also argues that education teaches individuals the specialist knowledge and skills that they need to play part in the social division of labour

Question 2

parsons-functionalists

Answer 2

sees school as ‘focal socilaising agency’ in modern scoiety, acting as a bridge between ducation and socila inequality.This bridge is needed because family and society operate on different principles, so children need to learn a new way of livivng if they are to cope with the wider world.

Question 3

Davis and moore-functionalists

Answer 3

see education as a device for selection and role allocation. They focus on the relationship between education and social inequality. They argue that inequality is neccersary to ensure that the most important roles in society are filled by the most talented people.

Question 4

Chubb and Moe- new right

Answer 4

they are argue that the state run in america has failed because:

• it has not created equal oppportunity and has failed the needs of the disadvantaged groups
• it is inefficient because it fails to produce pupils with skills needed by the economy
• prvate schools deliver high quality education because, unlike state schools, they are answerable to paying concumers -the parents

Question 5

Althusser- marxist

Answer 5

argues the state consists of two elements or apparatuses, both of which serve the bourgeoise in power:
the repressive state apparatus: which maintain the force of the bourgeoise by force of threat by it includes police
the ideoological state apparatus: which maintain the rule of the bourgeoise by contolling peoples ideasvalues and beliefs.include religion , media

Question 6

Bowles and Gintis- marxist

Answer 6

argue that there are close parallels between schooling and work in capatalist society.Both schools and work places are hierachies, with headteachersor bosses at the top making decisions. school mirrows the workplace

Question 7

willis- marxist

Answer 7

study of wc boys in the midlands area who misbehaved and had a negative view on education and had formed an anit school subculture. this arugues against durkheim as willis concluded that school was not working very well as an agent of socialisation

Question 8

What does social solidarity mean

Answer 8

Part of a community. Society working together

Question 9

What does focal socialising agency

Answer 9

Parsons - bridge between the family and wider society

Question 10

What does pluralistic standards mean

Answer 10

Rules that apply to one child this can be in both school and wider society , a persons status is largely achieved not ascribed

Question 11

What are universities standards

Answer 11

In wider society where rules apply to everyone such as in schools children are judged by a clear measure of achievement

Question 12

What does meritocracy mean

Answer 12

Where you achieve rewards through your own efforts

Question 13

What does society in miniature mean

Answer 13

How school prepares us for life in wider society

Question 14

What new right and neoliberals argue

Answer 14

Argue that the state shouldn’t provide services such as education and health. They believe in competition

Question 15

What are the similarities between neoliberals and functionalism

Answer 15

• both believe that some people are more naturally talented
• favour these education system running on meritocratic principles
• believe that education should be competitive
• believe that students should be socialised with shared values and national identity

Question 16

What are the differences between new right and functionalists

Answer 16

• new right do not believe that the current education system is achieving these goals
• this is because education is still run by the state
• believe that schools should be marketised

Question 17

Criticisms AO3 of schools

Answer 17

• Post modernist argue that schools now produce diversity, not inequality
• pupils have free will can reject the school ideology
• feminists argue that schools also produce patriarchy

Question 18

what is the capitalist class in Marxism

Answer 18

‘bourgeoisie’- the minority, employers who own the means of business eg land. Make profits by exploiting labour of the working class

Question 19

what is the working class in marxism

Answer 19

‘proletariat’- forced to sell labour power. Own no means of production, poorly paid and work in jobs which are underpaid and unsatisfying

Question 20

Althusser

Answer 20

the ideological state apparatus. ways that the bourgeoisie keep on power.

Question 21

what is the RSA

Answer 21

repressive state apparatus:force and threats eg police courts and army

Question 22

what is the ISA

Answer 22

ideological state apparatus: controlling peoples ideas eg religion media and education

Question 23

why is education ISA

Answer 23

1: reproduces class inequality, fails WC pupils from generation to generation
2: legitimates (justifies) class inequality disguising their true cause eg persuades people to accept their position

Question 24

Bowles and Gintis

Answer 24

schooling in capitalist america:

• capitalism requires a work force with certain attitudes accept handwork,orders and law pay
• they see this as the role of education system, reproduce obedient work force
• schools reward obedient and submissive behaviour

Question 25

what is the correspondence principle

Answer 25

close parallels between school and capitalist society. Education mirrors the work place. operation through the ‘hidden curriculum’ outside of lessons

Question 26

what is ‘hidden curriculum’

Answer 26

all things learnt without being formally taught and often acquired simply through everyday working of school such as attitudes of obedience and competitiveness

Question 27

evaluation of functionalist perspective

Answer 27

• durkheim= education doesn’t teach specialist skills adequately
• equal opportunity in school doesn’t exist for example class back ground
• neoliberals and new right= argue that the state education system fails to prepare young people adequately for work

Question 28

evaluation of new right perspective

Answer 28

• marxist=doesn’t produce shared culture

- Gerwitz and Ball= competition between schools only benefits middle class

Question 29

evaluation of marxist approaches

Answer 29

• post modernists argue that education now reproduces diversity not inequality
• Bowles and Gintis= assume pupils have no free will and passively accept indoctrination

Question 30

ball and whitty

Answer 30

note how marketisation policies such as exam league tables and the funding formula reproduces class inequalities by creating inequalities between schools.

Question 31

Barlett

Answer 31

notes how league tables encourage 'cream skimming'- 'good' schools can be more selective ( recruit high achieving, mainly middle class pupils) 
'silt- shifting'= 'good' can avoid taking less able students who will get bad results and damage league tables

Question 32

Gerwitz

Answer 32

parental choice: Gerwitz found that differences in parents economic and cultural capital leads to differences in choices of secondary schools:
1- privileged skilled choosers
2- disconnected local choosers
3- semi skilled choosers

Question 33

David

Answer 33

marketisation (claim ) encourages diversity between schools gives parents more choice and raise standards. Also describes marketised education as a parentocracy. Parentocracy - power shifts away from schools