Parsons On Education

Question 1

Parsons- secondary socialisation

Answer 1

Developed Durkheims theory further and suggests secondary socialisation
Education acts as a bridge between home and society- need for value consensus
Particularistic to universal values (those specific to the individual)
Ascribed status to achieved status (for example meritocracy)
Should promote collectivism to individualism

Question 2

How does education achieve this

Answer 2

• hidden or informal curriculum (hierarchy, uniform, rewards)
• norms and values of school
• assessments
• competition between students (collectivism to individualism)

Question 3

How can this be applied to contemporary society

Answer 3

• school uniform policies
• disciplinary of policies of schools
• OFSTED- cultural capital
• social, moral, spiritual and cultural education (part of the hidden curriculum)

Question 4

Criticisms

Answer 4

Marxists: hidden curriculum prepared students for exploitation- transmits values of capitalism

Post-modernists: fragmented nature of society means socialisation by various agents

Clash of working-class and middle-class values in education leads to underachievement