Role and Function of the Education System - 3.1 Flashcards
General Functionalist View
> +ve = VC, SS, teaches key norms & values
Functionalism & Education (KS)
> Durkheim (Socialisation & SS)
Parsons (UV & PV & Meritocracy)
Davis & Moore (Role Allocation)
Blau & Duncan (Human Capital)
Durkheim (Socialisation & SS)
> Edu = society in miniature learn specialist skills 4 workplace
> SS e.g. PSHE instill shared heritage/commitment 2 social group - ethnocentric
Parsons (UV & PV & Meritocracy)
> Skl bridge v family (PV) & wider society (UV)
> Meritocratic = social mobility, all w/= chance
Davis & Moore (Role Allocation)
> Sieve analogy e.g. + capable students, allocated 2 jobs based on qualifications
> ≠ needed 2 motivate hard work - social contacts e.g. old boys network
Blau & Duncan (Human Capital)
> Skills. talents, creativity, making us eco asset to society
> Allow flexible wrkforce & puts in job, best suited 2 maximises talents /productivity.
A03 Functionalism (KS)
> Wong (Interactionist)
Hargreaves
Interactionists
Wong (A03 Functionalism) (KS)
> Not all ppl puppets, accept everything taught e.g. rebel
Hargreaves (A03 Functionalism) (KS)
> Individualism > shared values
General Marxist view
> Reproduces/legitimates ≠ - works in interest of capitalism
Marxist (KS)
> Althusser (ISA, Reproduction/Legitimization of ≠)
> Bowles & Ginits (Correspondence Principle)
> Hidden Curriculum
> Willis (ASS)
Hidden Curriculum
> Unwritten rules, values/ behaviour expected 2 conform 2
> e.g. work ethic, competition - but not really hidden
>
- skl ethos e.g. emphasis on academic success e.g. grammar
Althusser (ISA & Legitimization of Inequality)
> Skl, brainwash us 2 accept exploitation - spreads dominant belief of capitalism
> e.g. myth of meritocracy > failure own fault > system fair
> Controls WC > feel had fair chance - likely 2 rebel
= revolution
Reproduction of Inequality
Fails each generation of WC pupils, ensuring they end up in same position as parents.
Explain Bowles and Ginits ideas on the Correspondence Principle
- Belief education mirrors workplace in a capitalist society, to prepare WC for manual jobs.
Briefly outline 4 Examples of how School corresponds to exploitative nature of the workplace
- Passive subservience of pupils to teachers = Passive subservience of workers to managers.
- Alienation: Pupils lack control over education = workers lack control over production.
- Motivation by external rewards (grades not learning) = being motivated by wages not joy of the job
- Fragmentation
Explain the idea of Fragmentation in relation to the Correspondence Principle
> Only teach you a little bit of everything at school = workplace
> Where employees only taught a little bit about company as employers fearful if they tell them too much, they’ll take advantage and set up competition vs them.
Explain Paul Willis’s Study of the Lads ASS
> Consist of students who rebel vs school.
> Develop delinquent attitudes vs academic aims, of a school.
> Desired manual work, believed it was proper work.
> Jobs earholes would get were all same and pointless.
What values did the Lads in Willis Study have?
- Lads felt superior to teachers and other pupils
- Didn’t care about work, more to ‘having a laff’
- Tried to bunk as many lessons as possible = status in the group
How is Willis Study of the Lads’ attitudes Ironic?
Irony is by resisting school’s ideology, ASS guarantees they’ll fail, ending up in manual work, working in favour of capitalism.
A03 Marxism Sociologists
> Postmodernist > Post-Fordism > Radical Feminism > McRobbie > Interactionist > Giroux > Floud and Martin > Saunders > Morrow and Torres
How does the Postmodernist undermine Marxist Theories of Education (AO3)
Marxism is outdated, correspondence principles no longer operates, where Marxist see inequality, there’s really diversity and choice.
How does the Post-Fordism undermine Marxist Theories of Education (AO3)
- Believes correspondence principle no longer operates.
- Education’s responsive to the needs of individuals, workplace no longer needs passive workers.
- It needs creative workforce able to use technology.
How does Radical Feminism undermine Marxist Theories of Education (AO3)
Reproduces patriarchy.
How does McRobbie undermine Marxist Theories of Education (AO3)
Females are absent from Willis’s study and 12 boys is unrepresentative.
How does Interactionist undermine Marxist Theories of Education (AO3)
Say they’re too deterministic, pupils don’t passively accept values, some reject and rebel vs them
How does Giroux (Neo Marxist) undermine Marxist Theories of Education (AO3)
- Don’t believe WC are passive robots to employers, and accept everything they’re taught
- So not entirely molded by capitalist system
- Believes theories e.g. correspondence principle are too deterministic.
- Existence of ASS, Truancy and Exclusion show hidden curriculum and correspondence principle as failed.
How does Floud and Martin undermine Marxist Theories of Education (AO3)
- Exaggerate effect education system has on WC achievement
- Say Gov policies e.g. comprehensives improved opportunities for WC
How does Saunder undermine Marxist Theories of Education (AO3)
- Claim MC educational success due to biological differences.
How does Morrow and Torres undermine Marxist Theories of Education (AO3)
- In postmodernist society, Students create own identities rather than being influenced by class,
- e.g. increasing NO of trans-students.
Outline a Key NR Thinkers and what they advocate?
> Chubb and Moe (Voucher System)
What 2 things does New Right believe in?
Marketisation and Parentocracy
What is the problem with the state running of Education according to NR?
> State can’t meet ppl’s needs.
> Education inevitably ends up as ‘1 size fits all’ not meeting individual and community needs, or need 4 employers to have skilled workers.
> State Run - Schools with bad results aren’t answerable to consumers, result is lower standards and unqualified workforce.
Define Marketisation of Education
Process of introducing market forces of consumer choice and competition into education system.
What happens in Marketisation of Education?
> Schools run like business, competing for pupils.
> Rather than pupils going school in local catchment area.
> Schools that get most pupils will get extra funding.
What are the Benefits of Marketisation of Education?
> Skl’s answerable to parents, as they have to be more efficient as they’re competing with other schools.
> Introduction of League Table and Ofsted Report give parents more info to choose right school and provides incentive, for schools to work harder.
What were Chubb and Moe’s findings in relation to Education?
> Stats show kids from WC families do better in private schools, so state education, not meritocratic.
> Parents can’t do anything about failing schools, controlled by state.
> Private Schools have better quality education as they’re answerable to paying customers.
What did Chubb and Moe propose the intro of?
> So they proposed intro of a voucher system, giving control to parents, where each family will be given voucher to buy education from school of their choice.
What is the benefits of the Voucher System?
Vouchers skl’s only source of income, incentivising them to provide quality education.
Explain the Limited of Role of the State in Education, what should do they still be responsible for, according to New Right?
> Commissions Educational Services putting them up for contract and deciding which private bidder gets the contract.
> Set targets and monitor performance to ensure private providers meet certain standards e.g. Ofsted inspections
> Set National Curriculum all schools must teach
How do Functionalist and New Right views on Education compare?
> Believe some ppl are naturally more talented than others
> Agree education should be run on meritocratic principles of open competition.
> And education should socialize pupils into shared values and provide a sense of national identity.
Outline the Criticisms of the New Right view of Education?
> Gewirtz: Restrictions on Parental Choice
> Low Educational Standards, due to inadequate funding of state school, not state running
> Marxist argue education, imposes values of ruling class, not shared national identity
> National Curriculum too ethnocentric and restrictive on teachers and schools
