Role of Education Flashcards
1
Q
(FUNCTIONALIST) name + explain Functionalist’s 3 core values
A
- organic analogy: all social institutions work together to form society
- macro/ structural: if a social institution fails, it will affect the others
- consensus theory: as long as social institutions continue, it will positively impact individuals
2
Q
(FUNC.) what are Durkheim’s 2 main roles of education
A
- creating social solidarity
- teaching specialist skills
3
Q
(FUNC.) outline Durkheim’s concept of social solidarity
A
- social solidarity is needed to ensure the continuity of society
- education helps this need by transmitting society’s shared culture, belies + values to each gen.
- e.g. teaching a country’s history instils s sense of shared heritage
- ind.’s have to learn to cooperate with all types of people according to a set of rules that apply to everyone
- school is a microcosm of society; in school and wider society
4
Q
(FUNC.) outline Durkheim’s concept of specialist skills
A
- modern industry requires specialist skills
- social solidarity is largely based off the interdependence of specialised skills - e.g. the manufacture of a single product requires the special skills of ind.
- education teaches people the specialist knowledge + skills needed to play their part in the social division of labour
- education can help this as it teaches you different subjects from which specialist skills can be gained
5
Q
(FUNC.) what are the AO3 evaluations of Durkheim
A
- private schools give more opportunities that aren’t available in state schools which gives the middle + upper classes specialist skills
- Marxists: the norms + values being promoted are beneficial to only the mc as they teach m/c norms
6
Q
(FUNC.) what does Parsons say is the role of education
A
- education offers a bridge between the family and wider society, it est. universal standards in terms of which pupils achieve their status
- within the fam/ in primary socialisation, children are judged by particularistic standards. in wider society: we are treated + judged by universalistic standards
7
Q
(FUNC.) what does Parsons mean by meritocracy in education
A
- meritocracy = the ability to rise / fall in achievement based on merit/ effort put in when given equality of opportunity
8
Q
(FUNC.) what does Parsons mean by role allocation in education
A
- the education system is important for the selection of individuals fur their future role in society
- by testing + evaluating students, schools match their skills to the jobs for which they are best suited
9
Q
(FUNC.) what is an AO3 evaluations of Parsons
A
- Marxists + Feminists: Myth of Meritocracy - equal opportunities don’t exist - factors like gender, class and ethnicity allow for discrimination
10
Q
(FUNC.) what does Davis + Moore say about the role of education
A
- Davis + Moore: education is a device for selection + role allocation
- inequality is necessary to ensure that the most important social roles are filled by the most talented people
- education acts as the selective agency + proving ground for sorting people into their roles (role allocation)
11
Q
(FUNC.) what does Blau + Duncan say about the role of education
A
- human capital/ labour/ skill is necessary for capitalist states to survive
- a meritocratic education system enables each person to be allocated to their suited role (meritocracy + role allocation)
12
Q
(FUNC.) whats AO3 evaluation of role allocation + meritocracy theorists (Parsons + Davis & Moore + Blau & Duncan)
A
- role allocation occurs before school starts
- meritocracy is a myth as privately educated people are the majority in the top jobs - role allocation allows this
13
Q
(Neo L + New Right) what is Neo Liberalism
A
- Neo Liberalism: an economic principle that argues the state shouldn’t provide resources like education, health care and welfare to the public
- competition, privatisation and a market economy should be encouraged
14
Q
(Neo L + New Right) outline the New Right theory + views on education system
A
- is a conservative political view that is inspired by neo- liberal ideas
- the current education system doesn’t function effectively to achieve a market system
- the reason for failure is due to education being run by the state - the state imposes its views on how schools should be run which overlooks the needs of consumers
15
Q
(New Right + FUNC) outline the 3 ideological similarities between the NR + FUNC views
A
- both believe that some are naturally more talented than others
- both favour an education system run on meritocratic principles like competition + prepping young people for work
- both believe education should teach social solidarity
16
Q
(New Right + FUNC) what is the key difference between the NR + FUNC views
A
- NR doesn’t believe the current education system is achieving the goals (e.g. social solidarity) due to it being run by the state
17
Q
(Neo L + New Right) outline the concept of market systems
A
- market systems = a network of consumers who come together to use a given product or service
- they are driven by individuals making decisions about what to consume
- due to this choice, providers of goods cater to the preferences of the consumers. if they fail to do so, consumers can look elsewhere for this product or service
- this idea of MS are mirrored in schools
18
Q
(Neo L + New Right) outline the marketisation of education
A
- education needs to be run like a business in which they market themselves to give greater control + choice to consumers
- schools need to attract as many parents as possible in order to receive funding (funding formula)
- this marketisation is done through open days, league tables, prospectus etc
19
Q
(Neo L + New Right) outline the AO3 evaluation of marketisation
A
- there’s a limited amount of places in top schools - pupils who are w/c, BAME, disabled are less likely to get in - there isn’t equal choice for all
- there’s not actual choice of consumers due to things like catchment areas - which limit the school choice of poorer people - best schools are in wealthier areas
- cream skimming of best students can lead to sink schools
- marketisation can mean that schools are more concerned with the appeal of schools rather than the quality of it
20
Q
(Neo L + New Right) what do Chubb + Moe say about state schools
A
- US state run schools have failed because;
- it hasn’t created equal opportunity + failed the needs of disadvantaged groups
- fails to produce workers with the skills needed by the economy
- private schools deliver high quality education because they answer to the consumers (parents’) needs
- they want market systems in schools to put the control in the consumers - thus improving quality
21
Q
(Neo L + New Right) what are the 2 roles of the education system
A
- framework of operation: things that help parents make their informed choice as consumers, e.g. league tables, OFSTED
- teaches a shared culture: the National Curriculum is set by the schools to guarantee that schools socialise pupils into a shared culture of British values
22
Q
outline 3 AO3 evaluations of the Neo L + New Right view
A
- Gewirtz + Ball: competition between schools benefits only the MC, who can use their cultural + economic capitals
- Marxists: education doesn’t impose a shared culture, but a culture of a dominant ruling class
- the real cause of low educational standards isn’t state control but social inequality + inadequate funding of schools
23
Q
(Marx.) outline Marxist key values
A
- structural: structures in society can (negatively) affect individuals
- conflict: there are class conflicts
24
Q
(Marx.) what are Marxist’s 2 main roles of education
A
- reproduces class inequality: teaches hierarchy, meritocracy, obedience. transmits that school system is a fair system
- legitimises/ allow inequality: disguises the true cause of education - to produce obedient, punctual workers who accept their subordinate position
25
(Marx.) outline Althusser's idea of the bourgeoisie rule
- ideological state apparatus (ISA): maintains the rule of the bourgeoisie by controlling people's ideas, values and beliefs. e.g. religion, media, education
- repressive state apparatus (RSA): maintains the rule of the bourgeoisie by physical force - to repress w/c. e.g. law, court, police
26
(Marx.) outline Althusser's idea of how schools ideologically control us
- transmit ideology: transmits m/c norms, values, ideas of hierarchy + autocracy, meritocracy to reinforce the status quo
- preparation for future roles: gives qualifications - w/c get lower, m/c get higher
27
(Marx.) outline Bowes + Gintis' idea of the correspondence principle
- in the education system, there is a correspondence between schools and work; e.g.
- students - workers; those lowest in the hierarchy
- staff - managers: supervises workers/ students
- headteacher - boss: a dictator figure who controls those lower in the power hierarchy
- the CP operates through the hidden curriculum
- through this, school preps WC pupils to be exploited workers of the future, thus perpetuating class inequality inter-generationally
28
(Marx.) outline Bowes + Gintis' idea of the hidden curriculum
- the hidden curriculum are the things that pupils learn through the experiences of attending school, rather than the states educational aims
- it helps to reproduce inequality
29
(Marx.) give 2 examples of how the hidden curriculum's to achieve control
- to produce a passive, uncritical and docile work force; disobedience is punished and compliance, punctuality is rewarded
- to encourage the acceptance of hierarchy; teachers with varying degrees of authority may deal with disobedience more/less common. also, students must never challenge teachers' authority
30
(Marx.) outline Bowes + Gintis' idea of myths in the education system
- education is a myth-making-machine which serves to legitimise inequalities through the following 2 myths:
- education is the only route to success in employment
- myth of meritocracy: to prevent a revolt, education makes it seem as though the privileges of the higher class has come from fair competition, making the w/c accept inequality
31
(Marx.) outline the AO3 evaluation of Bowles + Gintis
- B+G assume pupils have no free will and passively accept indoctrination
- postmodernists: todays post-Fordist economy requires schools to reproduce diversity - not inequality
- Reynolds: the popularity of sociology in Britain shows that education doesn't necessarily produce unthinking workers
32
(Marx.) outline Willis' ideas
- Willis criticises traditional Marxism
- w/c pupils can resist indoctrination
- education isn't a successful agency of socialisation
- rejects the view that there is a direct link between the economy + education
- pupil disobedience in school is evidence that not all pupils are brainwashed
33
(Marx.) outline Willis' idea of the Lad's counter school culture
- counter school culture still produces workers who are easily exploited
- these lads looked forward to future manual work in which they are also exploited due to the inferior pay, work conditions and skill needed - capitalism needs someone to work the worst jobs (role allocation)
- the lads view manual labour as masculine and looks down on men aspiring for non manual, white collar jobs
34
(Marx.) outline the AO3 evaluation of Willis
- his small scale study of 12 boys isn't representative
- Willis' account of the lads romanticises them as WC heroes despite their sexist and anti social behaviour
35
(Marx.) outline the ideas of Post Fordism and Postmodernism
- is a critique (AO3) of the correspondence principle
- post Fordism argues that education is moving towards being customised for the individual - it gives us transferable skills
- PMs argue that Marx + Func are outdated theories in our post Fordist economy
36
what is a social action theory
- believes that structures don't shape individuals, but individuals shape the structures, as we posses free will and can act in ways that influence structures
37
outline feminist key values
- conflict focuses on the exploitation of women by men
- structural: social structures (e.g. family, education, CJS) can directly impact individuals
38
(essay structure) what are the 5 Functionalist themes for the role of education
- social solidarity
- specialist skills
- meritocracy
- bridge (particularistic vs universalistic norms)
- role allocation
39
(essay structure) what are the 2 New Right themes for the role of education
- consumer choice
- marketisation
40
(essay structure) what are the 6 Marxist themes for the role of education
- class divisions
- ISA/ RSA
- correspondence principle
- hidden curriculum
- myth of meritocracy
- counter culture
