Role of education

Question 1

What are the 2 functions that the functionalist Durkheim says education has?

Answer 1

1. Social Solidarity
2. Teaching specialist skills

Question 2

What is meant by the functionalist term social solidarity ?

Answer 2

People want to feel part of a community so school’s transmit the society’s culture from one generation to the next. It acts as a ‘society on miniature’ which prepares us for life in wider society.

Question 3

What does Durkheim mean by teaching specialist skills?

Answer 3

In modern industrial societies, there’s a complex division of labour with a variety of specialist skills required. It teaches students specialist knowledge so that they can play their role social division of labour.

Question 4

Who says that school is a focal socialising agency?

Answer 4

Parsons

Question 5

What is meant by the term focal socialising agency?

Answer 5

School bridges the gap between home and wider societies you’re taught different skills than you are at home that are required in society.

Question 6

What are particularistic standards ?

Answer 6

Standards that only apply to 1 specific person

Question 7

What is a universalistic standard ?

Answer 7

standards/ expectations that are impersonal and apply to everyone

Question 8

Where does parsons say that particularistic standards are seen?

Answer 8

Within the family, standards that apply to their children, they have an ascribed status

Question 9

Where does parsons say that universalistic standards can be seen?

Answer 9

School-
The standards that wider society judges everyone by, status is largely achieved

EG- in school all children do the same exams and their grades are determined by home much work they have put into them.

Question 10

Who’s talks about the school being meritocratic and what does this mean?

Answer 10

Parsons says that schools are meritocratic meaning everyone has the same access to opportunities and rewards through your own efforts and ability.

• both school and society are based on meritocratic principles

Question 11

What perspective are Davis and Moore from and what do they say?

Answer 11

Functionalists - Role allocation

schools help to ‘sift and sort’ pupils into their best suited role based on aptitude and ability

Inequality is inevitable - Not everyone is equally as talented to they shouldn’t be rewarded the same (same wages) or this would put people off taking part in jobs that require extra skills

Question 12

What is AO3 for the functionalist view on the role of education ?

Answer 12

Bowles and Gintis - Myth of meritocracy

Interactionists - functionalists presume that we are all puppets and don’t take into account that some people go against the norms and values in society

Marxists - Functionalists argue that education instills shared harmony through shared values. However, its from ideology imposed by the minority dominant class

Question 13

What does neoliberalism say about the education system ?

Answer 13

Economic doctrine that says that the state shouldn’t provide education. Instead a free market should operate where competition is present which will drive up the standards. Education should help the country compete in the global market place.

Question 14

What does the New right say about education?

Answer 14

The state cannot meet the needs of its members so people are best left to their own needs in a free market. They favour marketisation

• 1988 Education reform act - Marketisation

Question 15

What are similarities between the new right and functions view on the role of education?

Answer 15

• People are more naturally talented than others
• Favour meritocratic principles
• Education should serve the needs of the economy by preparing young people for work
• Education should socialise pupils into shared values eg. competition

Question 16

What are differences between the New right and functionalist view on the role of education?

Answer 16

• New right don’t think that the current education system is working as its run by the state as:
• it takes a 1 size fits all approach which disregards local needs
• Schools are unresponsive and inefficient
• Schools that waste money and get low grades are not answerable to the consumer- lowers standards and less qualified workforce

Question 17

What does the new right believe is the solution to fixing the current education system ?

Answer 17

Marketisation of the education system

Question 18

What perspective do Chubb and Moe speak from and what do they say?

Answer 18

New right perspective

Education system in America has failed because its not created equal opportunities and failed disadvantaged groups. Found that pupils from low income families do around 5% better when attending private education as opposed to state run education - free market should be introduced - allow consumers to shape schools to meet their needs

Family given a voucher to ‘spend’ on their Childs education which would force schools to compete to attract pupils as this would be their main source of income.