role of education

Question 1

what’s the functionalist perspective on the role of education

Answer 1

education performs positive functions for society + i9ndividuals socialising new members of society and by helping to create and sustain social solidarity.

Question 2

functionalism is a …. view of society

Answer 2

conservative

Question 3

which functionalist discuss the role of education

Answer 3

Durkheim, Parsons, Davis and Moore

Question 4

what are durkhiems 2 functions of education

Answer 4

-promote social solidarity: (transmits social norms + values, binds ppl together to cooperate) e.g. singing national anthem (teaches children to follow university rules essential to corporate in society)

-education prepares young ppl for work
(thru specialist skills)

Question 5

what dies parson argue schools main function

Answer 5

argues school is the ‘focal socialising agency’ of modern society.
AND meritocracy.

Question 6

parsons secondary socliasation:
what does school teach

Answer 6

teachers universal standards and acts as a bridge between family and wider society. in particular it socilases individuals into shared values of a meroitic society.

Question 7

Parsons:
what is a meritocratic society based on
(2)

Answer 7

1. individual achievement
   teaches status thru own efforts n abilities. not where u come form but w hate u can do that gives u that position in society.

2.equal opportunity
for everyone to achieve their full potential.

Argue school is society in miniature.
includes these meritocratic ideas.
indiviuadals succeed or fail depending one their own ability n effort, prepares them fir life in modern society which is competitive and individualistic.

Question 8

what did Davis and Moore say abt function of education
(RA)

Answer 8

main function is role allocation.
= the election n allocation of indivdiduals for their future work roles.

Question 9

what is Davis and Moores expansion of social stratification

Answer 9

• some ppl r more tanelented than others
  -sone ppl work roles r more complex than others + require greater skill
  -for society to function efficiently the most tanelented indidivualks need to be allocated to most important jobs
  -higher rewards r offered for these jobs to motivate everyone to strive for them.
  -a meritocratic education system allows everyone to compete equally. it ‘sifts and sorts’ individuals so that the most taneleted get the best qualifications and r allocated to the most important jobs.
  -result, society is more productive because the most able ppl do the most important jobs.

Question 10

human capital theory

Answer 10

similar to Davis n moore.
mordern industrial society is tech advanced specalist skills of its workforce r its main economic asses (capital). a meritocratic education system is the best way to develop a suffiecnetly skilled workforce + create greater economic effieciency + higher living standards.

Question 11

key term for Davis and Moore main function of education

Answer 11

sifts and sorts

Question 12

A03 functionalist perspective on the role of education

Answer 12

• Marx: values transmitted by education r not society’s shared values but rather those of the ruling class.

-education is not meritocratic, bcs schools discriminate against some groups (WC, Black) n don’t give them a equal opportunity to achieve.

-Hargreaves 1982 A schools place ore value on competition + developing individuals than on developing sense of social solidarity as D claims.

-difficult to see direct link between subjects studied at school m what’s required form workers in jobs. Education doesn’t nessecarily equip ppl for future work roles.

-interactionists a functionalist view of socialisation is too deterministic. not all pupils passively accept the schools values- some reject + rebel.

-a persons ascribed characteristic - their class backgrounds, gender + ethnicity r more important in determining their income later in life than is their achievement in school.
(internalfactors more important)

Question 13

new right perspective and …

Answer 13

neoliberalism

Question 14

Marxist is a what explantation

Answer 14

conflict

Question 15

what’s Althussers two ways ruling class maintain their power

Answer 15

1. repressive state apparatus = use force or threat to maintain rules (police, court)

2.ideological state apparatus = control of peoples ideas, values + culture (thru media, religion EDUCATION)

Question 16

what does Althusser say education system does

Answer 16

reproduces class inequality by transmitting it from generation, by failing each generation of WC pupils. education legitimises class inequalities by persuading workers to accept inequality is inevitable.

Question 17

what does Bowles and Ginitis 1976 say abt education
(capitalist schooling)

Answer 17

argue - education system is controlled by capitalists and serves their interests.

Question 18

what is the correspondence principle??

Answer 18

school mirrors the workplace - structure, organisation, hierarchy.
bc schooling used to prepare children for working in capitalist businesses

e.g. obeying teachers w/out question = doing what ur told by CEO managers etc.

Question 19

what’s the hidden curriculum??

deffcc

Answer 19

education prepares children for work thru this:

-conformist pupils awarded higher grades than those who challenge authority.
- teaches acceptance of hierarchy, teachers > pupils obey

-pupils motivated by external rewards of exam success - same as workers motivated by wages.

-both work + education fragmented, so workers + pupils have little overall understanding of production or society.

-creates false class consciousness so prevents revolutionary action = why capitalism reproduced.

Question 20

Myth of meritocracy

BOWLES AND GINTIS

Answer 20

-role allocation based on social class NOT MERITOCRACY.
E.g. old school tie network - ensures top jobs in society go to middle class.
-unequal role allocation ensures - few opportunities for social mobility + why economic class structure is reproduced.
-education helps to legitimises economic/class inequalities by creating belief that allocation is fair, natural and meritocratic.
-vocational courses merely a form of cheap, exploitive labour.

Question 21

WILLIS
learning to labour

(looked into how some pupils resisted indoctrination into accepting metrirorcry)

Answer 21

QUALITATIVE METHODS
study COUNTER-CULTURE
12 WC BOYS
‘the lads’
acts of defiance: smoking, disrupting lesson, truanting
-gained status within the group by being scornful to conformist boys (ear’oles), used intimidating beh taking the piss.

Question 22

what was WILLIS findings of 12 WC boys

Answer 22

similarties between anti school lads n shop floor culture of male manual workers.
-lads saw manual work as masculine n intellectual work as feminine.
CONCLUDED:
anti-school subculture helped them slot into WC jobs that capitalism requires them to perform.
- lack of qualifications confines them to these jobs.

Question 23

EVALUATION OF MARXISM ROLE OF EDUCATION
(4)

Answer 23

1.NEO-MARXIST, not all WC pupils passively accept everything they’re taught + often resist discipline imposed on them.

2.WILLIS CRICISTED for romanticising ‘the lads’ as WC heroes. & difficult to generalise his findings only 12 sample.

3.REYNOLDS believes some education does encourage critical thinking SOCIOLOGY :)

4.POSTMODERNIST argue today’s economy requires schools to produce a different kind of labour force than what max described. Produces diversity not inequality. & gender, ethnicity, sexuality important factors.

Question 24

NEW RIGHT
similarities with functionalism

Answer 24

• believe some ppl more talented than others
• favour an education system based on meritocratic principles, competition + serves need of the economy by preparing young ppl for work.
  -education should sopcalise pupils into shared values & national identity.

Question 25

what did Chubb and moe say abt consumer choice
(N.R)

Answer 25

N.R. believed that role of the state sold be limited + that schools shld have more automonoy to meet the local need of their intake.
-too much spending on education leads to higher taxes = prevents economies growth.
-parents shld shape the education system.

Question 26

why did CHUBB + MOE criticise the American education system??

Answer 26

-state education had failed to create equal opportunity
-state ed was inefficient bc it fails to produce pupils with the skills needed for economy.
-private schools deliver higher quality education bc theryrr answerable to paying consumers.

Question 27

what data did Chubb n moe get their arguments from
(AMERICAN ED)

Answer 27

on a comparison of achievement 60,000 pupils from low income fam.
FOUND:
children do 5% better in private school.
suggests, CHOICE THRU MARKET SYSTEM would improve standards.

Question 28

NEW RIGHT
role of the state (3)

Answer 28

1. establish a framework for competition to give parents info to make an INFORMED CHOICE. (ofsted, league tables)

2.state ensure schools transmit SHARED CULTURE (national curriculum, British values)

3. Education sold affirm NATIONAL IDENTITY, integrate pupils into single set of traditions + cultural values. (teaching British history, literature) OPPOSE MULTI-CULTRUAL EDUCATION.

Question 29

WHATS N.R. LINK TO EDUCATION POLICY on role

Answer 29

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION + training:

-felt youth unemployment was result of schools failure to teach appropriate work skills + SKILL CRISIS blame for British economic decline.

-SCHEMES develop to REDUCE youth employment (apprenticeships, training schemes, on the job training with part time student) known as NEW VOCATIONALISM

Question 30

EVALUATION ON NEW RIGHT ROLE

Answer 30

1. competition between schools benefit the middle class who use their economic + cultural capital.

2.critics argue - real cause of low standards is SOCAIL INEQUALITY & INADEQUATE FUNDING

3.NEW RIGHT contradictory abt role of the state

4.MARXIST education system doesn’t impose shared cultures but that of dominant ruling class.

Question 31

Feminist explanation of role

Answer 31

critical of marxist for focusing on the reproduction of class inequalities in ed system. argue instead schools serve to reproduce PARTIARCHY & GENDER INEQUALITIES

-prevent females achieving full potential.

Question 32

FEMINISM SOCAILSATION ROLE

Answer 32

schools socialise students into masculine & feminine identities thru VERBAL ABUSE, MALE GAZE + WAY DISCPLINE PUPILS.

-also socialise students thru peer pressure, teacher bias to follow gender stereotypes course (health & social care for girls)

Question 33

what’s the feminist view of the hidden cirruclum??

Answer 33

hidden C promotes patriarchal values - ensures dominance of men.

Question 34

what was STANWORTH messages in the hidden cirrulum gave to women??

(feminism)

Answer 34

1. male r more important than women

2.boys careers r more important than girls (teachers encourage boys more)

3.boys r clever than girls

4.senior positions in education r disporptionately held by men. = men should b dominant

Question 35

feminism and role allocation

Answer 35

based on gender.
glass ceiling prevents women occupying senior occupational positions.
boys & girls encouraged subjects learning to gender stereotyped jobs.

Question 36

EVALUATION OF FEMINISM N ROLE EDUCATION

Answer 36

• many fem tend to disregard way in which education disadbamtages boys.

-little support for radical feminists as clear evidence that females ado better than Boyd due to educational polices (GIST + WISE)

+ liberal feminist gain some support arguing males do better in some of ‘prestigious’ subjects e.g. physics. r still more likely to gain entry to top unis.

Question 37

POSTMODERNIST VIEW OF EDUCASTION ROLE

Answer 37

reject marxist claim that schools have major role in reproduces class inequalities.

INSTEAD function- fit more diverse/fragmented society. - offering choice to range of individuals + social groups.

Question 38

postmodernist view of school policies on role of ed

Answer 38

creating more diversity e.g. different types of school/ specialist schools, city academies.

emphasis impact of GLOBALISATION means diversity & flexibility r important.

Question 39

what’s postmodernist view of universalising education systems

Answer 39

AGAINST - no one truth. not approbate to have one size fits all ed system.
-modernist education oppressive to many students, give up freedom at 11 in order to learn knowledge to improve life chances. DOESNT WORK FOR EVERYONE.

Question 40

postmodernist educationing n training 3 main roles:

Answer 40

1. socialisation role - individuels into diverse multicultural society
2. allocation role - allocates individuals into jobs, not always based on merit but choice.
3. vocational training role - equips individuals to work in postmen economy which needs highly skilled n flexible workers

Question 41

evaluation of postmodern

Answer 41

• marxist claim post underplay significance of social class. serves to repdocue class inequality thru marketisation policies.