Role of Education Flashcards
FUNCTIONALIST
What did Durkheim believe about education?
+ what is social integration?
Durkheim
- enables ability to transmit norms and values in society
- allows society to operate smoothly
- encourages value consensus
- allows co-operation and obeying a fixed set of rules
+ process when various groups are combined in order to make a unified society
What did Parsons believe about education?
- main socialising agent after family
- pass on socially desired and accepted behaviours
- it is a meritocracy
- rewards individuals for effort
- allows people to achieve their status
- ensures children are committed to society
What did Parsons see education as? How?
+ what are particularistic & universalistic values?
(what would happen without this according to him?)
a bridge between home and society
- particularistic to universalistic values
- ascribed to earned status
+ PV= values specific to a specific group
UV= values which apply to all
(danger & dysfunction)
Which 3 functions do Functionalists argue education provides which help society?
1) Secondary Socialisation
2) Skills Provision
3) Role Allocation
How does education provides secondary Socialisation?
+ e.gs of values and how they are taught
Teaches young people key norms and values and punishing those who don’t abide by guidelines
+ work hard to achieve our full potential
(grading, grade requirements, target grades)
+obedience to authority (hierarchy, uniform, punishments)
+ respect for others ( mix of cultures, seating plans, taught to be kind, anti-bullying)
+ work together collaboratively (houses, group projects, sports)
Which basic skills does education provide?
Which other skill type does education provide? (+e.g)
+ why are you able to choose courses?
- teamwork
- communication
- concentration
- problem solving
-reading, writing, arithmetic
Specific skills (e.g subject knowledge for a scientist)
+ to ensure specialist division of labour
How does education provide role allocation?
- Schools test and evaluate students, matching their talents to jobs which they are best suited
- Rewards the most talented with high qualifications which provide entry to the most important occupations in society
Linked it to social stratification
- high rewards are attached to top positions (££) as incentives so people will compete and the most talented will win
Points which support the relevance of the functionalist view of education today
+ less children ‘school-ready’ after COVID (socialisation is key)
+ promotes harmony in a diverse society
+ successful economies have well established education systems
+ value consensus that attendance matters
+ British Values in curriculum supports secondary socialisation
Points which go against the relevance of the functionalist view of education today
- ignores limitations of ascribed status (not meritocratic) e.g tuition fees rising
- Brexit showed views split
- getting a job is not just based on grades (social capital)
- COVID created a digital divide (not meritocratic)
- social media encourages individualism
- talent in vocational course may receive less reward (T-Levels)
- gender pay gap
- islamophobia increased since 9/11
MARXIST
How do Marxists believe society is structured?
Economic base is made up of means of production.
Superstructure (ideology) is made up of institutions, religion, law etc) and shapes how people think about themselves (interests of ruling class)
Base shapes superstructure and superstructure defends how base operates.
Key points of Marxist thinking on education
- education emphasises discipline and punctuality
- makes people believe inequality is natural & inevitable
- smokescreen that high grades= good job
- promotes dominant class values
- rewards & punishments emphasise employable qualities
- now a commodity for profit
- prepares workers to know & accept their place (hierarchy)
What does reproduction of inequality mean?
+ what does legitimisation of inequality mean?
(how can these concepts be applied to education according to Marxists?)
To keep inequality going. Education favours middle class children & allows them to achieve more
+ To make it seem acceptable. Some people succeed in education and others don’t (similar to society) making inequality seem inevitable & natural
What type of approach is Althusser’s?
+ What does he believe about education?
Structural. macro approach & ‘armchair theoriser’
+ ideological state apparatus
+ replaced Church as main agency of ideological control
+ schools prepare students to accept future exploitation
+ ruling class use it as you can’t hold control for long w force
+ transmits ideas that capitalism is just & reasonable
+ pupils who become managers via high qualifications will legitimise power over others
What wider evidence is there to support Althusser’s view?
+ how can his view be evaluated?
- Church controlled norms, politics etc (now only 46% Christian)
- students are taught to believe in equality of opportunity
- schools banned from using anti-capitalist material (2015)
- states such as USSR failed to keep control using force
+ work lacks empirical support
+ individualism means gutless workers are less necessary
What type of approach is Bowles & Gintis?
+ What do they believe about education?
Structural, macro approach (American study)
+ school & workplace mirror each other (gets children ready for future exploitation)
+ hidden curriculum
+ taught to be docile & subservient workforce through power imbalance (Jug & Mug)
+ spreads myth of meritocracy to disguise favouring MC (individuals blame themselves for failure)
+ fragmentation of school day= fragmentation of workforce (never know full process)
