Role of education in society

Question 1

Durkheim- social solidarity (functionalist)

Answer 1

education shares society norms and values to the new generations.
Education is also a society in miniature- preparing us for wider society.

Question 2

Durkheim -specialist (functionalist)

Answer 2

Modern Industries have a complex division of labour, school teaches the specialist knowledge and skills needed by society.

Question 3

Parsons - meritocracy (functionalist)

Answer 3

Education bridges the gap between families and society. Families have parasitic standards and have ascribed status(fixed from birth). School has universalistic standards and status is achieved.

Question 4

Davis and Moore- role allocation (functionalist)

Answer 4

School is for selection and job allocation. Inequality exists as it helps make sure the most important roles of society are given to the most talented. School sifts and sorts finding the bets, the most important roles get more money so people compete and the best get them.

Question 5

Chubb and moe - consumers choice (New Right)

Answer 5

Each family is given a voucher which can buy their holds education from a chosen school, this would make schools more responsive to parent’s wishes as these vouchers are the schools income.

Question 6

Two roles of the state (New Right)

Answer 6

1. Create the framework in which schools compete, eg: Ofsted results, league tables show parents the best schools.
2. Ensures schools transmit a shared culture. With the single national curriculum, creates a single heritage.

Question 7

Althusser- ideological sate apparatus (Marxist)

Answer 7

Repressive- maintain the rule of the bourgeoise by force. It includes the police, courts and army. They can use physical coercion to repress the w/c.
Ideological-maintain the rule of bourgeoise by controlling peoples ideas, values and beliefs. Includes religion and schools.

Question 8

Bowles and Gintis- schooling in capitalist America (Marxist)

Answer 8

Educations rule is to create an obedient workforce that will accept inequality as inevitable.

Question 9

Bowles and Gintis- correspondence principle and hidden curriculum.(Marxist)

Answer 9

The correspondence principle is the way that school mirrors the working world.
This is done by the hidden curriculum- lessons that are taught without being taught. eg: leaving only when the bell rings, doing what the teachers says.

Question 10

Bowles and Gintis- Myth of Meritocracy (Marxist)

Answer 10

The school pretends to give everyone an equal chance to stop any unrest but in fact this is a myth. Class and background effects chances, its not equal.

Question 11

Willis- lads counter culture (Marxist)

Answer 11

The lads reject school, they are truant, disobedient etc. These lads do become the low manual workers, they get no qualifications etc.