Section 1- What Is The Role Of Education In Society?

Question 1

What do Functionalists argue that advanced industrial societies have and what do they do?

Answer 1

They argue that in advanced industrial societies like the UK, a range of specialised institutions have evolved.

Each institution carries out a specific functions which link into the functioning of other institutions in order to make society run smoothly.

Question 2

What do Functionalists argue is the role of education in society?
Give an example of this.

Answer 2

They argue that schools prepare pupils for the world of work so are linked to the needs of the economy.

Part of the role of education is to transmit a common culture based on a shared sense of national identity.

For example, primary schools are linked to families which perform the function of primary socialisation, preparing children to go on to the secondary stage of socialisation at school. This prepares them for the world of work.

Question 3

What two things does Durkheim argue about education and social solidarity?

Answer 3

Moral education

The division of labour

Question 4

What kind of sociologist is Durkheim?

Answer 4

Functionalist

Question 5

Explain about Durkheim approach on moral education.

Answer 5

He argued that all societies need to create a sense of social solidarity in their members.

By this he meant a feeling of unity and belonging based of shared beliefs and values.

Question 6

When talking about moral education, what did Durkheim say about pre-industrial and industrial societies?

Answer 6

In pre-industrial societies, social solidarity was created by people sharing common experiences as part of families and through shared beliefs and rituals.

In industrial societies, individuals come from more diverse backgrounds so education plays a vital role in instilling a sense of shared culture and identity in the younger generation.

Question 7

When talking about moral education, what 4 subjects did Durkheim see as particularly valuable and why?

Answer 7

He saw history as particularly valuable because it encourages young people to take pride in their country and it’s culture and achievements, however, this could also be encouraged by studying subjects like literature, music or RE.

Question 8

Explain Durkheim’s approach about the division of labour.

Answer 8

For Durkheim, education was not just about instilling shared values into children but also about preparing young people for the world of work in industrial societies.

Question 9

When talking about the division of labour, what did Durkheim say about pre-industrial and industrial societies?

Answer 9

In pre-industrial societies, children typically learned the skills they required as adults from parents or other family members as they would follow the same occupation as their family.

In industrial societies, there is a more complex division of labour; individuals can choose from a wide range of specialised jobs and will not necessarily follow in their parents’ footsteps.

Question 10

When talking about the division of labour, what did Durkheim say about what schools provide?

Answer 10

Schools provide the specialist skills abs knowledge required of an industrial workforce which parents themselves may not be able to provide.

Question 11

Give some evaluation on Durkheim.

Answer 11

+ It helps to explain how education has become so much more important in industrial societies where compulsory education for all children has become the norm.

• The idea that education is based on shared values can be seen to be increasingly problematical in multicultural societies like Britain.
• In the past, Christianity provided a common set of values which was emphasised by acts of worship in assemblies and RE based on Christianity. However, few schools now conduct truly religious assemblies and RE encourages an understanding of different faiths. It is therefore more difficult to see how education in Britain creates a sense of social solidarity.

Question 12

What would Marxists think of functionalism?

Give an example.

Answer 12

They would question the view that education reflects a set of beliefs shared by the majority of society, arguing that the values emphasised by schools are ones which benefit capitalist employers.

For example, pupils are encourages to be obedient workers by the discipline of school.

Question 13

Why would the functionalist view that education is meritocratic be questioned?

Answer 13

It’s questioned by many sociologists who point to evidence that some pupils fail to achieve not because of lack of ability but because they are disadvantaged by social background factors like social class or ethnicity.

Question 14

Why is the claim by functionalists that schools teach pupils the skills they need to perform their jobs in an industrial society criticised?

Answer 14

Schools put too much emphasis on traditional and academic subjects and fail to focus on the practical and social skills required in the workplace.

Question 15

Why is the functionalist view that part of the role of education is to transmit a common culture based on a shared sense of national identity, criticised?

Answer 15

It can be seen as outdated as young people will increasingly compete for jobs in a global society. Rather than focusing on national values, education may need to prepare young people to live in societies based on greater cultural diversity.

Question 16

When did functionalist theories fall out of fashion?

Answer 16

From the 1970s onwards

Question 17

Linking to the contemporary relevance of functionalism, why has there been a growth in concern in recent years among politicians and some educationalists?

Answer 17

They are concerned about the need for education to transmit shared values of UK society.

Question 18

How can the need for education to transmit shared values of UK society in recent years be seen?

Answer 18

In the introduction of citizenship education by the Labour government in 2002.

The Al Madinah free school, an Islamic primary school in Derby raised concerns as it appeared to be following a very conservative Islamic approach to education.

Question 19

What was the Al Madinah school doing to raise concerns?

Answer 19

Segregating girls and boys in class

Expecting all teachers to wear Islamic dress

Offering only Arabic as a modern language

Question 20

What happened to the Al Madinah school?

Answer 20

It was closed in 2014 following an ‘inadequate’ rating by OFSTED.

Question 21

What did critics of the Al Madinah school argue?

Answer 21

They argued that the state funded schools should reflect broader British values such a democracy and multiculturalism.

Question 22

How does the Al Madinah school closing link to functionalists?

Answer 22

The concern of functionalists that education should be a unifying force bringing together pupils from different social backgrounds continues to have some relevance in the 21st century.

Question 23

What study explained the functions of education?

Answer 23

Functionalist Parsons (1961) - The School as a Social System

Question 24

What did Parsons argue about the functions of education?

Answer 24

Argued that education has three main functions in modern industrial societies like the USA.

Question 25

What 3 functions did Parsons argue that education has?

Answer 25

1. A bridge between school and work
2. Education and value consensus
3. Role allocation

Question 26

Explain what Parsons meant by a bridge between school and work?

Answer 26

Parsons argued that while the family remained the main primary agency of socialisation, education has taken over the main responsibility for secondary socialisation and acts as a bridge between the family and the world of work.

Question 27

When talking about a bridge between school and work, what did Parsons argue about how children are treated in terms of particularistic values in the family?

Answer 27

In the family, children are treated in terms of particularistic values, parents judge their children according to values that apply to them alone.

A child may not learn to talk or walk before other children their age or be better looking than other children but to their parents they are still the best child in the world.

Question 28

When talking about a bridge between school and work, what did Parsons say about how individuals are treated in wider society?
How does school help this?

Answer 28

In wider society individuals are judged by universalistic values.

Schools help children to make this transition as when children move into secondary school they are increasingly assessed according to universalistic values such as through exams.

Question 29

What are universalistic values?

Example?

Answer 29

Values which are applied to everyone.

E.g. judging the best applicant for the job.

Question 30

What does Parsons mean by education and value consensus?

What two keys values must be learnt?

Answer 30

He sees schools as socialising young people into the value consensus of society.

He argues that in American society there are two key values which children must learn:

1. Individual achievement
2. Equality of opportunity

Question 31

Why does Parsons believe children must learn about individual achievement?

How can they learn it?

Answer 31

It prepares young people for the world of work where they will have to compete with others to achieve.

It can be learnt through competing with others and rewarded with praise from teachers, higher grades and educational qualifications.

Question 32

How does Parsons say that equality of opportunity reflects values of American society?

How is it reflected by schools?

How is it reflected in British schools?

Answer 32

Schools reflect the values of American society based on a belief that everyone has an equal chance of success.

Schools reflect this by encouraging all pupils to succeed.

This is reflected in British schools which usually have an equal opportunities policy emphasising that all children irrespective of gender, ethnicity, social a class or disability should be treated equally and given equal opportunities.

Question 33

Explain what Parsons meant by role allocation.

Answer 33

Parsons, in common with other functionalists such as Davis and Moore (1945), argued that an important function of education is selecting and grading pupils for their future roles in society.

Schools are seen as operating on the principle of meritocracy, rewarding the most talented and hard working students with the higher grades and better qualifications.

This is turn ensures that employers can identify the most able individuals and therefore, they can be recruited to fill more important positions in the world of work.

Question 34

How can Parsons’ theory be evaluated?

Answer 34

+ It provides a useful insight into the inter-relationship between educational institutions and other institutions such as families and economic organisations.

+ Most sociologists would also accept that education plays an increasingly important role in preparing young people for the world of work.

• Other functionalist criticisms.

Question 35

What date is Parsons for his study, ‘The School as a Social System’ ?

Answer 35

1961

Question 36

What happened as a result of widespread concern that British citizens are not sufficiently aware of their rights and responsibilities and do not understand the way in which the political system works?

Answer 36

The labour Secretary of State for education David Blunkett asked Professor Bernard Crick and an advisory group to produce a report on citizenship education in English schools which was published in 1998.

Question 37

What did the Labour Secretary of State for Education David Blunkett call for?

Answer 37

The implementation of Crick’s recommendations saying, ‘we must provide opportunities for all our young people to develop an understanding of what democracy means and how government works in practice’

Question 38

Who criticised Blunkett and why?

Answer 38

Critics, including Chris Woodhead, the then Cheif Inspector of Schools, were concerned that schools would neglect the academic basics in favour of lessons in political literacy.

Question 39

As a result of Blunkett, what was made a compulsory part of the national curriculum?

Answer 39

In 2002, citizenship was made a compulsory part of the national curriculum for 11-16 year olds and a new AS level in citizenship was introduced.

Question 40

What does Marxist Althusser (1972) argue the main role of education is?

Answer 40

The main role is to persuade young people to accept their place in the capitalist system.

Question 41

What does Marxist Althusser (1972) argue about how the ruling class manage to keep the capitalist society in check?

Answer 41

They keep it in check not so much through force but by ideological control.

He suggests there are a number of institutions he calls ideological state apparatuses which have this purpose.

Question 42

What does Marxist Althusser (1972) argue are the main ideological state apparatuses?

Answer 42

In the past, organised religion was the main means by which people were persuaded to accept their place in society.

Today the mass media and education are the two main ideological state apparatuses.

Question 43

What two ways does Marxist Althusser (1972) argue education transmits capitalist ideology?

Answer 43

1. It teaches young people that capitalism is normal and natural, despite its inherent inequalities and injustices. Schools do little to encourage young people to question or criticise the existing society.
2. By selecting and grading pupils who fail or leave with few qualifications are seen as doing so due to their own lack of ability or motivation rather than the fault of a society where some puppies have much better educational opportunities than others.

Question 44

What Marxist study explains the role of education?

Answer 44

Bowles and Gintis (1976) - Schooling in Capitalist Society

Question 45

What date is Althusser when he argued about the main role of education?

Answer 45

1972

Question 46

What kind of sociologist is Althusser?

Answer 46

Marxist

Question 47

What did Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) argue that the main role of education is?

Answer 47

It is social reproduction.

In other words, education ensures that the inequalities of the existing capitalist society are reproduced in each new generation.

Question 48

According to Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976), how do schools ensure the inequalities of the existing capitalist society are reproduced in each new generation?

Answer 48

By ensuring that each new generation of workers are socialised to accept their future place as obedient workers in the capitalist economy.

They also ensure that most children end up in a similar class position to their parents. In other words, working class children end up in working class jobs and middle class children in middle class jobs.

Question 49

What do Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) say about school and work?

Answer 49

They argue that in order to prepare young people for work the organisation of schools is closely modelled on that of workplaces, what they call the correspondence between school and work. They argue this correspondence principle can be seen in a number of aspects of schooling in America.

Question 50

In what aspects do Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) argue the correspondence principle can be seen?

Answer 50

• Discipline
• Motivation by external rewards
• Hierachy

Question 51

How do Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) argue the correspondence principle can be seen through discipline?

Answer 51

Schools encourage punctuality, hard work and obedience and they discourage creativity, independent thinking and critical awareness. This helps to create the kind of obedient workers who follow instructions required by capitalist employers.

Question 52

How do Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) argue the correspondence principle can be seen through motivation by external rewards?

Answer 52

In the workplace most workers gain little satisfaction from their jobs and are motivated by external rewards such as pay. This corresponds to the way schools motivate pupils by the prospect of external rewards, like educational qualifications, rather than because they actually enjoy learning.

Question 53

How do Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) argue the correspondence principle can be seen through hierarchy?

Answer 53

Schools are based on a hierarchy of ranks.

For example, lower schools students, sixth formers, teachers, senior teachers and head teachers.

This prepares pupils for the workplace where they will have to accept the authority of those above them.

Question 54

Why is the hidden curriculum important for Marxists?

What do Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) believe about the hidden curriculum?

Answer 54

For Marxists, the hidden curriculum is important. This is based on schools teaching pupils to think and behave in certain ways.

For Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976), it’s the hidden curriculum which instils values such as hard work and obedience into pupils.

Question 55

What do Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) argue about the myth of meritocracy?

Answer 55

They argue the idea of meritocracy is just a myth used to justify inequalities in capitalist society.

Pupils are encouraged to believe that everyone has an equal chance and that those who succeed do so on merit.

They argue that in reality, pupils from the working class and ethnic minorities have much lower chance of success because the system works against them.

Question 56

What do Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) say fostering the belief of meritocracy encourages?

Answer 56

They say that fostering this belief, those who fail in education are encouraged to accept dead- end jobs and low pay because they feel they deserved to fail because of their own lack of ability or effort.

Question 57

When carrying out research in New York, what did Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) find?

Answer 57

They found that the students who gained the highest grades were often not the most intelligent but were hardworking, dependable and obedient to teachers.

Bright students were often rebellious, critical and questioned the teachers’ authority so were awarded lower grades.

They also found that it was white middle class students who most often fitted the image of the ideal student for teachers and who were rewarded the best grades.

Question 58

What kind of sociologists are Bowles and Gintis (1976)?

Answer 58

Marxists

Question 59

What date are Bowles and Gintis for their study, Schooling in Capitalist Society?

Answer 59

1976

Question 60

Give a positive evaluation of Marxist explanations of the role of education in society.

Answer 60

+ Gained a lot of support from sociologists as they helped to explain class differences in educational attainment.

+ A range of research shows there is only a loose link between pupil’s abilities, for example, intelligence as measured by IQ tests and their performance in education, whereas educational achievement is closely related to social background factors such as class, ethnicity and gender. This calls into question the functionalist ideas of meritocracy and equality of opportunity.

Question 61

Give a negative evaluation of Marxist explanations of the role of education in society.
(4 criticisms)

Answer 61

1. Influence of the formal curriculum
2. Resistance to the hidden curriculum
3. The relative autonomy of the education system
4. Changes in the workplace

Question 62

Explain further about why Marxists have been criticised for the influence of the formal curriculum.

Answer 62

Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) focus heavily on the influence of the hidden curriculum in socialising pupils into conformist and obedient attitudes.

However, critics point out that particularly in the UK, many subjects in the formal curriculum such a history, media studies and sociology encourage students to look at society critically.

Question 63

Explain further about why Marxists have been criticised for resistance to the hidden curriculum.

Answer 63

Some Marxists such as Willis have argued that working class students do not simply passively accept their place in society in an obedient manner but show little respect for school rules or teachers’ authority, this hardly fits with Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) picture of schools creating a docile workforce.

Question 64

Explain further about why Marxists have been criticised for the relative autonomy of the education system.

Answer 64

Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) and Althusser (1972) imply that the education system is largely controlled by the ruling capitalist class and responds to their needs.

In reality the UK education system until recently was controlled by local education authorities (LEA).

Moreover, employers have often complained that the education system does not produce the kind of workers they are looking for. E.g. schools are accused of focusing too much on academic or irrelevant subjects and not prioritising basic skills such as numeracy and literacy or on vocational skills that have a direct relevance to the workplace.

The education system therefore enjoys relative autonomy or a degree of independence from the control of employers.

Question 65

Explain further about why Marxists have been criticised for changes in the workplace.

Answer 65

Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976) theory can also be seen as out of date in respect to how workplaces are organised in the 21st century.

There are far fewer jobs in factories which simply require jobs without question.

The biggest growth has been in the service sector in professional and managerial jobs thus many employers now look for workers who are capable of team working or taking decisions.

Question 66

Linking to the contemporary relevance of Marxism, explain about how the curriculum that includes subjects needed for the workplace.

Answer 66

In defence of Marxists Bowles and Gintis (1976), it could be argued that some changes in the Wnflish education system have actually made it resemble their description more closely.

For example, after the 1988 government took away the ability of teachers, schools and LEAs to determine their own curriculum which emphasised subjects which were seen as most relevant to the needs of employment such as maths, English and science.

Subjects which might encourage to question society such as sociology were not included in the national curriculum.

Question 67

Linking to the contemporary relevance of Marxism, explain about educational institutions being run along the lines of capitalist businesses.

Answer 67

Some sociologists also argue that educational institutions are increasingly being run alone the lines of capitalist businesses.

They highlights the increasing marketisation and commodification of education as evidence of this trend.

In light of this, Marxists Bowles and Gintis’ (1976) claim that schools correspond to the organisation of capitalist workplaces may be relevant today.