SECTION B: Functionalist perspective on Education: Flashcards
1
Q
What are the two approaches to this approach:
A
Consensus Theorists and Conflict Theorists.
2
Q
Three key thinkers:
A
- Emile Durkheim.
- Talcott Parsons.
- Davis and Moore.
3
Q
Functionalism and education:
A
- Helps to develop the human resource if an industrialisation through its selection process to allocate individuals to the various levels of occupations.
- Also contributes to social cohesion by transmitting to new generations the central values of society.
4
Q
Emile Durkheim: Socialisation:
A
- Concerned that education should emphasise the moral responsibilities that members of society have towards each other and the wider society.
5
Q
Durkheim: Education and social solidarity:
A
- All societies needed to create some kind of social solidarity.
- In pre-industrial societies, social solidarity was created by people sharing common experience as part of families and through shared religious rituals.
- Education plays a role in instilling a sense of shared culture and identity in the younger generation.
6
Q
Durkheim: Division of Labour:
A
- Education was also preparing young people for the world of work, in the industrial societies where there is more competitive labour.
- Individuals can choose from a range of specialist jobs.
- Schools can therefore provide the specialist skills and knowledge requites of an industrial workforce which families themselves may it be able to deliver.
7
Q
AO3: Evaluation on Durkheim: Strength:
A
- Durkheim’s vision of socialisation has successfully reinforced this idea that schools have a duty to prepare the young people for both the economy and the wider society.
- Durkheim’s vision of education and social solidarity creates a sense of unity for the young people.
- Durkheim vision division of labour offers an equal opportunity for everyone and aims to support the least privilege families by offering a free education.
8
Q
AO3: Evaluation on Durkheim: Weakness:
A
- Durkheim’s vision of socialisation creates this oppressive system in which makes schooling unwelcoming for young people.
- Durkheim’s vision of education and social solidarity reinforces cultural homogenisation in a diverse community.
- Durkheim’s vision of education and social solidarity normalises the class division for the lower-class, ensuring that they accept the upper-class ideology.
- Durkheim division of labour doesn’t seem to accompany any other family type that isn’t a nuclear family such as single-parent family.
9
Q
Social solidarity:
A
A feelings of unity and belonging based on shared beliefs and value.
10
Q
Schools presenting unity and belonging:
A
- Students being allocated uniforms symbolises unity and belonging.
- British values.
- Equality and diversity.
- Citizenship.
11
Q
Talcott Parsons: Skills Provision:
A
- Agrees with Durkheim.
- Education forms a bridge between the family and the wider society. By socialising children to adapt to the meritocratic view of achievement.
12
Q
Conclusions drawn from Talcott Parsons:
A
- Education should socialise young people into a Conesus agreement.
- Key concepts include particularistic and universalistic values.
- Particularistic standards = children are treated as particular individuals. Socialised within the family.
- Universalistic standards = people are judged according to standards that people apply equally to everybody. Found in society as a whole.
- Schools should be meritocratic and based upon equality of opportunity.
13
Q
Meritocratic:
A
Relating to or characteristic of a society in which power is held by people selected according to merit.
14
Q
AO3: EVALUATION: Talcott Parsons: Strength:
A
- Argues that education should be an equal opportunity for everyone regardless of their class status.
15
Q
AO3: EVALUATION: Talcott Parsons: Weakness:
A
- State schools will never have the same opportunity as privates school.
- The meritocratic system doesn’t accompany everyone’s future.
16
Q
Davis and Moore: Role allocation:
A
- Education allocates people to the most appropriate job for their talents, using examination and qualification.
- Their argument is based on the principle of meritocracy.
- Heart of economy = education.
17
Q
AO3: EVALUATION: Davis and Moore: Strength:
A
- Role allocation is appropriate for the industrial society because the right employees with the right talents are allocated to a specific job.
- The principle of meritocracy helps individuals to strengthen their talents by challenging it.
18
Q
AO3: EVALUATION: Davis and Moore: Weakness:
A
- Role allocation creates this ideology that success is only achievable through the education system.
- Peoples talents are being used as a tool in order to enter the economic industry by being challenged and
given a qualification to certify the talent.
19
Q
Blau and Duncan (1978):
Supports Davis and Moore.
A
Argue that a modern economy depends for its prosperity on using ‘human capital’.
20
Q
Labour Government (2002):
A
- Introduced the citizenship of education which was designed to transmit the shared values of UK working society.
21
Q
Al Madinah:
A
- An Islamic primary school in Derby raised concerns as it appeared to be following very strict Islamic approach to education the school was closed in 2014 by Ofsted.
22
Q
AO3: Evaluation: Strengths:
A
- Functionalists see education as a process that insists the shared values of society.
23
Q
AO3: Evaluation: Weakness:
A
- Marxists argue that education in a capitalist society only transmits the ideology of a minority, the ruling class.
- Neo-Liberals and the new rights argue that the state education system fails to prepare young people.
- Ofsted closing down the Al-Madinah school demonstrates the view that the education system isn’t as accepting to the diverse societies norms and values.
