Test Flashcards
What are the two sociological theories?
Structual view- Individuals are shaped by the structure of society
Social action view- Sees individuals as having free will
What is meritocracy?
A society were education success, jobs and pay are allocated on the basis of individuals talents, abilities and skills.
Everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed to the best of their ability
What is neoliberalism?
Based on the idea that governments need to encourage competition and should not try to regulate the economy
What is the New Right perspective
-A conservative political perspective that includes neoliberal economic ideas.
-They think that the state cannot meet peoples needs
-People are best to meet their own needs through free market
Similarities of the new right and functionalism
- Believe some people are naturally more talented than others
-They favor an education system run on meritocratic principles and one that serves the needs of economy
- Education should socialise pupils into shared values, such as competition and instil a sense of national identity
Functionalists and the new right have the same aim however the new right do not think it is currently being achieved
Differences between the new right and functionalism
The New Right do not believe the current education system is achieving its goals
such as prepare ppl for work. This is because its run by the state
Key beliefs of the New Right
-The state takes a one size fits all approach, imposing uniformity and disregarding local needs
-Local people (parents, employers, pupils) have no say
-Schools that are no good are not answerable to consumers. Therefore a low standard of achievement for pupils
-The new right solution to these problems is this marketization of education
- They believe that competition between schools and the laws of supply and demand will bring greater efficiency to schools
Evaluation of the New right
Critics argue that the real cause of low educational standards is social inequality and inadequate funding of state schools
Marxists argue that education doesn’t impose a shared national culture but imposes the culture of dominant minority ruling class and devalues the culture of the working class and ethnic minorities
Evaluation of functionalism
We do not have a meritocracy as functionalists suggest. For example, ability and effort are not the only factors that determine achievement. Eg social class
Marxists believe that education only passes on the ideology of the ruling class
What is Chubb and Moes main argument (New right)
State education has failed and needs to be put in the hands of the consumer
What three claims do Chubb and Moe make?
State run education has failed because
-It has not created equal opportunity and has failed the needs of disadvantaged groups
-Its inefficient because it fails to produce pupils with skills needed by economy
-Private schools deliver higher quality education because they are answerable to paying consumers
What did Chubb and Moe base their argument on
Conparison of achievement of 60,000 pupils from low income families
What do Chubb and Moe call for based upon their findings
Introduction of a market system in state education that would put control in the hands of the consumer.
Argue this would allow consumers to shape schools to meet their own needs
How would Chubb and Moe implement a market place in state education?
Propose a system where each family would be given a voucher to soend on buying education from a school of their choice.
This would make schools more responsive to parents wishes since it would be the schools main source of income
Parsons
-Believes in focal socialising agency
-Education prepares children for achieved status and universalistic standards
Education is meritocratic
-Exam system encourages us to value achievement
