The Role And Function Of Education Flashcards
Describe functionalism:socialisation…
The function of education is to socialise pupils into the key cultural values of society eg. meritocracy and democracy.
Functionalism:Socialisation:Durkheim
‘Basic needs of society’
Society creates individualistic members which leads to little social solidarity and anomie
Parsons
Functionalism:socialisation
Forms a bridge between family and wider society, adopting a meritocratic view and producing a value concencus.
State 2 criticisms of the functionalist:socialisation viewpoint…
Only applicable in societies where there is a dominant shared culture. Assumes the ES succeeds but not all students conform to promoted values.
Functionalism:skills provision:Durkheim
Teaches skills needed, general and specific
What theory does functionalism:skills provision tie in with?
Human capital theory
Functionalism:Skills provision:Criticisms Pisa 2012
Britain lacks the ability to train workers needed for globalisation. 26/65 for maths at 15, 23 for reading and 20 for science.
Give one criticism of functionalism:skills provision
Does the ES teach the right skills needed for a successful economy?
Davis and Moore 1945
Functionalism:Role Allocation
Sorts students into appropriate jobs. High lay jobs are due to a meritocratic society, the exam system encourages hard work and competition.
State two criticisms of Davis and Moore 1945…
Functionalism:Role Allocation
Ignores social divisions eg class, gender and ethnicity that may effect educational attainment and access to high quality education (private/tutors). It is not meritocratic.
Althusser 1971
Marxism
Reproduction and legitimisation of class inequalities through the myth of meritocracy. Persuades jobs reflect ability not class. Transmission of common values (ISA) to maintain, reproduce and legitimise generation by generation. Ruling class ideology exerted, disguised as common values.
Give one criticism of Althusser 1971…
Emphasises class inequalities not gender or ethnicity.
Bowles and Gintis 1976
Correspondence Theory
Education is controlled by capitalists and serves their interests, education corresponds to employment hence the hidden curriculum provides a doctile workforce and hard working workforce.
Name the components of Correspondence Principle…
Hierarchy
Motivated by external rewards
Fragmented
High grades = High pay
Brown 1977
Criticism of Bowles and Gintis 1976
Work requires teamwork not authority obedience.
Reynolds 1984
Criticism of Bowles and Gintis 1976
Education encourages critical thinking
Neomarxism - Willis 1976 USA
The hidden curriculum is not always accepted. 12 W/C lads, counter school culture, opposed values of education system and choose to fail to become manual labourers. The ES still ruins those who are not obedient, th ES does not produce ideal workers.
Criticise Willis…
Neomarxism
1976 USA not applicable to modern day UK
New Right/Neoliberals
Favour free market and marketisation. Competition drives motivation and success. The ES is important for a successful economy but it can be a drain on resources. Parentocracy.
Chubb and Moe 1988
Neoliberalism
State education fails disadvantaged pupils. No competition in state schools so standards are low.
Gerwitz 1995
Neoliberalism Criticism
Ignores wider social inequalities and puts all the blame on schools. Schools do not transmit common values but R/C values. Contradictory, parentocracy but strict curriculum. Private puts profit over education. Greater choice always benefits M/C.
Social Democracy
Greater equality from education. Schools give extra help to disadvantaged. education promotes economic growth and equality in a meritocratic society but ES is not meritocratic, government had to intervene.
Wolf 2002
Criticises social democracy
Will spending lead to automatic economic growth? Switzerland!
Neoliberals criticise social democrats because….
Greater equality means standards are undermined eg mixed pace classes.
