the role of education Flashcards
Name functionalist theorists
Durkheim, Parsons, Davis and Moore.
What does Durkheim say about education?
Functionalist- identifies 2 main functions to education. Social solidarity (helps to create ss by transmitting society’s culture from one gen to the next) and specialist skills (prepares us for life in wider society)
What does Parson’s say about education?
Functionalist- argues that schools are meritocratic, which is the belief that all pupils have an equal chance to succeed through talent and abilities, regardless of class, ability etc.
Also sees education as an agent for socialisation, acting as a bridge between family and wider society.
What do Davis and Moore say about education?
Functionalist- schools perform the function of selecting and allocating students to their future work, by assessing individuals abilities etc.
Name Marxist theorists
Althusser, Bowles and Gintis
Name a neo-marxist theorist
Willis
What does Althusser say about education?
Marxist- Education system performs 2 functions for the ISA:
Reproduction: the education system reproduces class inequality by failing each generation of w/c pupils.
Legitimation: education system tries to convince people that inequality is inevitable and failure is the individuals fault, not the capitalist system.
What do Bowles and Gintis say about education?
Marxist- Schools create the new gen of workers for the capitalist system, there is a hidden curriculum in education (lessons which are learnt but not taught) which is used to serve cap system e.g pupils accept hierarchy, alienation, competition. Meritocracy is a myth, success is based on class, not achievement
What did Willis say about education?
Neo-Marxist - pupils can see through the ruling class ideology and resist attempts to indoctrinate it in school, male w/c pupils formed a distinct counterculture that flouted school rules.
Which 2 types of feminists speak on education?
Liberal and Radical
What do liberal feminists say about education?
There has been a steady improvement in girls experience of school and girls achievement.
What do radial feminists say about education?
Primary role of education is to maintain gender inequality.
Gendered language- school teachers and textbooks use gendered language.
Gendered roles- textbooks present traditional gendered roles e.g. women as housewives.
Gendered stereotypes- textbooks and teachers tend to stereotype males and females, e.g. girls are more caring.
Name the new right education theorists
Chubb and Moe
What do new right say about education?
believe schools should be centred around competition and choice, this is mainly done through marketisation. By creating an ‘education market’ schools are forced to respond to the needs of teachers, parents and pupils.
What do Chubb and Moe say?
State education has failed to create equal opportunity because it does not have to respond to pupils needs.
Parents and communities cannot do anything about failing schools when the schools are controlled by the state.
Private schools deliver higher quality education because they are answerable to paying consumers.
