the role of education

Question 1

functionalism

Answer 1

a consensus(general agreement) approach

Question 2

neoliberalism and new right.

Answer 2

a conservative, free market approach

Question 3

marxsim

Answer 3

a class conflict approach

Question 4

two main functions of education

Answer 4

creating social solidarity and teaching specialist skills

Question 5

Durkheim (functionalist)

Answer 5

argue that society needs a sense of solidarity. He argues that without social solidarity cooperation would be impossible without it.

Question 6

social solidarity

Answer 6

individual members must feel themselves to be part of community

Question 7

how did the educational system create social solidarity

Answer 7

transmitting society’s culture- its shared beliefs and values from one generation to the next

Question 8

what does school act as

Answer 8

“society in miniature”-preparing us for life in wider society

Question 9

parsons (functionalist)

Answer 9

parsons draws on many of Durkheim’s ideas. Parsons sees school as “the focal learning agency” in modern society.

Question 10

the focal learning agency

Answer 10

bridge between the family and wider society

Question 11

why is the bridge between family and wider society needed

Answer 11

family and society operate on different principles, so children need to learn a way of living if they cope with the wider world

Question 12

within the family how is the child judged

Answer 12

the child is judged by pluralistic standards; that is, rules that apply only to that particular child.

Question 13

what is ascribed

Answer 13

fixed at birth for example, an elder son and a younger daughter may be given different rights or duties because of differences in age and gender.

Question 14

Davis and Moore 1945 (functionalist)

Answer 14

see education as a device for selection and role allocation. they focus on the relationship between education and social inequality. they argue that inequality is necessary to ensure the most important roles in society are filled by the most talented people.

Question 15

Evolution of functionalist perspective

Answer 15

• the education system doesn’t teach specialist skills adequately, as Durkheim claims.
• functionalists see education as a process that instils the shared values of society as a whole, but Marxists argue that education in capitalist society only transmits the ideology of a minority.

Question 16

what does education act as?

Answer 16

a sieve which shifts and sorts jobs best suited to their ability.

Question 17

society in miniature

Answer 17

school acts in this way to prepare us for the future

Question 18

pluralistic standards

Answer 18

rules that apply to that one child it is ascribed- fixed

Question 19

universalistic standards

Answer 19

not compared to everyone else or judged by a clear measure of achievement.

Question 20

meritocracy

Answer 20

that individuals should achieve their status in life through their own efforts and abilities, rather than it being ascribed at birth by their class background

Question 21

what do new right and neoliberals argue

Answer 21

argue that the state should not provide services such as education and health . they believe in competition. their central belief is that the state cannot meet peoples needs so there should be a new market.

Question 22

new right and functionalism similarities

Answer 22

Both believe some people are more naturally talented
favour the education system running on meritocratic principles
believe the education system should be competition

Question 23

new right and functionalism differences

Answer 23

don’t believe the current education system is achieving these goals this is because is still run by the state
state systems take “one size fits all” approach, imposing uniformity and disregarding local needs
schools need to marketized

Question 24

why do Chubb and Moe (1990) argue that state schools have failed

Answer 24

1. failed the needs of disadvantaged groups
2. does not produce skills needed for the economy
3. private schools perform better because they are funded by parents and therefore answerable

Question 25

based on Chubb and Moe’s findings of why state schools have failed they suggest that

Answer 25

call for a “market system” which would allow consumer to meet their own needs.
propose a system where each consumer is given a “voucher” to spend on education.
drive up competition between schools

Question 26

A03 new right

Answer 26

Completion only benefits middle class who use their cultural capital 
Real cause of low standards is social inequality not schools

Question 27

Marxist

Answer 27

Society and education are based on class division and capital exploitation

Question 28

What are the two class system described in capitalism

Answer 28

The capitalist class and the working class

Question 29

The capitalist class

Answer 29

“Bourgeoise” 
The minority class 
Employees who own means if business eg land make profits by exploiting labour or working class

Question 30

The working class

Answer 30

Forced to sell labour power to the capitalist
Own no means of production
Poorly paid
Work in jobs which are underpaid and unsatisfying

Question 31

Althusser (1971)

Answer 31

The state consists of two elements or “apparatus”, both of which serve to keep the bourgeoisie in power:
The repressive state apparatus
The ideological state apparatus

Question 32

The repressive state apparatuses(RSA)

Answer 32

Force and threats e.g police, courts,army

Question 33

The ideological state apparatuses (ISA)

Answer 33

Controlling peoples ideals e.g religion, media education

Question 34

Why is education ideological state apparatus

Answer 34

Reproduces class inequality, fails working class pupils from generation to generation

Legitimates ( justifies) class inequalities disguises their true cause e.g persuades people to accept their portion

Question 35

Bowles and Gintis

Answer 35

They argue that capitalist requires a workforce with certain attitudes-willing to accept hard work, low pay and orders from above

Question 36

What Bowles and Gintis believe is the role of the education system

Answer 36

To reproduce an obedient workforce that will accept inequality as inevitable

Question 37

Who do Bowles and Gintis believe schools reward

Answer 37

The schools reward precisely the kind of personality traits that make a submissive,compliant worker

Question 38

What does Bowles and Gintis believe education has a close parallels with

Answer 38

Work in capitalist society. Education mirrors the work place

Question 39

hidden curriculum

Answer 39

all the “lessons” that are learnt in school without being directly taught

Question 40

Willis

Answer 40

studied the counter-school culture of “the lads” as they make the transition from school to work.

Question 41

how many boys did Willis use for his study

Answer 41

12 working class boys

Question 42

AO3 Marxist approaches

Answer 42

postmodernist argue that schools now produce diversity, not inequality.
pupils have free will and can reject school ideology
sees class as the most important factor, ignores others e.g. ethnicity
Ofsted league tables create a sense of competition

Question 43

what is the educational policy

Answer 43

the plans and strategies for education introduced by the government, most policies are in response to an issue e.g. equal opportunities, school selection.

Question 44

education policy before 1988

Answer 44

no state schools
education was only available to the rich
few charity schools for the poor
state schools spent no money on education.

Question 45

what was it like during the late 19th century

Answer 45

industrialisation increased the need for education workers.
state become more involved in education
school compulsory from 5-13
mc given an academic curriculum.

Question 46

tripartite system

Answer 46

education began to be influenced by the idea of meritocracy. children were to be selected and allocated to one of the three types of secondary school , supposedly by the (11+) exam.

Question 47

how were children allocated

Answer 47

by attitudes and attitudes and abilities

Question 48

why did the tripartite system and 11+ produce class inequality

Answer 48

by channelling, the two social classes into different schools that offered unequal opportunities.

Question 49

the comprehensive school system

Answer 49

aim to overcome the class divide of the tripartite system and make education meritocratic

Question 50

what happened to 11+

Answer 50

hhh