The Role Of Education In Society (the Theories Perspectives On Education) Flashcards
What do functionalists believe about society as a whole
Society is a system containing sub-systems that all play their role to keep society functioning.
It is held together by value consensus- agreement among society about what values are important
Functionalist- What is durkhiems view on education
two functions- to create social solidarity and teach specialist skills
- social solidarity- individuals must feel part of a community. The education system creates social solidarity by transmitting society’s culture - it’s beliefs and values from one generation to the next. These are learnt through the hidden and overt curriculum.
Specialist skills- we now have a complex division of labour, where even one item takes multiple specialists. This corporation promotes social solidarity but for it to be successful everyone must have the specialist skills and knowledge to do their role. These skills and knowledge are learnt in education.
Functionlaists- what does Parsons believe about education
Educations function is secondary socialisation and education provides a bridge between society and the home.
In the home you live by individualistic, particularistic standards and values, that only apply to that child and their house. You also get an ascribed status given from your family.
-however in society and education we must follow universalistic vlued and impersonal standards. Eg same laws apply to everyone and in school everyone must follow the same rules.
-in society and school there is a achieved status, based of our own efforts- meritocracy (IQ + effort = success)
-school helps us move from the family to wider society as both society and the school are based off meritocratic principles - that everyone is given equal opportunity to succeed through their own efforts.
Functionalists- what do Davis and Moore believe about education
Perform the function of Role allocation
- schools select and allocate people into their future roles.
-they allocate pupils to the job theyrebest suited to based on aptitude’s and abilities.
-they argue inequality is necessary to ensure the most important roles in society are fulfilled. It would be inefficient to have less able people performing jobs like surgeons and pilots. so we choose the most talented people for these roles.
Education is where pupils show what they can do and the most able kids get the highest qualifications.
Evaluation of the functionalist perspective of education
❌- meritocracy in education doesn’t exist there is not equal opportunity for all. Eg ethnic and class differences.
❌- kids from higher classes are more likely to be sorted into higher streams so they have an advantage as they abilities and talents get more nurture and attention, so they’re more likely to get higher qualifications and therefore better jobs.
IN SIMPLE- achievement is influences by class background not ability,
❌ Marxist criticism- Durkheim says education instils shared values of society but really it’s just the ideology of the ruling class.
2- what in the new rights / neo-liberalism view of education- what do they believe the 3 roles of education are?
- they’re similar to functionalists
That education should
-Train the workforce
-making sure the most able and talented kids are recruited into the most important jobs.
-socialize kids into the norms and values of society to build social solidarity.
New right- What do Chubb and Moe believe
They don’t believe education should be ran by the state
-they believe there should be a free market in education wit independently managed schools ran like private businesses tailored to the needs of parents and students.
-this is because the competition for students and funding will improve standard and quality of education and therefore produce a more skilled workforce.
New right- how does the marketisation of schools improve the quality of education
^ eg how does the free market of education improve it.
It makes schools compete for finances so that the better a school performed the previous year the more money they get the following year. As a result, schools are turned into businesses that have to compete.
This makes schools improve their quality of education as they need to produce good results to get higher on the league table to attract funds and students.
New right- even though new right believe schools should be ran like private business they still recognise that the state have two important roles in education that they agree with.
what are the two roles that the state perform ?
- the state ensures the school transmits a shared culture by imposing a single national curriculum.
-imposes a frame work onto schools where they have to compete eg league tables, Ofsted. The state give info the the parents about schools to help them with their decision.
New right- what is vocational education
This is the idea that school transmits the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for the work place.
gives you the qualification needed for work.
- how the school mirrors the work place. Prepares the new generation for work
New right- why are Marxists against vocational education
Believe it reinforces class inequality as prepares lower class students for lower class and lower paid jobs.
Maintains the social hierarchy of capitalists running society and keeps w/c in their place
New right- What are examples of vocational education
- apprenticeships
- Btec courses
-work experience
New right- advantages and disadvantages of vocational education
❌- the school focus on smarter children and given them the best opportunities for work experience and apprenticeships- neglecting w/c kids.
❌- training is of poor quality so fails to transmit adequate skills for the work force.
❌- controls young people by keeping them off the street
✅-good for the economy- pay less for kids working
✅- valuable to learn work discipline
✅- gives realism to learning
New right- evaluation
❌- the cause of low educational standards is not because of state control but social inequalities and inadequate funding of state schools
❌- Marxists criticism- education does not instil shared values and culture but instead the the values of the dominant ruling class.
❌- there is no equal opportunity- w/c kids sorted into lower class jobs as m/c kids can use their economic and cultural capitol to get into better schools that instil higher quality skills needed for better jobs in the work force.
3- what is the Marxists view of society as a whole
They believe society is based on class division
With the capitalist class (bourgeoisie) ruling over the working class who are exploited by them.
