Theories of education

Question 1

Functionalist- Theories of education

Answer 1

Social solidarity
Specialist skills
Secondary Socialisation
Sifting and sorting

Question 2

Functionalist- Social solidarity

Answer 2

individual feels they belong to a community
Durkheim- school is society in miniature
- interact with others, follow rules , shared culture, accept social rules

Question 3

Functionalist- Specialist skills

Answer 3

Durkheim- taught skills to take their place within a highly complex division of labour
Modern industrial societies require specialist skills
- critical thinking
- organisation
- time keeping
earn money, support families, pay tax

Question 4

Functionalist - Secondary Socialisation

Answer 4

Parsons- education passes on key norms and values of society
socialised into value of meritocracy- achieve status based of own ability and effort
schools mirrors society
Education fair to everyone
-free
-rewarded with same qualifications
-national curriculm
-same criteria to access grades

Question 5

Functionalist- Sifting and Sorting

Answer 5

Davis and Moore- role allocation
education puts people on the career path they are suited to
-most able students-high grades- most important jobs
-inequalities in society are natural and desirable, acts as an incentive to work hard

Question 6

Marxist- Theories of education

Answer 6

Social control
Specialist skills
Secondary socialisation
Sifting and sorting

Question 7

Marxism- Social control

Answer 7

Althusser- education is an ISA
-tool of state used to brainwash people
Proletariat fail to see own exploitation- false class consciousness
do not rebel, are controlled
Hidden curriculm- underlies things taught covertly in education
eg respect place in hierarchy
ensures comply with capitalism

Question 8

Marxism- Correspondence principle

Answer 8

Bowles and Gintis- education maintains capitalism
keeps an unfair system and poor in their place
Capitalism needs workers with obedient, passive and docile attitudes , accept hard work and low pay
School provides these workers through the Correspondence principle
-hierarchy, rewards, competition, dress code

Question 9

Marxism- Secondary socialisation

Answer 9

-passes on norms and values of capitalism that benefit the bourgeoisie
eg meritocracy
prevents recognising exploitation
Myth of meritocracy
-success is actually based on class background

Question 10

Marxism- Sifting and sorting

Answer 10

Bowles and Gintis- pupils allocated based on class
Ball
Bowles and Gintis- obedient students got best grades, not those who were no conformist or creative thinkers
Education rewards those who conform to expectations of capitalism

Question 11

Feminism- Theories of education

Answer 11

Social Control
Secondary Socialisation
Specialist skills
Sifting and sorting

Question 12

Feminism- social control

Answer 12

• reinforces patriarchy and controls women
• different subject choices, women have less access to top jobs
• male gaze and sexual double standards
  -women seen as sexual objects, further controls behaviour

Question 13

Feminism- Secondary socialisation

Answer 13

• socialises boys and girls into different gender identities
  girls encouraged to be passive and communitative
  boys encouraged to take prestige subjects
  boys more likely to go to best unis and get best jobs

Question 14

Feminism- speicalist skills

Answer 14

-passes on gendered skills
-boys are taught skills to perform instrumental role
- become main earners in family
- girls prepared for expressive role
- tale lead in child care and domestic work

Question 15

Feminism- Sifting and sorting

Answer 15

prepares girls and boys for different roles in family and society
- girls more likely to take feminine subjects, maths and sciences mainly male dominated
reinforces gender inequality
‘glass ceiling’
hidden curriculm to accept patriarchy