THEORIES OF EDUCATION Flashcards
What do Functionalists believe about education?
Durkheim – said schools teach social solidarity and shared values.
Parsons – schools are a bridge between family and wider society.
Davis & Moore – education helps with role allocation ba
Which key study supports Functionalist views of education?
Durkheim – said schools teach social solidarity and shared values.
Parsons – schools are a bridge between family and wider society.
Davis & Moore – education helps with role allocation based on ability
What do Marxists believe about education?
Education supports the capitalist system. It benefits the ruling class and maintains inequality by preparing the working class for low-paid jobs.
Which study supports Marxist views of education?
Bowles and Gintis – education creates an obedient workforce through the hidden curriculum (e.g., punctuality, authority).
What was Willis’ study about?
He studied 12 working-class boys (“the lads”) who rejected school values, mucked about, and saw school as pointless because they expected manual jobs like their dads.
What theory is Willis associated with?
Neo-Marxism – he agrees with Marxism but shows that students can resist school, though it still leads to working-class jobs.
What do Interactionists believe about education?
They focus on day-to-day interactions in school, especially how labels affect student achievement.
What is labelling theory?
Teachers label students (e.g., “bright” or “troublemaker”), and students may live up to those labels (self-fulfilling prophecy).
What are “late bloomers”?
A term from a study by Rosenthal and Jacobson – when students were told they were likely to do well, they actually improved, showing how labels can impact achievement.
What do Feminists believe about education?
That schools reflect and reinforce patriarchy – a system that benefits men. Feminists highlight gender inequality in subject choices, teacher expectations, and the curriculum.
What is the issue with the curriculum from a feminist view on education for women in ethnic minority groups?
It is androcentric – mostly features white men (in books, history, science), ignoring the contributions of women and ethnic minorities.
What did McRobbie find in her study of girls’ magazines?
It shows progress for women – girls are now encouraged to aspire to careers, not just family roles.
What do Liberal Feminists believe as positive?
It shows progress for women – girls are now encouraged to aspire to careers, not just family roles.
What did feminist Cameron study?
Cameron looked at how language is used differently for boys and girls, and how this affects the way they’re treated in school and in society.
How does Cameron’s work link to education
• Teachers may speak to boys and girls differently.
• Textbooks often show men in dominant roles.
• Girls are expected to be polite, boys to be assertive.
• Schools can challenge this through inclusive language and teacher training.
Cameron believes language matters. The way we talk to and about boys and girls in school affects their confidence, behaviour, and future roles.
What did Mirza find in her study?
Black girls face racism and sexism in schools, They were sometimes seen as loud, disruptive, or not academic.
This meant they didn’t get the same support as other students.
They worked hard and proved teachers wrong.
They used friendship groups, confidence, and pride in their identity to succeed.
but they often resist stereotypes and show resilience.
What does “double disadvantage” mean in Mirza’s study?
Being disadvantaged due to both race and gender.
How do Black girls resist in school according to Mirza?
Through friendship groups, assertiveness, and maintaining a strong identity despite low expectations.
What does the New Right believe about education?
That education should be run like a free market with parental choice and school competition to raise standards.
What is meant by new right theory of marketisation in education?
Making schools compete like businesses, with parents choosing the best school for their child.
What values should schools promote according to the New Right?
Discipline, hard work, national identity, and traditional British values.
What did new right theorists Chubb and Moe (1990) argue about state education?
It fails many students, especially the working class and ethnic minorities.
What solution did new right theorists Chubb and Moe suggest for state education?
A voucher system—give parents money to choose a school, creating competition.
How does the voucher system from Chubb and Moe reflect New Right ideas?
It increases parental choice and forces schools to improve through competition.
