Unit 3 - Section B: Education - THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS - Functionalism Flashcards
Durkheim
Standardised testing is a good assessment of specialised skills. Social solidarity = the feeling of unity and belonging based on shared beliefs and values. The education system encourages this as instills a sense of shared culture and identity in younger generations (e.g. Britishness stems from British values - History). It supports the needs of a modern economy as it helps prepare young people for the world of work in industrial societies - individuals can choose from a wide range of specialised jobs, school provides skills required, education helps to improve people’s different skills and knowledge, which enables them to go into jobs most suitable for them. EVAL = the world is fast-changing, the UK is not at the forefront of this. (e.g. Blue-collar robots, dependence on electricity, 65% of children attending school will have jobs that don’t even exist yet, are we really learning a range of skills?). Modern example; policy change - teaching citizenship/PSHE.
Parsons
Education is equal and meritocratic - all students have equal access to curriculum and achievement. Particularistic = values of family. Universalistic = values applied to everyone. The education system trains individuals to accept norms and values of wider society. Schools instills: a) value of achievement, b) equality of opportunity. Schools socialise young people into the value consensus of society. Individual achievement = is learned through competition, praise, and qualifications, which prepares young people for a competitive workplace. Equality of opportunity = everyone has an equal chance of success. British schools usually have an equal opportunities policy - emphasising that all children, irrespective of gender, race, and disability, should all be treated equally.
Davis and Moore
Role allocation and shifts + sorts us - grades help with this - e.g. A versus D grades, vocational (e.g. woodwork) versus academic (e.g. lawyer) subjects. Stratification exists in all societies - share certain functional prerequisites (must be met if the system is to survive and operate effectively). 1) all roles must be filled, 2) they must be filled by those best able to perform, 3) necessary training for them must be undertaken, 4) the roles must be performed conscientiously. All societies need some ‘mechanisms’ for ensuring effective role allocation and performance - social stratification - system that attaches unequal rewards and privileges to the different positions in society. However, people’s ability differs, and positions differ (importance for survival and maintenance of society). These require specific skills and the number of people who can form these roles is limited - most able with functionally most important jobs - attaches rewards which motivates people to compete - usually require long periods of training, sacrifices made but incentives given to compensate. Differential rewards contribute to the maintenance of social systems - two ways: 1) degree to which a position is functionally unique, no other positions that can perform the same function satisfactorily. 2) degree to which other positions depending on the one question.
