Views of Education Flashcards
What do functionalists argue are the three functions of education?
- Secondary socialisation
- Role allocation
- Teaching skills needed in the workplace
What does Durkheim say the function of education is?
Maintains social order based on the value consensus
What does Parsons argue the function of education is?
School is meritocratic
What do Davis and Moore say is the function of education?
Education creates principles of stratification - has to be inequality to motivate people to work hard.
What do Marxists argue are the three purposes of education?
- prepares children for work - giving them skills employers want
- Passes on capitalist ideology
- legitimises inequality
What do Bowles and Gintis argue about education?
Correspondence theory:
- taught to accept hierarchy
- motivated by grades to do boring work
- school day is broken into small units
- subservience is rewarded
Whose theory is the hidden curriculum and what does it mean?
Bowles and Gintis - pupils are taught to follow rules, be polite, work hard etc which prepares them for work in a capitalist society
What is Althusser’s theory of education?
Education is part of the ideological state apparatus - it’s a tool of capitalism which passes on the idea that capitalism is fair (legitimising inequality)
What are the similarities and differences between the functionalist and marxist approaches to education?
Both macro theories and ignore social interaction
Both say education has a BIG impact on an individual
Both say education is closely linked to the economy
HOWEVER
They see inequality differently:
Marxists say education reproduces inequalities and that its bad
Functionalists say its good because of meritocracy and principles of stratification
What are the criticisms of the functionalist view?
Meritocracy is a myth
Role allocation doesn’t work because ‘who you know’ is more important than ‘what you know’
It doesn’t look at particular groups or explain conflict
What are the criticisms of the marxist view?
Assumes people are passive and ignores students who aren’t obedient (except Willis)
Most people are aware of inequality and don’t think it is legitimate
What do feminists argue about education?
The education system is patriarchal:
- hidden curriculum reinforces gender differences/stereotypes
- girls outperform boys but boys still get more teacher attention
- men dominate top positions in schools e.g headteachers
What does the new right argue about education?
Education should provide individual choice:
1. schools should be run like businesses - competing with each other so standards improve
