Marxism and Education in AQA A-Level Sociology

Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)

An ISA is a part of society which keeps the bourgeoisie in power by reproducing and justifying inequalities. E.g. education.

Education and Inequalities

Education reproduces inequalities through; unequal access to resources, a curriculum that may not reflect diverse backgrounds (ethnocentric), and the 'hidden curriculum' that transmits social norms and expectations.

Indoctrination

Pupils are 'brainwashed' by the ruling classes to be the ideal workers.

Obedience-intervention sessions

These sessions 'exploit' the time of students, presented as helping students, when it's helping the education industry meet its targets.

False consciousness

Students are told it's to benefit them, when it benefits the system.

Chomsky's argument on schooling

School is a filtering system - the most compliant reach the top of politics, business and media and help protect the bourgeoisie, while the less compliant are made to internalise failure and often end up in 'dead end jobs.

Correspondence Principle

The way we learn things in school correspond/mirror the way we are expected to behave in work.

Critical thinking in education

Students are explicitly taught about features of the hidden curriculum including enterprise days and employability skills.

Bowles and Gintis's research

Their research is not representative of all Western schools as it was carried out in a few American high schools in the 1970s.

UK government's stance on education

The UK government has made it illegal for teachers to promote anti-capitalist views, proving that education is a tool used by the bourgeoisie to protect capitalism.

Paul Willis's criticism

Willis criticises the concept of brainwashing because many students rebel from education as a secondary agent of socialisation.

Hidden curriculum

The hidden curriculum transmits social norms and expectations.

Enterprise days

Events designed to teach students employability skills.

Socialisation

The process through which individuals learn and internalise the values and norms of their society.

Bourgeoisie

The capitalist class who own most of society's wealth and means of production.

Working class

A social class consisting of people employed for wages, especially in manual or industrial work.

Rebellion in education

Students' active resistance to the norms and values imposed by educational institutions.

Social norms

The accepted behaviors within a society or group.

Employability skills

Skills that enhance an individual's ability to gain employment.

Critical thinking

The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.

Ethnocentric curriculum

A curriculum that reflects the values and perspectives of one culture, often marginalizing others.

Hidden Curriculum

Lessons which are taught to us but are not specifically referred to on the curriculum.

Hierarchy of Authority

The structure of authority among teachers (e.g. head-deputy-classroom teacher) and between teachers and students.

Alienation in Education

Students' lack of control over education (e.g. over what to study, timetabling).

Extrinsic Satisfaction

Rewards external to the work itself, e.g. from grades, rather than from interest in the subjects studied.

Fragmentation of Knowledge

Compartmentalisation of knowledge into unconnected subjects.

Passive Students

Students are passive and obedient; they don't rebel as they are unaware of their exploitation.

Competition Among Students

Divisions among students, e.g. to come top of class; to be in a higher stream.

Levels of Education

Different levels of education (streams, year groups) with varying degrees of choice and supervision.

Lower Levels of Education

Few choices and close supervision.

Higher Levels of Education

Trusted to get on with work and engage in self-directed learning.

Hierarchy of Authority in the Workplace

The structure of authority in the workplace (e.g. managers-supervisors-workers).

Alienation in the Workplace

Workers' lack of control over production (e.g. managers decide what, how, when and where to produce).

Extrinsic Satisfaction in Work

Satisfaction from pay, rather than from doing the job itself.

Fragmentation of Work

Division of labour into small, meaningless tasks.

Competition Among Workforce

Divisions among the workforce, e.g. through differences in status and pay.

Levels of Occupational Structure

Different levels in the workplace with varying degrees of supervision.

Lower Levels of Occupational Structure

Workers closely supervised and given orders.

Higher Levels of Occupational Structure

Workers internalise company's goals and engage in self-supervision.

Specialised Skills

Skills that education teaches us to fulfil the futures of our class.

Social Class Labelling

The process by which our talents are predetermined based on social class, limiting upward social mobility.

Meritocracy

The belief that everyone has an equal chance, which Marxists argue is a myth.

OFSTED Failing Schools

90% of failing schools are in deprived areas, leading to issues like recruiting the best teachers.

Impact of Poor OFSTED Ratings

Poor ratings may lead to problems like not having a specialist teacher, negatively impacting students' grades.