Durkheim on Education

All notes taken from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMLFXG5J3KE

How does education fulfil positive functions for society?

• By promoting social solidarity

• By teaching specialist skills

What is social solidarity?

The ties that bind people together in society

What are the forms of social solidarity?

• Pre-industrial era: Mechanical solidarity

• Modern era: Organic solidarity

Education ensures that solidarity is not lost

How does education achieve social solidarity?

• Passes on shared heritage

  • History, Literature, Music

  • Students understand aspects of culture

• Communal gatherings

  • Assemblies, Prize-giving

  • Promote values of community

• Social cohesion

  • Enrichment, Sports activities, House systems

  • Sense of unity

What are the British Values?

• Democracy

• The rule of law

• Individual liberty

• Mutual respect for, and tolerance of, those with different faiths and beliefs and those without faith

What are the criticisms of teaching British values?

• Marxists: whose values and heritage are being passed on?

• Ethnocentric curriculum focused on ‘little Englandism’ (Ball)

• British values: Marginalises some groups in society

What is Durkheim’s teaching specialist skills?

• Industrial revolution

• Changes in skills required for the ‘complex division of modern labour’

• Creation of state education systems to prepare the next generation for employment

How does education teach specialist skills?

• Core knowledge: National curriculum

• Specialist knowledge: Subject choice at A Level

• Vocational skills: Btec and T Levels

• Creation of universities: ‘Red bricks’

What are contemporary applications of education?

• Additional funding for maths students at Level 3

• Standardised assessments (SATs), testing for key skills

• Teaching bursaries for shortage subjects

• Reforms to the curriculum- global skills

What are criticisms of Durkheim’s teaching specialist skills?

• Marxists: Over-qualified workforce

  • Fragmentation

  • Lower wages

  • Reserve army of labour

• High levels of youth unemployment - NEETs

• Skills shortage areas in the UK- Sciences, Engineering

• Feminists: Girls discouraged from certain subjects