role of education

What is the Functionalist perspective on education?

Functionalists take a consensus view of society, arguing that society is based on shared values and agreement (value consensus). Education is seen as a positive institution that performs essential functions needed for society to survive, including socialisation, role allocation and creating social solidarity.

What are the key Functionalist concepts related to education?

Socialisation is the process of teaching individuals society’s norms and values. Value consensus is agreement among members of society about what is important. Meritocracy is a system where rewards are based on ability and effort. Role allocation is education selecting individuals for appropriate occupational roles.

How does Durkheim (1903) explain the role of education in creating social solidarity?

Durkheim argues education creates social solidarity by transmitting society’s shared culture from one generation to another. Without solidarity, individuals would pursue selfish interests, creating social disorder.

How does education create social solidarity according to Durkheim?

Education creates social solidarity by teaching shared values, traditions, national history and collective identity. For example, learning about Britain’s history creates a sense of belonging to a wider community.

Why does Durkheim describe school as a ‘society in miniature’?

Durkheim argues schools prepare children for adult life because they experience cooperation with strangers, rules that apply equally to everyone and relationships beyond the family. This mirrors wider society and the workplace.

How does Durkheim explain the role of education in teaching specialist skills?

Durkheim argues modern industrial societies require a complex division of labour. Education provides individuals with specialist skills needed for different occupations, such as medical training for doctors and technical knowledge for engineers, allowing society to function efficiently.

How does Parsons (1961) explain education as a bridge between family and society?

Parsons argues education acts as a bridge between the particularistic standards of the family and the universalistic standards of wider society. Schools prepare children for a society where everyone is judged by the same rules rather than based on personal relationships.

What are particularistic and universalistic standards?

Particularistic standards judge people differently depending on who they are, as happens in families. Universalistic standards apply the same rules and criteria to everyone, as happens in schools and wider society.

How does education differ from the family according to Parsons?

The family operates through particularistic standards where status is ascribed, while schools operate through universalistic standards where status is achieved through effort, ability and qualifications.

How does Parsons explain meritocracy in education?

Parsons argues schools prepare individuals for a meritocratic society where success is based on effort, ability and qualifications. Education rewards those who work hardest and helps people achieve their positions through merit.

How do Davis and Moore (1945) explain role allocation?

Davis and Moore argue education acts as a system of selection and allocation. Schools test abilities, identify talents and allocate individuals into suitable occupations.

Why do Davis and Moore argue some jobs receive higher rewards?

They argue some roles, such as surgeons, pilots and scientists, are more important and require high ability and extensive training. Higher rewards encourage individuals to compete for these positions.

How does Human Capital Theory explain the role of education?

Blau and Duncan (1978) argue modern economies depend on workers’ skills (human capital). A meritocratic education system identifies talent, places individuals into suitable jobs and maximises productivity, benefiting both individuals and society.

Evaluate the Functionalist view that education benefits society.

Functionalists argue education creates social solidarity, specialist skills, meritocracy and role allocation. However, Marxists argue education does not benefit everyone equally and instead reproduces class inequality.

How do Marxists criticise the Functionalist view of education?

Marxists argue education does not create equality or meritocracy but instead reproduces class inequality. Working-class pupils often achieve lower results because of wider social inequalities.

How does Tumin (1953) criticise Davis and Moore’s role allocation theory?

Tumin argues Davis and Moore’s argument is circular. They claim some jobs are highly rewarded because they are important, but they judge importance based on the fact that those jobs are highly rewarded.

How does Wrong (1961) criticise Functionalism?

Wrong argues Functionalists have an “over-socialised view” of humans because they assume pupils automatically accept society’s values. In reality, students can resist school rules and reject dominant values.

How do the New Right criticise Functionalism?

The New Right argue state education fails to prepare young people for employment because it lacks competition and choice. They believe market competition would improve standards.

What is the New Right perspective on education?

The New Right believe society works best through the free market. They argue education should operate like a business where schools compete for students, forcing them to improve.

What similarities exist between Functionalism and the New Right view of education?

Both believe society is based on shared values, education should be meritocratic, education prepares people for work and some individuals are naturally more talented than others.

What are the differences between Functionalism and the New Right view of education?

Functionalists believe education already works effectively by performing social functions. The New Right argue state education fails because it lacks competition and parental choice.

What is marketisation of education?

Marketisation is the process of introducing market forces into education. It includes competition between schools, parental choice, league tables and Ofsted inspections, with the aim of improving standards.

How does the New Right argue competition improves education?

The New Right argue competition forces schools to improve because successful schools attract more students and funding, while failing schools lose students.

How does Chubb and Moe (1990) explain consumer choice in education?

Chubb and Moe studied 60,000 American pupils from 1,015 schools. They argued state education fails because it does not create equal opportunities, is inefficient and does not meet economic needs.

What did Chubb and Moe find about private schools?

Chubb and Moe found pupils from low-income backgrounds achieved around 5% better results in private schools, suggesting competition and choice could improve outcomes.

What solution do Chubb and Moe propose for education?

They propose education vouchers, where parents receive money to spend on the school of their choice. Schools would compete for students, and failing schools would lose funding.

How do Gewirtz (1995) and Ball (1994) criticise marketisation?

They argue competition benefits middle-class families because they have economic capital, cultural capital and knowledge of how the education system works. Therefore, choice can increase inequality.

What contradiction exists within the New Right view of education?

The New Right support parental choice but also support compulsory elements such as the National Curriculum and state control, limiting genuine choice.

How do Marxists criticise the New Right view of education?

Marxists argue education does not teach a shared culture benefiting everyone. Instead, it promotes the culture and interests of the ruling class.

What is the Marxist perspective on education?

Marxists view society as based on class conflict, where capitalism benefits the bourgeoisie and exploits the proletariat. Education helps maintain capitalism by reproducing inequality and legitimising the existing social order.

How does Althusser (1971) explain education as an Ideological State Apparatus?

Althusser argues the state maintains capitalism through Repressive State Apparatuses (force) and Ideological State Apparatuses (ideas). Education is an ISA because it spreads beliefs that support capitalism.

What are examples of Repressive State Apparatuses according to Althusser?

Examples include the police, courts and army, which maintain control through force.

What are examples of Ideological State Apparatuses according to Althusser?

Examples include education, the media and religion, which maintain control through ideas and beliefs.

How does Althusser argue education reproduces class inequality?

Althusser argues education ensures working-class pupils continue to experience disadvantage, maintaining the capitalist class structure.

How does Althusser argue education legitimates inequality?

Education creates the belief that inequality is deserved because success appears to result from ability and effort rather than social background.

How do Bowles and Gintis (1976) explain education and capitalism?

Bowles and Gintis studied 237 New York high school students and argued education creates the type of workers capitalism requires by rewarding obedience, discipline, punctuality and conformity.

What is the correspondence principle?

The correspondence principle is Bowles and Gintis’ argument that school mirrors the workplace. School prepares pupils for capitalist employment by teaching behaviours and attitudes needed by employers.

How does school correspond with the workplace according to Bowles and Gintis?

Schools have teachers with authority like workplace managers, students follow rules like workers follow orders, grades motivate students like pay motivates workers, and competition between pupils mirrors competition between workers.

What is the hidden curriculum?

The hidden curriculum refers to lessons learnt indirectly through school rather than through official subjects. It teaches acceptance of hierarchy, obedience to authority, competition and acceptance of external rewards.

How does the hidden curriculum benefit capitalism according to Marxists?

The hidden curriculum prepares pupils for capitalist workplaces by encouraging obedience, discipline and acceptance of unequal power relationships.

What is the Marxist view of meritocracy?

Bowles and Gintis argue meritocracy is a myth because education claims success comes from ability and effort, while class background strongly affects achievement. The belief in meritocracy convinces working-class people that inequality is deserved.

How does Willis (1977) explain resistance to education?

Willis used participant observation and interviews to study 12 working-class boys known as “the lads”. He found they rejected school values, disrupted lessons and viewed academic success as a “con”.

What is a counter-school culture according to Willis?

A counter-school culture is a group of pupils who reject official school values. Willis’ lads resisted school by challenging teachers, rejecting qualifications and valuing practical skills and masculinity.

How does Willis explain the relationship between resistance and capitalism?

Willis argues the lads’ resistance actually prepared them for working-class jobs because they developed attitudes suited to manual labour, including accepting boredom, rejecting authority and valuing masculine workplace culture.

Evaluate the Marxist perspective on education.

Marxism explains how education may reproduce class inequality through ideology, the hidden curriculum and the correspondence principle. However, Marxists are criticised for being deterministic, ignoring resistance, gender inequality and changes in modern economies.

Why are Bowles and Gintis criticised as deterministic?

They suggest pupils have little control over their future because education simply reproduces capitalism. Willis challenges this by showing pupils can resist school values.

How is Willis’ study criticised?

Willis’ study only involved 12 boys in one school, making it difficult to generalise his findings to all pupils.

How does MacDonald (1980) criticise Marxist explanations of education?

MacDonald argues Marxists ignore gender inequality because education reproduces both capitalism and patriarchy.

How do postmodernists criticise Marxism?

Postmodernists argue Marxism is outdated because modern economies require creativity, flexibility and adaptability rather than simply producing obedient workers.

What is Fordism?

Fordism is an industrial system based on mass production, repetitive work and low-skilled labour, such as traditional car factories.

What is post-Fordism?

Post-Fordism is a modern economic system based on flexible production, specialist markets and advanced technology. It requires workers who are creative, adaptable and highly skilled.

How does post-Fordism challenge the Marxist view of education?

Postmodernists argue education now creates flexible, skilled and creative workers rather than simply reproducing capitalist inequality, making traditional Marxist explanations less relevant.

Assess the view that education benefits society.

Functionalists argue education creates social solidarity, specialist skills and meritocratic role allocation. The New Right argue competition improves standards. However, Marxists argue education benefits capitalism by reproducing inequality and legitimising social differences.

Assess the Marxist view of education.

Marxists argue education maintains capitalism through Althusser’s ISA, Bowles and Gintis’ correspondence principle and Willis’ study of resistance. However, Marxism can be criticised for ignoring gender, ethnicity, pupil choice and changes in modern economies.

Assess the view that education is meritocratic.

Functionalists such as Parsons and Davis and Moore argue education rewards ability and effort through universal standards and role allocation. However, Bowles and Gintis argue meritocracy is a myth because class background influences achievement and opportunities.