Sociology education paper 3

Durkhiem

the positive, functionist view of education is represented by

1. transmission of societqal norms and values - the cirriculum encourages students to have a common value and language system reinforcing the value of meritocracy.

2. creation of social solidarity - schools helps create social solidarity through subjects like history, reinforcing national identity and feeling bigger than yourself

3. schools is a microsm - school helps teach kids that there are rules and values to society with punishments which are made clear and misbehaviour damages society 

4. prepares for the division of labour - education teaches specific workforce skills such as specialisation into subjects, allowing their skills and become interdependent upon one another in order to produce goods ands services 

Parsons

reinforces Durkheim’s view on education:

1. education acts as a bridge between the family and wider society - a mother may ascribe their child as being special, however in wider society universalistic standards apply, with the school helping to ease transition, creating a meritocratic society 

2. education socialises young people into the basic values of society - two major values in schools, the value of equality and opportunity, with all children coming out winners or losers thinking this is fair as they have both had equal chances for success

3. education selects people for their future roles - schools by testing and evaluating students, allow them to match their talents and skills by what they are best suited to

davius and more

education is necessary for society and the economy:

1. education is essential for effectice role allocation: e argue educations is a means of role allocation, but also link the education system directly with the system of social stratification. They see this as a mechanism for ensuring that the most talented and able members of society (e.g. the position with specialist knowledge, skills, experience ferw people can gain) earn high rewards, acting as incentives

2. education sifts sorts and grades individuals - . Education rewards the most talented with high qualifications, which in turn provides entry to those occupants that are functionally most important to society 

3. education runs on meritocratic principles - Stratification and ineuqality are normal, natural and even desirable in capitalist society because there is a limited amount of talent. These talented few need to be persuaded to make a sacrifice (by staying on in education

Saunders

new right / functionalist study on education:

1. societies reward positions unequally for benefit effect - without economic rewards and penalties, the only sanctions available would be those involving threat or use of physical force.

2. Education is run on meritocracy principles: education provides every individual with an equal chance to succeed.  Individuals compete with one another and those with greater achievement receive more merit compared to others.  Individuals are rewarded because of their ability to work hard and for possessing attributes and characteristics which are valued in society. 

3. in society there is an unequal distribution of ability and effort: ldren of middle-class parents may deserve to be more successful than those from the working class because they tend to have greater genetically inherited ability and because they work harder.