education

What is the role of education in society?

To teach skills, prepare people for work, and maintain social order

What is meritocracy?

The idea that people succeed through hard work and ability

What is the hidden curriculum?

The unwritten rules and values taught in school such as obedience and punctuality

What did Durkheim believe education does?

Creates social solidarity and teaches shared values

What did Parsons say about education?

School acts as a bridge between family and wider society

What is vocational education?

Education that teaches practical job-related skills

What is social control in education?

Schools regulate behaviour through rules and discipline

What do Marxists believe education does?

Reproduces class inequality and benefits capitalism

What is the correspondence principle?

School mirrors the workplace through hierarchy and obedience

What is streaming?

Grouping students by ability

What is labelling in education?

Teachers attaching meanings or stereotypes to students

What is self-fulfilling prophecy?

When labels influence students to behave according to expectations

What is cultural deprivation?

Lack of cultural experiences that help educational success

What is material deprivation?

Lack of money or resources affecting achievement

How can poverty affect education?

Poor housing, less support, fewer resources, and stress reduce achievement

What is ethnocentrism in education?

Focusing mainly on one culture in the curriculum

What is institutional racism?

School systems disadvantaging certain ethnic groups

What is gender socialisation?

Learning gender roles through society and school

Why do girls often achieve higher than boys?

Better organisation, changing opportunities, and positive attitudes to school

Why might boys underachieve?

Peer pressure, laddish culture, and negative attitudes to education

What is pupil subculture?

Groups of students sharing similar values and behaviour

What did Willis study?

Working-class boys rejecting school and preparing for manual work

What is social class?

A group based on occupation, income, and status

What is social capital?

Support and connections that help achievement

What are league tables?

Rankings comparing school performance

What is marketisation in education?

Schools competing for students like businesses

What was the 1944 Education Act?

Introduced free secondary education and the tripartite system

What schools were in the tripartite system?

Grammar, secondary modern, and technical schools

What did the 1965 Comprehensive System do?

Replaced selective schools with comprehensive schools

What did the 1988 Education Reform Act introduce?

National Curriculum, GCSEs, and league tables

What is the National Curriculum?

Subjects all state schools must teach

What are GCSEs?

Qualifications taken at age 16 in England

What is setting?

Placing students in classes based on ability in one subject

What is peer group pressure?

Influence from friends affecting behaviour and achievement

What is social mobility?

Moving between social classes

What is feminism in education?

The belief education can challenge gender inequality

What do Functionalists think schools teach besides knowledge?

Norms, values, and cooperation

What is anti-school subculture?

Students rejecting school values and rules

What is teacher expectation?

Assumptions teachers make about students’ ability

What is educational achievement?

Success in education measured through grades and qualifications

What is social solidarity?

A feeling of unity and shared values in society

What did Durkheim compare the classroom to?

Society in miniature

What does Parsons mean by particularistic standards?

Rules applied differently within the family

What does Parsons mean by universalistic standards?

Rules applied equally to everyone in society

What does Davis and Moore’s role allocation mean?

Education sorts people into jobs based on talent and effort

Why do Functionalists support exams?

They help identify the most talented people

What do Marxists say about meritocracy?

It is a myth because working-class pupils are disadvantaged

What is alienation in education?

Students feeling disconnected from learning

What is ideology?

A set of beliefs that supports the ruling class

What is the myth of meritocracy?

The false idea that everyone has equal chances to succeed

What did Bowles and Gintis argue?

Schools reproduce an obedient workforce for capitalism

What are the six aspects of the hidden curriculum according to Bowles and Gintis?

Hierarchy, competition, obedience, rewards, fragmentation, and alienation

What is fragmentation in schools?

Students learning separate subjects and limited knowledge

What is correspondence theory?

School structures reflect workplace structures

What did Althusser call education?

An ideological state apparatus

What is an ideological state apparatus?

Institutions that spread ruling-class ideas

What did Paul Willis study?

The anti-school subculture of working-class boys called the lads

What did Willis conclude?

Working-class boys were prepared for manual labour jobs

What is symbolic violence?

The dominant culture being imposed on others

What did Bourdieu mean by cultural capital?

Knowledge, language, and attitudes valued by schools

How does cultural capital help middle-class pupils?

It matches school expectations and advantages them

What is elaborated speech code?

Complex language often used by middle-class families

What is restricted speech code?

Simple language often used by working-class families

What did Bernstein argue about language?

Different speech codes affect achievement

What is immediate gratification?

Seeking quick rewards now

What is deferred gratification?

Waiting for future rewards and success

Why are middle-class pupils more successful according to external factors?

More resources, support, and cultural capital

What is parental interest?

Parents taking an active role in education

How can housing affect education?

Overcrowding and poor conditions reduce concentration

How can diet affect achievement?

Poor nutrition can lower concentration and energy

What is racism in education?

Discrimination based on ethnicity

What is labelling by teachers?

Teachers attaching stereotypes to students

What did Gillborn and Youdell argue?

Teachers see black pupils as disruptive and place them in lower sets

What is institutional racism in schools?

Policies and practices disadvantaging ethnic minorities

What is ethnocentric curriculum?

A curriculum focused mainly on white British culture

What is setting and streaming?

Grouping students by ability

How can setting affect achievement?

Lower sets may receive less encouragement and opportunity

What is the self-fulfilling prophecy process?

Labels lead students to act according to expectations

What did Rosenthal and Jacobson study?

Teacher expectations affecting pupil performance

What is the A-C economy?

Teachers focusing on students likely to achieve target grades

What are pro-school subcultures?

Groups that value school and achievement

What are anti-school subcultures?

Groups rejecting school values and authority

What is marketisation?

Applying business ideas like competition to education

What did the New Right believe about education?

Competition improves standards and efficiency

What is parentocracy?

Parents having more choice and influence over schools

What are league tables used for?

Comparing school performance

What is privatisation in education?

Private companies running parts of education services

What is globalisation in education?

Education influenced by worldwide economic competition

What was the purpose of the Education Reform Act 1988?

To increase competition and standards in schools

What is OFSTED?

The organisation inspecting schools in England

What are academies?

State-funded schools with more independence from local authorities

What are free schools?

New schools set up by parents or organisations funded by the government

What is vocationalism?

Emphasis on practical work-related education

What is the tripartite system?

Three types of secondary schools based on the 11+ exam

What was the 11+ exam?

A test deciding which secondary school pupils attended

Why was the tripartite system criticised?

It favoured middle-class children

What are comprehensive schools?

Schools accepting students of all abilities

What is social reproduction?

The process of passing inequality between generations

What is feminism?

The belief that society is unequal for women

How did feminism affect girls’ achievement?

Raised ambitions and opportunities for women