1.3 the role of the education system

Functionalism says education has three functions to help society

• education plays a part in secondary socialisation (passing on core values)

• Sifts and sorts people for the appropriate jobs (allocation function)

• Teaches the skills needed in work and by the economy

What did Durkheim say about education (functionalism)

Passes on norms and values in order to integrate individuals into society. Creating a social order based on cohesion and value consensus, strengthening social solidarity

What did parsons say about education (functionalism)

• School is the bridge between family and adult roles of society. Schools pass on a universal value of achievement.

• Education selects children into appropriate roles because its meritocratic

What did Davis and Moore say about education (functionalism)

Society sorts its members into different positions. They think there are rules for how education does this ‘principles of stratification’. A system of unequal rewards used to motivate people

What do functionalist believe about meritocracy

Education is meritocratic. Meaning social rewards are allocated by talent and effort rather than because of a position someone was born into

What do Marxists believe about education (3 main)

• prepares children for the world of work by giving them skills and values employers need

• Education passes on ruling class ideology that supports capitalism

• Legitimises inequality

What did Bowles and gintis (1976) believe about school and work

pupils were prepared for the world of work by the school system

• taught to accept the hierarchy at school, which work also has

• Motivated by grades to do boring work, workers rewarded with pay to do boring work

• School day and work day are broken into small units

• Subservience is rewarded

What did Bowles and gintis say about the hidden curriculum

Prepares people for work

What did Marxists claim regarding Bowles and gintis

• as well as skills and values, education also passes on capitalist ideology

What did Althusser believe regarding education (neo-Marxist)

• education is part of the ideological state apparatus. It’s a tool which is used to pass on the belief that society is fair

• Legitimises inequality

• Produces docile and obedient workforce who will not challenge authority

What did willis (1977)believe regarding education (Marxism)

• education doesn’t turn out an obedient work force

• Some kids for an anti school subculture to cope with school, then cope with adult work by ‘mucking about’

What did bourdieu believe regarding education (Marxism)

Used the concept of cultural capital to explain how middle class children generally go on to fill the top jobs in society

What do Marxists say about meritocracy in education

• education legitimises inequalities

• Working class students are blamed for their poor results due to having ‘equal opportunities’. When its a result of their social class

What are the similarities between functionalist and Marxist views

• both look at the big picture, institutions and the whole structure of society (ignore social interaction/ not Willis)

• Both say education has a huge impact on the individual and that its closely linked to the economy and work

What are the differences between functionalist and Marxist views

• Marxists say education helps to reproduce and legitimise inequality

• Functionalist say education passes on the value of meritocracy and lets people better themselves

Criticisms of functionalism

• evidence of differential achievement shows that education is not meritocratic

• In society ‘who you know’ is important, so job allocation isn’t working properly

• Doesn’t prepare people for work, lack of engineering graduates

• Doesn’t explain conflict, how it serves the interest of certain groups in terms of ideology and values

Criticisms of Marxism

• assumes people are passive victims. Exaggerates how much working class students are socialised into obedience

• Most people are aware of the inequality and don’t think that this inequality is legitimate

What do feminists believe about the education system

• patriarchal

• Hidden curriculum reinforces gender differences

• Gender differences in subject choices, gender stereotyping

• Girls are now outperforming boys at school but boys still demand more attention from the teachers

• Men dominate the top positions in school

What does the new right believe regarding education

• education should provide individual choice

• School should compete with each others to improve their standards

• State schools should not compete, caused poor standards. Schools role is to provide what its community wants and needs