functionalist 

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  • Created by: cieran32
  • Created on: 17-05-18 11:28
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  • functionalist perspective on education
    • key functionalists
      • Durkheim
        • specialist work skills- schools also teach specific work skills of the kind required by society
        • learning social rules- unlike the family, the school is a miniature version of society. schools teach pupils how to work with others in social context.
        • linking individuals and society- education performs of making individuals feel they are members of a larger social group.  can be achieved by teaching the history of their society
      • parsons
        • allocating pupils into future work roles- people are slotted into work and social roles that match their abilities
          • pupils talents are tested in schools so they are channelled into roles suited to their abilities
        • learning 'universalistic values'-  school is first place these values are learnt at home people are treated as individuals however inn  education it's as a society.
        • learning fundamental values of scoiety
          • society cannot survive without members sharing same set of basic values. schools carry out secondary socialisation
      • Davis and Moore
        • some individuals have greater talents than others
        • positions in society require different talents
        • the most able individuals need to be allocated to the most functionally demanding roles
        • the most able gain the greatest rewards in order to attract them to a long period training which is needed for these roles
    • key concerns and ideas
      • Education plays an important role in teaching individuals the norms and rules of society
      • For society to survive, it needs to be united. members of society need to share the same norms, beliefs, aims etc otherwise the social group would disintegrate
      • Education also carries out a very important function for the economic sub system by allocating individuals into work roles that match their abilities
      • are mainly interested in the positive functions education performs for society and in particular, for the economy
    • criticisms of functionalism
      • its doubtful whether schools do teach the work skills needed by the economy as some school subjects seem to have limited usefulness in the world of work
      • Marxist argue that education transmits the values of the ruling class as functionalist assume there is a agreement over the basic values of society.
      • Education is not meritocratic as there is class inequalities  in education achievement

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