What is the functionalist view of the role of education?
Durkheim believes that the function of education is to act as a functional prerequisite (something people need to give everyone a value consensus and social solidarity). According to him, its second function is providing training to a workforce.
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What are the criticisms of this view?
He assumes that school is meritocratic and that it does pass of norms and values of society, not just a ruling class. Hargreaves also found that modern schools were more concerned with exams and league tables than passing on norms and values.
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What is Parsons' development of Durkheim?
Education is an integral part of the social body- it bridges the gap between the particularistic values and ascribed status of the home to the universalistic and achieved status of society.
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What are the criticisms of Parsons?
Does not recognise that schools pass on the value consensus of a ruling elite, or the possibility that education is not a meritocracy.
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What do Davis and Moore say the functions of education are?
Education is a sieve- children are measured against one another and allocated roles based on this. Some are given high paid/ high status positions and others are not. Education legitimises this as it is meritocratic.
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What are criticisms of Davis and Moore?
Meritocracy isn't real. Ability and intelligence have very little impact on achievement at school.
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Therefore, what do Functionalists believe about the role of education?
That it benefits those who are most intelligent and society as a whole by giving everyone the same norms and values. Achievement is due to merit and reflects the real world, selecting best people for jobs.
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How would Marxists counter this?
Meritocracy is false, education benefits the ruling class. The children who do best are those who connect with others with influential parents, creating an 'old boy' network.
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What is the Marxist view of the role of education?
School works to create an obedient future workforce and aids the reproduction of class inequalities.
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How does Althusser say this is achieved?
1) transmitting the idea that capitalism is fair and encouraging competition with other students. 2) By teaching future workers to be obedient to authority figures, e.g. standing outside classrooms for teachers, not talking back.
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What do ISA and RSA stand for?
ISA- Ideological state apparatus. School is part of this. Althusser says these institutions have control over how the working class think, stopping them from disobeying. RSA- repressive state apparatus like the police or the military during riots.
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What are the criticisms of Althusser?
He assumes that all working class kids will go into working class jobs- this is too deterministic. Assumes that people are puppets on strings and that the system always works, neglecting freedom of choice. Ignores how education harms bourgeoisie.
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What do Bowles and Gintis say about the role of education?
They say that there is a correspondence between school and work- school mirrors work through the hidden curriculum, you are rewarded for obedience and hard work. Schools legitimise working class underachievement. A surplus workforce benefits the r/c
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What are the criticisms of Bowles and Gintis?
Too deterministic, assumes humans are puppets and that the hidden curriculum only serves the ruling class
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What does Willis say about the role of education?
Unlike Bowles and Gintis, says working class 'lads' are aware that they are disadvantaged, but anti-school subculture is more prevalent and means they end up in w/c jobs. They ways the find to enjoy themselves at school mimic those at work.
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What are the criticisms of Willis?
He used unreliable methods (unstruc group interviews). Too deterministic.
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Therefore, what do Marxists believe about the role of education?
That education mirrors work, creates obedient workers, benefits the ruling class through hidden curriculum, and is controlled largely by capitalism.
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How can this be countered?
Work is not just about obedience- teamwork, creativity valued. Not everyone is obedient, teachers have independence in classrooms to teach how they want
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
What are the criticisms of this view?
Back
He assumes that school is meritocratic and that it does pass of norms and values of society, not just a ruling class. Hargreaves also found that modern schools were more concerned with exams and league tables than passing on norms and values.
Card 3
Front
What is Parsons' development of Durkheim?
Back
Card 4
Front
What are the criticisms of Parsons?
Back
Card 5
Front
What do Davis and Moore say the functions of education are?
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