FUNCTIONALISM

• According to functionalists what are the three key functions of education 


  socialisation

  skills provision

  role allocation
• what is socialisation 


  it socialises young people into key cultural values and norms

  these values include

  competition

  achievement

  equality of opportunity
• Durkheim and socialisation 


  Durkheim felt that school played an important part in ensuring individuals had moral responsibility to others

  he believed that the teaching of history develops a sense of loyalty to your own society

  for example in the UK world war I and world war II
• parsons and socialisation 


  believed that school was a bridge between family and the wider society it helped children adapt to the meritocratic view of achievement
• what is meritocracy 


  if you work hard you will be rewarded
• what are particularistic standards


  in the family a child's social status is given by its parents and other family members
• what are universalistic standards 


  in the wider society the individual is judged by criteria that applies to all members of society
• what is skills provision 


  education teaches the skills required by a modern industrial society

  these may be general skills that everyone needs such as literacy and numeracy or they can be specific skills needed for a specific occupation

  as occupational roles become more specialised increasingly longer periods in education are necessary
• what is role allocation 


  education allocates people to the most appropriate jobs for their talents using examinations and qualifications.

  this ensures that the most talented are allocated to the occupations that are most functionally important for society
• Davis and Moore (role allocation)


  refer to the process of role allocation as sifting and sorting. school is like a giant sieve that sorts students into appropriate groups

  this is seen to be fair as it assumes that there is equal of opportunity

  everyone has an equal chance of success
• evaluation of functionalism 


  Marxists and feminists argue that meritocracy is a myth. some groups are disadvantaged in education due to their class gender and ethnicity.

  the new right argues that the demands of modern society are not met by the education system.

  some things you learn in school don't link to the workplace.

  they assume that everyone has equal opportunity