Views on education

• Functionalist Theory on Education:

  Believes that schools serve the function of promoting value consensus (when students are socialised into same values and goals to help them work together in later life for good of society.)

  e.g work of Durkheim on social cohesion
• Feminist Theory on Education:

  Believe that the educational system is dominated by males for the benefit of males in order to continue patriarchy through gender socialisation, this is achieved through the messages boys and girls receive through the hidden curriculum.

  e.g the work of Francis on the patriarchal nature of schools
• Conflict View of Education:

  Believes that society is made up of different groups who are in opposition to each other and have competing interests.

  This view believes that the education system benefits one group in society over the others.

  Includes the Marxist and Feminist theory of education
• Marxist Theory of Education:

  They argue that schools maintain inequality in society. They say that the ruling classes have the same cultural capital as schools and therefore children from those classes succeed and working class children fail.

  E.g the work of Bowles and Gintis on correspondence theory
• Consensus view on the role of Education:

  Views education as playing a positive role for all members of society, and that the education system performs useful functions for society as a whole.

  Includes the functionalist theory of education