Theories of Education

• Durkheim - Social Solidarity


  Major function of education is tranmission of society’s norms and values = value consensus
• Example of Social Solidarity is shared heritage
• Durkheim - Specialist Skills


  Essential factor in Division of Labour
• Example of Specialist Skills is manufacturing a single product include many components of skills
• Parsons - Acts as a Bridge


  Particularistic standards of home to universalistic standards of wider society
• Example of Particularistic standards - Being asked to do chores at different times dependant on if morning or night person
• Example of Universalistic standards - No choice in time of NHS appointment if morning or night person
• Parsons - Society in minature


  School and wider society status is acheived based on Meritocratic principles
• <EVALUATION> + Durkheim


  + Trasmit norms, i.e. British Values
• <EVALUATION> - Durkheim


  -Not societal norms but those of powerful group i.e. Beougeisie

  -Hargeaves, infact fail to transmit
• Examples of society in minature - Student council or hierarchy
• <EVALUATION> + Parsons


  +NHS appointments not dependant on morning or night person
• <EVALUATION> - Parsons


  -Fail to consider post-modern society

  -Meritocracy is an illusion
• Davis & Moore - Role Allocation


  Most important roles are fulfilled by most talented people
• <EVALUATION> - Davis & Moore


  -Intelligence has little influence on educational acheivement

  -Bowles & Gintis, reproduction of class inequality
• Schutz - Theory of human capital


  Investment of education system for a properly trained, qualified and flexible labour force
• Marx described Capitalisn as a two-class system (bourgeoisie and proletariat)
• Althusser - Transmission of capitalist values


  Education reproduces and justifies class inequality through the ideological state apparatus
• Illich - Transmission of capitalist values


  School is repressive and promotes conformity
• Example of school being repressive - clothes and subjects
• Bowles & Gintis - Reproduction theory


  Role of education is to prepare and reproduce an obedient workforce, convinced that inequality is inevitable
• Bowles & Gintis - Correspondence Principles


  There are close parallels between school and work in a capitalist society
• Examples of Correspondence Principles (Bowles & Gintis)


  Hierarchy

  Privacy

  Alienation

  Extrinsic rewards

  Seperation

  Supervision

  Punctuality
• Bowles & Gintis - Myth of Meritocracy


  Justify the bourgeoisie wealth because they have ’worked hard’ for it
• Bowles & Gintis - Hidden Cirriculum


  It is what is learnt but not taught i.e. accept authority
• <EVALUATION> - Bowles & Gintis


  -Accused of exagorating Correspondence Principles

  -Fail to account for how education can improve someones life
• Morrow & Torres - <EVALUATION FOR MARXISM>


  Students create their own identities rather then constrained by traditional structures
• Willis - Learing to Labour


  Working class pupils are capable of resisting indocronation
• Neoliberalism is in favour of free-market capitalism and do not believe in state provided services
• Examples of Neo-Liberalism in education


  Formula Funding

  Academies

  Diversities of schools (to fit individual needs)
• New Right


  There is no way to fit all needs of students therefore the state should not attempt to, because trying to makes schools waste money and get poor results
• Chubb & Moe - Consumer choice


  State-run schools in America failed due to a lack of competition and failed the needs of disadvantaged groups
• Chubb & Moe - Study (Consumer choice)


  1015 sample, low-income families achieve 5% better in private schools rather then state
• Chubb & Moe - Solution (Consumer choice)


  Should use ’vouchers’ for parents, which is similar to Formula Funding
• New Right - Two roles of state


  -Impose a framework i.e. Ofsted

  -Transmit shared norms/values i.e. British Values
• British Values are;


  Rule of Law

  Democracy

  Tolerance/Respect

  Individual Liberty
• <EVALUATION> + New Right


  +Functionalists agree, i.e. Durkheim (Social solidarity)
• <EVALUATION> - New Right


  -Low educational standards are a result of poor state school funding

  -Gerwirtz/Ball argue competition only benefits Middle Classes

  -Contradiction in beliefs
• Interactionism and Education


  Believe individuals create society and rules by which they live through social interactions
• Self-Concept


  The way someone sees themself because of their interaction with others