Education

• Functionalism: Durkheim - Functions of education

  Socialisation


  The process through which individuals learn the norms, values and culture of their society; learning how to behave in order to fit in with their society. Primary socialisation usually takes place in families whilst secondary socialisation takes place in educational settings.
• Functionalism: Durkheim - Functions of education

  Specialist skills


  Modern society requires people to have complex skills to meet the needs of an ever changing economy. Education prepares the next generation. Durkheim referred to this as 'division of labour'.
• AO3: Marxist critique of Durkheim


  Questions whether educational functions benefit all; ethnocentric curriculum 'little Englandism'
• Functionalism: Parsons - Meritocracy


  Students are rewarded with merits e.g. for their talents and efforts rather than their social background

  
  

  Those who work hard get good jobs with high pay compared to their peers who don't work as hard
• Functionalism: Davis and Moore - Role allocation


  Shifting and sorting people into the roles they will go on to perform in life
• Marxist - Functions of education


  1. Reproduces the inequalities and social relations in society e.g. working class are trained for working class jobs whilst middle class are able to gain access to better paying jobs by being able to attend better schools

  
  

  2. It serves to legitimise these inequalities through the myth of meritocracy by promoting ruling class capitalist views and disguising them as core values applicable to all students
• Marxist: Bourdieu - Cultural capital


  Skills, knowledge and values possessed by the middle class which gives their children an advantage in education
• Marxist: Bourdieu - Habitus


  A student's cultural capital can be demonstrated through more subtle and deeply ingrained attributes e.g. the language they use and the way they dress

  
  

  Middle class teachers look for students with similar backgrounds
• AO2: Bernstein's language code theory


  Restricted code: language used in informal settings by family and friends; basic; used among different classes however M/C can also switch to elaborated

  
  

  Elaborated code: language used in formal settings
• Marxist: Bowles and Gintis - Correspondence theory


  Education corresponds to work as school prepares students to work in capitalist businesses - so work mimics school life
• Marxist - Methods of Correspondence theory


  - Fragmented knowledge (working class can't question the middle class)

  - Conformist pupils are awarded more marks than creative pupils

  - Schools teach a hierarchy of (head)teachers at the top and students who obey

  - Pupils are motivated with external awards e.g. merits
• Marxist: Bowles and Gintis - Myth of meritocracy


  Argue that the education system being meritocratic is an illusion and instead it justifies inequalities because if we believe things are fair we won't question them
• Marxist: Althusser - Ideological state apparatus


  The bourgeoisie uses educational institutes to spread its capitalist ideology, which keeps the proletariat in a false class consciousness
• New Right - Marketisation


  Schools compete for students (who are 'consumers') and government funding like businesses, using competition between schools to drive up standards
• New Right - Parentocracy


  Marketisation led to the creation of league tables giving parents greater choices on where to send their children to school
• Feminism - Liberal view on education


  Point out remaining issues of patriarchy in education whilst also acknowledging significant strides towards equality in the system
• Feminism - Radical view on education


  The education system is still fundamentally patriarchal and continues to marginalise and oppress women.

  
  

  It reinforces patriarchy through the formal and hidden curriculum

  
  

  Sexual harassment is not treated as seriously as other forms of bullying
• Feminism - Black/difference view on education


  Not all girls have the same experience in education - minority ethnic girls are often victims of specific stereotyping and assumptions
• Postmodernism - Schools are more consumerist


  Marketisation and open enrolment allow for increased parental choice, turning schools into businesses
• Postmodernism - Education has become more individualised


  Teachers use a variety of teaching approaches in their lessons to cater to the variety of different students' needs
• Postmodernism - Education is more diverse


  Increase in the diversity of school types e.g. specialist schools, faith schools, etc
• Postmodernism - Education is more 'hyperreal'


  Schools make much more use of ICT in education, directing students to use online resources to support their learning
• Postmodernism - Increasing fragmentation


  The education system is becoming more fragmented, for example the experiences of private school children in comparison to working class is vast
• AO3 - Schools are more consumerist


  Not all parents have the same choice - M/C parents are

  privileged skilled choosers vs W/C disconnected local choosers (Ball, Bowe and Gewirtz)
• AO3 - Education has become more individualised


  Some schools are limited by lack of funding and resources, and teachers may be limited by time pressures
• AO3 - Education is more diverse


  Most schools continue to teach the national curriculum as standard; Ebacc encouraged for employability and free schools usually reflect ethnocentrism
• AO3 - Education is more 'hyperreal'


  Relies on funding and students access at home
• AO3 - Increasing fragmentation


  Some students are home schooled (only 1%)