FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE

Cards (18)

  • Functionalist Perspective Theories of Education
    Key theorist:
    1. Durkheim
    2. Parson
    3. Davis and Moore
    Role of Education:
    • To socialise new members into society by transmitting society's culture from one generation to the next
    Functions of Education:
    1. Social Solidarity
    2. Specialist Skills
    3. Secondary Socialisation
    4. Sifting & Sorting
  • Durkheim:
    • Refers to society using the organic analogy
    • Believes society operates similar to human body , just like the body needs organs to function ,
    • society needs key institutions to function such as family and education system
    • Without education society will collapse as it preforms positive functions
    Main functions:
    1. Social solidarity (through Curriculum)
    2. Specialist Skills(Literacy & Obedience)
  • Durkheim: Social Solidarity
    • education system promotes feeling of belonging and togetherness between pupils through school community
    • education system transmits society's culture from one generation to the next creating value consensus
    • schools acts as a miniature society and teaches us to interact with others as school members in preparation for being adult members of society
  • Durkheim: Social Solidarity
    • National curriculum creates social solidarity and transmits shared culture of pride of nation through
    • English - learn about renowned writers such as Shakespeare
    • History - instils sense of shared heritage and commitment to wider social groups i.e. suffragettes war hero's , medicine advancement
  • Durkheim: Social Solidarity
    AO3:
    • Marxist view- it only transmits ideology of the ruling class which persuades people inequality is fair and just
    • Ethnocentric view- Priority is given to white culture and history so ethnic minority feel excluded Therefore no social solidarity , as only shows negative side of ethnic minority groups like slavery even though Britain is multicultural
  • Durkheim: Specialist Skills
    • education system teaches children specialist skills needed for modern economy
    • at school we are taught specialist skills- to read and write but also skills of time management , problem solving and leadership
    • specialist skills enables children to take their place in division of labour
  • Durkheim: Specialist Skills
    AO3:
    • Rose tinted and ignores negatives
    • New Right- the skills taught by schools don't always lead to getting good job Therefore more people on welfare benefits e.g.
    • Wolf Review found 16-19 years old did courses that doesn't lead to higher education or good jobs
    • Postmodernist- the specialist skills taught are outdated as it doesn't adequately educate for the future as education system hasn't changed so it only teaches basics e.g.
    • Apple CEO- calls of education reform to prepare children for digitally advancing world and teach them those skills
  • Parson: Secondary Socialisation
    • Believes education is a bridge between home and workplace as they have different values
    • Home(family):
    • Ascribed status
    • Judged by Particularistic Value{standards}
    • Education(school):
    • Teaches to be judged by Universalistic Values{standards}
    • As it is Meritocratic
    • Society(work):
    • Achieved Status
    • Judged by Universalistic Values{standards}
    • Meritocracy[ down to ones ability}
    • Main function of education system
    • Secondary socialisation- done through national curriculum, same national exams, same mark scheme ensuring meritocracy
  • Parson: Secondary Socialisation
    • School is a focal socialisation agency
    • School is a bridge between the family and society so students get used to meritocracy
    • education system helps to assess ones suitability for future roles in society based on their ability
  • Parson: Secondary Socialisation
    • believes we can achieve status by our own ability and hard work(due to meritocratic system) Therefore everyone should strive to achieve full potential
    • education system is beneficial for society as results in most capable being socialised in the most functionally important jobs in society
    • school judges everybody by same universalistic standards and impersonal values to prepare kids for wider society where everyone has equal opportunity to succeed through own ability
  • What is Particularistic Values{standards}
    Where you are judged biasedly compared to others due to personal relationship with parent
  • What is Universalitic Values{standards}
    Judged equally compared to everyone else there is no bias
  • What is Secondary Socialisation
    The process of learning shared norms and values outside the family
  • Parson: Secondary Socialisation
    AO3:
    • Marxist view- Meritocracy is a Myth , children of wealth have more opportunities and better resources leading to higher qualifications so better jobs =NO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCED, those who don't succeed blame themselves leading to them having false class conscious
    • Interactionalist- Functionalist ignore free will as not all students will passively accept school rules or teaching Therefore socialisation isn't always successful
  • Davis and Moore: Sifting and Sorting
    • education system is to allocate people to certain roles in society
    • sifting and sorting pupils according to their ability and effort into future careers~
    • education system is meritocratic
    • education system justifies and legitimises inequality as natural and desirable
    • by rewarding the hard and talented workers
    • people who work hardest and talented get most rewarding jobs(role allocation) - to make society function properly
  • Davis and Moore: Sifting and Sorting
    • Most rewarding jobs are Doctors, Teachers , Mechanic
    • Blau and Duncan say modern econmy depends on human capitial(amount of knowledge and skill in workforce) for success
    • Therefore one should put most ability and effort in education system[ as only to blame if fail and get bad job]
  • Davis and Moore: Sifting and Sorting
    • schools function to select and allocate pupils to their future work roles in society thats meritocratic
    • education system is a means for sifting and sorting eople into different levels of the job market
    • education system makes sure most talented and qualified individuals are allocated most important and Therefore most rewarding jobs
    • pupils have to sit exam and those with best results get most important and highly rewarding positions , jobs
    • This legitimises social inequality as success is seen as deserved
  • Davis and Moore: Sifting and Sorting
    AO3:
    • Evidence suggest class , gender and ethnicity have significant role in determining achievement
    • Marxist View- Resources are exspensive as well as tutiton fees so lower class are at a disadvantage when it comes to achievement Therefore dont get the rewarding jobs
    • Feminist Views- Girls even though statistically get better results than boys in school dont get the most important rewarding roles due to society being patriarchal leading to girls being pushed in the expressive role