Functionalism

• what are the functionalists 4 main functions of education ?

  1. Passing on societies culture and building social solidarity

  2. Providing a bridge between the family and wider society

  3. Developing human capital

  4. Allocating the correct people for the roles in a meritocratic society
• what does Durkheim say about education passing on society's culture and building social solidarity?

  - Society cant survive without passing on norms, values & culture (functional prerequisite)

  - we feel part of a community otherwise people would pursue selfish desires
• How does education build social solidarity?

  Formal Curriculum

  - PSHE: teaching social norms

  - History: shared heritage

  
  

  Hidden Curriculum:

  - Punctuality

  - Competition

  - Academic achievement
• How would Marxists criticise Durkheim?

  Ignores the inequalities in power in society

  the culture and values passed on are those of the ruling class
• How would feminists criticise Durkheim?

  schools reinforce the patriarchy as they pass on patriarchal values
• How does Durkheim say education provides a bridge between family & wider society ?

  Schools are a "society in miniature" - prepares children for a life in wider society
• How does Parsons say education provides a bridge between family & wider society ?

  Secondary Socialisation

  - takes over from the family

  - "focal socialisation agency"

  
  

  Bridge between the values of family (focused on personal relationships and ascribed status) and the values of wider society (focused on applying the rules equally to everyone).
• What is meritocracy?


  social position achieved solely based on personal ability and achievement

  
  

  in school rewards are given based on hard work and talent
• How could you criticise the view that education is the bridge between the family and wider society ?

  Is society really universalistic? Are people actually treated the same in society, or do factors such as gender and ethnicity still affect the experiences of individuals?

  
  

  Is society really based on achieved status? Many in the upper class will inherit wealth - they haven't achieved it. Many elite jobs will still favour certain ascribed characteristics.
• What is Theodore Schultz's theory on education developing human capital?

  - High spending on training and education are important and justifiable as these develop peoples knowledge and skills

  - Investing in education creates a successful economy: training people for all the jobs

  - Expanding access to higher education and training will develop human capital

  - Appropriately qualified to undertake many different jobs= specialised division of labour
• How can you criticise Theodore Schultz?

  How much of what you learn at school will you actually need in your job? Functionalists overstate this aspect of school. The content of what people do in their jobs often has very little to do with what they learned in school. Most people learn "on the job".
• What does Davis & Moore say about education allocating the correct people for roles in a meritocratic society?

  - Ensures the most talented and qualified people are allocated the most "functionally important jobs"

  - Unequal rewards: Wages

  - Grades determine their position in the unequal hierarchy in society

  - Everyone has a chance, there is an equality of educational opportunity- Meritocracy

  - Education legitimises inequality in society- if you don't succeed you only have yourself to blame
• how can you criticise Davis & Moore ?

  - Social class, gender and ethnicity are all major factors which influence educational success. Not everyone has the same starting point.

  
  

  - Melvin Tumin (1953): How do we know what a "functionally important" role is?

  
  

  - Bowles & Gintis (1976): The education system disguises the fact that there is no equality of opportunity.