30 Marker Flashcards
Paragraph 1?
Role allocation (Davis + Moore)
Parsons support (standardised testing and grading system)
Oakes & Griffin (Vespa research)
Role Allocation PARAGRAPH 1
David & Moore. Education sifts and sorts individuals based of individual merit rather than social background, ensures most capable fulfil most important roles and achieve high rewards.
Parsons SUPPORT (paragraph 1)
Parsons supports Davis and Moore, access to jobs isn’t dependent on family background, based on effort and qualifications. Process of standardised testing and grading system is meritocratic as students work hard to achieve high rewards.
Oakes & Griffins SUPPORT (p1)
Vespa research, there is a direct link between individual effort and final grade received, suggests status and role is achieved in society.
Criticism of Role Allocation (p1)
Interactionist Becker suggests teachers negatively label pupils which negatively influences their achievement , suggests role allocation may not be completely based on effort and ability but also by other factors such as teacher bias.
Socialisation PARAGRAPH 2
(3 points functionalists)
Education socialises us into meritocratic and universalistic values.
Parsons argues education builds a bridge between wider society and family, at home particularistic values, at school universalistic values.
Functionalists would suggest equal opportunities are embedded in the system as all students are subjected to following the same rules and expectations , reinforcing the idea of meritocracy.
These values are reinforced through standardised testing and grading system and equal application of rules.
(P2) parsons
Universalistic values- apply to everyone in education equally, our status is achieved through performance and qualifications rather than being ascribed at birth.
Particularistic values - apply to us only in the family , our status is ascribed at birth such as being the daughter of our parents.
(P2) functionalists would say _____ ____are _____ in the system.
Functionalists would say that equal opportunities are embedded in the system, as all students are subject to following the same rules and expectations, reinforcing the idea of meritocracy
(P2) standardised testing * grading system
Standardised testing and grading system reinforces meritocracy as does the equal application of school rules, ensuring all students have the equal chance to succeed.
PARAGRAPH 2 CRITICISM (B&G)
Bowles and Gintis would argue that education is a myth making machine and that social class is a main factor determining educational achievement and that education justifies class inequalities.
(P3) EDUCATION IS NOT MERITOCRATIC
BUT TRANSMITS RC IDEOLOGY
- neo Marxist Althusser suggests education is an ideological state apparatus that legitimatises and reproduces class inequalities.
- Gramsci suggests the working class will follow capitalist values which are not in their best interests due to education reproducing class inequalities.
- false class consciousness
(P3) ALTHUSSER
Education is an ISA which reproduces and justifies class inequalities by socialising pupils into the ruling class ideology.
(P3) GRAMSCI
Working class individuals will follow capitalist values despite them not being in their best interests due to the education system reproducing class inequalities and perpetuating the values of the ruling class.
(P3) false class consciousness
Working class students are socialised into a false class consciousness - a position in which the working class do not realise they are being exploited by the capitalist system by being misled into believing that education is meritocratic. 70% of private school students were more likely to be university graduates at the age of 24 compared to 20% of individuals from poorer backgrounds. This shows how an individual’s position in society may not be based of their efforts and abilities but their wealth. Also displays the idea that meritocracy is a myth transmitted by the ISA.
(P3) CRITICISM (Mac Donald)
Feminist Macdonald suggests education reproduces patriarchal values , not just a capitalist ideology. Therefore whilst Althusser highlights how education promotes the idea of meritocracy which legitimises class inequalities to benefit RC and overlooks how education also reproduces a male dominant ideology.
(P4) Marxists suggest the education system exists to reproduce class inequalities.
Dan Finn - policy of vocational education was introduced to produce an obedient work force which benefits the capitalist system.
Smith and noble - reproduces class inequalities due to the hidden costs of schooling
Department of education 2012 - less than 1/3 of pupils on free school meals achieve five or more GCSES at grade A-C compared to nearly 2/3 of other students
(P4) Dan Finn
Vocational education was introduced to produce an obedient workforce which benefits the capitalist system. They education system does this by channeling students into low paid work and manual jobs, which provides capitalist employers with a cheap, young and replaceable work force.
(P4) smith and noble
Education reproduces class inequalities through the hidden costs of schooling, for example wc children are less able to afford computers, books, extra curricular and other resources the middle class are able to afford which negatively impacts their achievement despite their individual effort.
(P4) department of education
Less than 1/3 of pupils on free school meals achieved 5 GCSES scored A-C compared to 2/3 of other pupils. This highlights how socioeconomic status plays a significant role in determining educational outcomes despite individual merit, and how the education system reproduces class inequalities.
(P4) CRITICISM (M&T)
Feminists Morrow and Torre argue Marxists focus too much on social class and ignore all other inequalities within the system, for example gender inequalities are also reproduced by education.
