Education - Sociological theories - XXX Flashcards
Who is Durkheim and what did he say?
Functionalist
4 different functions of education:
Social solidarity (feeling of togetherness)
Socialisation (hidden curriculum)
Division of labour (going to jobs most suited)
Specialised skills for a complex workforce (good education leads to more productive workforce)
Evaluation of Durkheim?
Doesn’t transmit shared values (not all children have same norms and values coming out of education)
Assumes norms and values are from shared society, not just ruling class.
Main Talcott Parsons key terms?
Role allocation (selecting people for jobs at different levels in society, based on qualifications) Meritocracy (reward system in which those who develop their skills and work hard are rewarded accordingly) Ascribed/Achieved status (position you are born into/position you earn) Equality of opportunity (same chance of success) Instrumental relationships (what people can do for us and what we can do in return)
Evaluation of Talcott Parsons?
Values are those of ruling class Assumes schools are meritocratic (students are judged before they are given a chance) Role allocation isn't effective Not all types of schools provide equality of opportunity (7% of pupils attend private schools)
Who is Davis and Moore and what did they say?
Functionalists
There has to be inequality, not all people can get the same grades and not all jobs should be paid at the same level, so different people should get different jobs which are paid accordingly.
This is fair because of meritocracy in schools.
Evaluation of Davis and Moore?
Is role allocation based on meritocracy?
Who is Louis Althusser?
Marxist
Two ways of controlling the masses:
Repressive state apparatus (police, military)
Ideological state apparatus (controlling way people think)
Education does 2 things; reproduces and legitimates class inequalities (fails through exams, legitimates it my saying they deserved it).
Who are Bowles and Gintis?
Marxist
Studied 237 schools and found they were rewarding behaviours which suit capitalism.
CORRESPONDENCE PRINCIPLE; school mirrors workplace through hidden curriculum.
Evaluation of Bowles and Gintis?
Deterministic view (assumes w/c passively accept their fate)
MacDonald, feminist, schools reproduce patriarchy.
Overemphasis on correlation and failed to provide evidence.
Some students reject education and do not become good employees.
Who is Paul Willis?
Marxist
Learning to labour 1977 study.
Small scale, in - depth study of 12 boys known as ‘the lads’. Developed counter - school subculture.
Working class kids get working class jobs as the men they look up to have these jobs.
Evaluation of Paul Willis?
+ Classic study (starting point for more studies)
+ Shows w/c kids aren’t passively being failed, they want the low paid work.
- McRobbie (feminist), girls ignored.
- Not representative. (sample insufficient)
- Dated
Evaluation of Louis Althusser?
Work of a madman (killed his wife)
Lack of concern for individual
What is the New Right view of education?
Believe some people are more naturally gifted than others. Agree with many functionalist views (meritocracy, socialisation etc)
Too much state control of education has resulted in inefficiency and lack of initiative. Don’t think state can run good education system.
Who is Howard Becker?
Interactionalist
Ideal Pupil 1971
Interviewed 60 teachers from Chicago and found they labelled students based on work, behaviour and appearance.
Saw m/c as closest to their ‘ideal pupil’, w/c furthest.
Hempel - Jorgensen also found that teachers ‘ideal pupil’ changed depending on social class of school.
Who is Rothensal and Jacobsen?
Interactionalist
Performed experiment where they randomly selected pupils and told teachers they were ‘intellectual bloomers’. Teachers then treated these children in this way and their marks did improve over the others.
SELF - FULFILLING PROPHECY
