Education (Education and the Economy)

Question 1

Why was British education and industry in decline?

Answer 1

British
schools did not teach people the skills they needed
in work

Question 2

What is vocational education?

Answer 2

Vocational Education refers to teaching people the
specific knowledge and skills to prepare them for a
particular career.

Question 3

What is vocational education usually on?

Answer 3

Vocational Education can either be on the job training –
such as with apprenticeships, or courses focused on a
particular career in a college (typically 16-19).

Question 4

How do functionalists see vocational education?

Answer 4

See vocational training as
providing specialist skills
required to perform a
functional role in the labour
market

Economic function

Training that is seen to achieve
this are:

Vocational level 3 courses (A
level equivalent)

Question 5

How do marxists see vocational education?

Answer 5

This merely produces an
obedient workforce to
reproduce the class system
within capitalism

This helps to keep working
class children in working class
jobs

Question 6

How do New Right see vocational education?

Answer 6

See vocational education as
reducing the development of an
underclass

Long term it will prevent high
costs of paying out for benefits,
as well as:

• reducing crime
• reducing unemployment
• creating a strong work ethic
  amongst citizens

Question 7

What is an evaluation of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs)

Answer 7

NVQs were seen by many as an inferior
qualification to the more academic ‘A’ level
subjects, and

Much on the job training was of a low quality
because it wasn’t very well regulated

Question 8

What did Marxist
sociologist Dan Finn in the 1980s say?

Answer 8

Some trainees were basically just glorified tea
makers

Question 9

What is an evaluation of the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme?

Answer 9

Some of the early modern apprenticeships were criticised for
being exploitative

– some companies simply hired workers to a 6 week training
course and then sacked them and rehired more trainees as a
means of getting cheap labour.

Question 10

What is an evaluation of vocational A levels?

Answer 10

While the purpose of this was to try and eradicate the traditional
vocational-academic divide it was mostly working class children
went down the vocational route, while middle class children did
A levels