Functionalist Perspective On Education

Question 1

What is the functionalist perspective?

Answer 1

Based on the view that society is a system of interdependent parts held together by a shared culture or value consensus

• focuses on the positive contributions made by the education system

Question 2

What is social solidarity? (DURKHEIM)

Answer 2

• argues society needs a sense of solidarity, individual members must feel themselves to be part of a community or they will pursue their own selfish desires
• education system creates solidarity by transmitting society’s culture from one generation to the next (binds people together, enables them to cooperate)
• teaching subjects like history/english gives children a sense of shared heritage/commitment to a wider social group
• school acts like a ‘society in miniature’ preparing us for a life in wider society

Question 3

What are specialist skills? (DURKHEIM)

Answer 3

• an advanced industrial economy requires a complex division of labour and usually involves the cooperation of many different specialists
• this cooperation promotes solidarity but each person must have the necessary skills to perform their role
• argued education teaches individuals these skills to play their part in the social division of labour/prepare them for the workplace

Question 4

What is meritocracy?

Answer 4

An educational/social system where everyone has an equal chance to succeed and an individuals status is achieved through their own efforts rather an ascribed

Question 5

Meritocracy (PARSONS)

Answer 5

• sees school as the focal socialising agency acting as the bridge between family and society
• family: particularistic standards (different), ascribed status
• society cant function this way as everyone has to be treated the same:
• school/wider society: universalistic standards (same, equal), status is achieved (meritocratic)

Question 6

What is role allocation? (DAVIS AND MOORE)

Answer 6

• schools perform the function of selecting and allocating pupils to their future work roles by assessing their abilities
• not everyone is equally able so argued inequality is necessary to ensure the most important roles are filled by the most talented, encourages competition for this role (equal opportunity, meritocracy)
• education sifts and sorts us according to ability

Question 7

POSITIVES

Answer 7

• schools do create solidarity, teaching British values
• education is more ‘work focused’ - vocational courses

Question 8

CRITICISMS

Answer 8

• Marists argue meritocracy is a myth - achievement based on class background not ability
• neoliberals/new right argue education fails to adequately prepare young people for work
• doesnt teach specialist skills adequately - review of vocational education claims high quality apprenticeships are rare and vocational courses dont lead to higher education/good jobs
• functionalists see education as a process that instils the shared values of society, Marxists argue education only transmits the ideology of the minority ruling class