functionalist views of the role and purpose of education Flashcards
(33 cards)
1
Q
what is the basic view of society according to functionalism?
A
- society is a system of interdependent parts held together by a shared culture or value consensus
2
Q
what is a value consensus in functionalism?
A
- an agreement among society’s members about what values are important
3
Q
what do parts of society like the family, economy, or education system do according to functionalism?
A
- perform functions that help maintain society as a whole
4
Q
what do functionalists study when looking at education?
A
- they seek to discover what functions education performs in society
5
Q
who is the founder of functionalist sociology?
A
- Emile Durkheim
6
Q
what two main functions of society did Durkheim identify?
A
- creating social solidarity
- teaching specialist skills
7
Q
what does Durkheim say society needs to function properly?
A
- sense of solidarity among its members
8
Q
what is meant by “social solidarity”?
A
- individuals feeling they are part of a single ‘body’ or community
9
Q
why is social solidarity important, according to Durkheim?
A
- without it, social life and cooperation would be impossible
10
Q
what would happen without social solidarity?
A
- people would pursue their own selfish desires
11
Q
how does the education system help create social solidarity?
A
- education system transmits society’s culture - shared beliefs and values - across generations
- Durkheim argues that teaching a country’s history instils in children:
- sense of shared heritage
- commitment to wider social group
12
Q
what do schools act as?
A
- ’society in miniature’
13
Q
how does school act as a ‘society in miniature’?
A
- school prepares us for life in wider society
- in both school and work, we cooperate with people who aren’t family or friends:
- teachers and pupils at school
- colleagues and customers at work
- we also interact according to impersonal rules that apply to everyone
14
Q
what are specialist skills?
A
- modern industrial economies have a complex division of labour where producing a single item involves many specialists
- this cooperation promotes social solidarity
- for cooperation to be successful, each person needs the necessary specialist knowledge and skills for their role
- Durkheim argues that education teaches individuals the specialist knowledge and skills needed for the social division of labour
15
Q
which functionalist draws on many of Durkheim’s ideas?
A
- Talcott Parsons
- meritocracy
16
Q
how does Parsons describe the role of the school in modern society?
A
- Parsons sees the school as the ’focal socialising agency’ in modern society
- school acts as a bridge between family and wider society
- bridge is necessary because family and society operate on different principles
- children need to learn new way of living to cope with wider world
17
Q
how are children judged and treated within the family, according to Parsons?
A
- within family, children are judged by particularistic standards (rules that apply only to that child)
- the child’s status is ascribed (fixed by birth)
- eg, an elder son and a younger daughter may have different rights or duties based on age and sex
18
Q
how are individuals judges in school and wider society, according to Parsons?
A
- both school and wider society judge individuals by universalistic and impersonal standards
- eg, in society, the same laws apply to everyone
- similarly in school, each pupil is judged against the same standards (eg, all sit same exam with same pass mark for everyone)
19
Q
how is a person’s status determined in school and wider society, according to Parsons?
A
- in both school and wider society, a person’s status is largely achieved, not ascribed
- eg, at work, promotion or dismissal depends on how well we perform our job
- at school, passing or failing depends on our own individual efforts
20
Q
how does Parsons view the role of school in preparing individuals for wider society?
A
- sees school as preparing us to move from the family to wider society
- school and society are both based on meritocratic principles
- in a meritocracy, everyone is given an equal opportunity
- individuals achieve rewards based on their own effort and ability
21
Q
which sociologists coined the term ‘role allocation’?
A
- Davis and Moore
22
Q
what function do schools also perform according to functionalists? (role allocation)
A
- function of selecting and allocating pupils to their future work places
- by assessing individuals’ aptitudes and abilities, schools help match them the job they’re best suited for
23
Q
how do Davis and Moore view education?
A
- see education as a device for selection and role allocation
- they focus on the relationship between education and social inequality
24
Q
why do David and Moore argue that inequality is necessary in society?
A
- inequality ensures the most important roles in society are filled by the most talented people
- eg, it would be inefficient and dangerous to have less able people as surgeons or airline pilots
- not everyone is equally talented, so society must offer higher rewards for these jobs
- higher rewards encourage competition, allowing society to select the most talented individuals for these positions
25
how does education contribute to the process of selection and role allocation?
- education plays a key part by acting as a **proving ground for ability**
- it’s where individuals show what they can do
- education **‘sifts and sorts’** us according to our ability
- **most able** gain the **highest qualifications**, which give them entry to the most important and highly rewarded positions
26
how do Blau and Duncan view the role of education in a modern economy? (similar to Davis and Moore)
- argue that a modern economy depends on using its **‘human capital’** - its workers' skills
- they believe a **meritocratic education system** is best for this, as it allocates individuals to jobs suited to their abilities
- this approach makes the most **effective use of talents and maximizes productivity**
27
weakness: Wolf
- education system doesn't teach specialized skills well, as Durkheim claims
- the **Wolf review of vocational education** finds that quality apprenticeships are rare, and up to a **third of 16-19 year-olds** are in courses that **don't lead to higher education or good jobs**
28
weakness: equal opportunities
- there’s ample evidence that equal opportunity in education doesn't exist, as **achievement is more influenced by class background than ability**
29
weakness: Tumin
- **Tumin** criticizes **Davis and Moore** for a **circular argument**
- jobs are important because they’re highly rewarded, and they’re highly rewarded because they’re important
30
weakness: Marxists
- functionalists view education as instilling society's shared values
- Marxists argue it **transmits** the **ruling class's ideology**
31
weakness: Wrong
- **interactionalist Wrong** argues that functionalists have an **"over-socialized view":**
- seeing people as **mere puppets** who **passively accept all they are taught without rejecting school values**
32
weakness: neoliberals and new right
- neoliberals and the new right argue that the **state education system** fails to prepare young people for work
33
contemporary:
- **diverse post-secondary pathways**: a shift away from the "college for all" model reflects functionalist principles by acknowledging the need for specialised skills and role allocation, catering to various societal roles beyond traditional academic routes
- **curriculum adaptations**: the introduction of t levels in the uk, developed in collaboration with employers, exemplifies education's function in preparing individuals for specialised roles in the workforce, aligning with the functionalist view of education as a means to teach specialist skills
- **addressing social issues in schools**: efforts to tackle rising **misogyny and racism** in schools, such as curriculum reviews and the online safety act, demonstrate education's role in transmitting societal norms and values, fostering social solidarity and cohesion
