Functions of Education

Question 1

Define ‘function’ in terms of a Functionalist society.

Answer 1

The job that an institution does to contribute to the maintenance and continuation of social agreements.

Question 2

Briefly outline what the Organic Analogy is.

Answer 2

• Every part of the body has a function to keep it alive and depends on other body parts
• This can be compared to the institutions in society in that they all depend on each other playing their part in keeping society going
• The body also has ways in which it can fight off disease and illnesses, whilst society utilitises organisations such as the police

Question 3

Identify 3 things Durkheim (1903) argues about the functions of education in society.

Answer 3

1) Social solidarity to help children feel part of society
2) Complex division of labour in learning social roles
3) Specialist skills sort people for most appropriate jobs for their abilities

Question 4

Identify 3 things Parsons (1961) argues about the functions of education in society.

Answer 4

1) Education acts as a bridge between home and work for parents
2) Meritocratic principles with the best people getting the best jobs
3) Universal standards of schools teaching children that the system is equal for all

Question 5

Identify 3 things David and Moore (1945) argue about the functions of education in society.

Answer 5

1) Role allocation with schools putting the right children to the right jobs
2) ‘Sifting and sorting’ of high and low achievers
3) Need for inequality to motivate people to work hard

Question 6

Give 2 strengths of the Functionalist approach to education.

Answer 6

1) It provides motivation to raise standards with competition for the right jobs
2) It emphasises the importance of socialisation within schools

Question 7

Give 3 weaknesses of the Functionalist approach to education.

Answer 7

1) Justifies inequality and doesn’t make it out to be a bad thing
2) Out-dated with overemphasis on the consensus of society
3) Those who fail at school feel as though they don’t belong in society

Question 8

Give 3 reasons why society isn’t meritocratic.

Answer 8

1) People who go to private schools and receive the best education get the best jobs
2) People can ‘buy’ certain advantages such as tuition and connections in private schools
3) Social mobility has declined since the 70’s and so meritocracy doesn’t increase it

Question 9

List the 3 main sociologists for Functionalism.

Answer 9

1) Durkheim (1903)
2) Parsons (1961)
3) David and Moore (1945)

Question 10

What do Marxists claim happens in education in relation to the ruling class.

Answer 10

The ruling class pass on their norms and values through the education system by acting as the ‘thinkers’ of education and so producers of ideas, this is called the ruling class ideology.

Question 11

Identify 3 things Althusser (1971) argues about the functions of education in society.

Answer 11

1) Ideological state apparatus socialising the ideology of the ruling class which justifies capitalism
2) Reproduction of class inequality with working class students continuing to achieve less
3) Legitimisation of inequality as education socialises working class children into accepting their subordinate status to the middle class

Question 12

Identify 2 things Bowles and Gintis (1976) argues about the functions of education in society.

Answer 12

1) The myth of meritocracy as an obedient workforce will not challenge authority of the ruling class so cannot encourage social mobility
2) The hidden curriculum socialises obedient workers through punctuality an d coping with boredom

Question 13

Identify 3 things Willis (1977) argues about the functions of education in society.

Answer 13

1) Counter school-culture
- Did ethnographic research on 12 anti-school boys
2) Resistance
- These boys rejected school and other children within it, presenting themselves as superior
3) Ruling class ideology
- Their rejection to the school is seen as an act of resistance to the ruling class ideology

Question 14

Give 3 strengths of the Marxist approach to education.

Answer 14

1) Provides an explanation for class polarisation in educational attainment
2) Challenges the idea of meritocracy
3) Identifies how inequalities in education is a bad thing

Question 15

Give 3 weaknesses of the Marxist approach to education.

Answer 15

1) It views teachers as agents of the middle class which is an inaccurate generalisation
2) Overlooks inequality relating to gender and ethnicity
3) Very negative approach with little positives

Question 16

List the 4 main sociologists of Marxism.

Answer 16

1) Marx
2) Althusser
3) Bowles and Gintis
4) Willis

Question 17

Give 2 views of Feminists on education.

Answer 17

1) Education socialises gender roles through subject choices

2) It maintains male dominance through reproduction of patriarchal values

Question 18

Define ‘formal education’.

Answer 18

Learning takes place in a school or in colleges and universities using a set curriculum.

Question 19

Define ‘informal education’.

Answer 19

Learning takes places in clubs and societies within the school in non-assessed situations.

Question 20

Define ‘non-formal education’.

Answer 20

Learning takes place in the home.

Question 21

What are the 4 main functions of education, disregarding Sociological theories.

Answer 21

1) Socialisation of norms and values
2) Training children for future employment
3) Passing on key knowledge of culture
4) Protection of children from exploitation

Question 22

How does the Compulsory School Act (1880) protect children from exploitation?

Answer 22

It was designed to end child labour and stop them from being exploited by business owners by safeguarding them in the home up to the age of 18.

Question 23

Define ‘hidden curriculum’.

Answer 23

What children learn in school that isn’t part of the formal curriculum.

Question 24

Give an example of something a child would learn in the hidden curriculum.

Answer 24

Punctuality - by arriving on time to lessons.

Question 25

What does McNeil say about the hidden curriculum?

Answer 25

That it includes learning things such as conformity and how to get on with teachers and pupils and also learning how to cope with boredom.