The Role & Purpose Of Education by mrs j

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Slide Notes

The main perspectives considering the overall role and purpose of education are functionalists and Marxists - consensus vs. conflict.

This links back to their overall views of society as a whole - for FUNCTIONALISTS this is that the role of socialisation is to ensure a continued consensus approach to society - all institutions contribute to the smooth running of society by ensuring that we adhere to the same norms and values.

For MARXISTS the role of institutions in society is the reproduction of inequality between classes whilst legitimising this division. That society exploits one group in favour of another - a conflict between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.

The Role & Purpose Of Education

Published on Nov 20, 2015

AQA A Level Sociology - considering the role and purpose of education from Functionalist and Marxist perspectives. Overview to introduce students to key ideas. Suitable for Yr 1 introduction and Yr 2 revision.

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

ROLE&PURPOSE

CONSENSUS VS CONFLICT

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Functionalists

Durkheim, Parsons, Davis & Moore

1. secondary socialisation & core values
2. role allocation/sifts & sorts into appropriate jobs
3. teaches skills for the benefit of the economy

Durkheim: integration; norms & values; social order/solidarity; value consensus; prevention of anomie

Parsons: 'bridges the gap' between family and wider society; universal values; achievement; meritocratic; role selection

Davis & Moore (1945): principles of stratification; unequal rewards as motivation

Schulz & Becker: Human capital theory

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Marxists

Bowles & Gintis; Althusser; Willis; Bourdieu

1. prepare children for work; skills & values
2. passing on ruling class ideology supporting capitalism
3. legitimises inequality; myth of meritocracy

Bowles & Gintis (1976): correspondence principle; hidden curriculum

Willis (1977): learning to labour; anti-school subculture; non-conformity

Bourdieu: cultural capital

Neo-Marxist -
Althusser: ideological state apparatus (ISA); legitimising inequality

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criticisms

Functionalists:
1. differential achievement suggests meritocracy not real
2. who you know can be more important than what you know when it comes to jobs/roles
3. doesn't prepare people adequately for work
4. doesn't explain conflict in society

Marxists:
1. people are aware of inequality and don't accept it
2. people are not passive

Neither looks at processes and interactions within schools - don't consider the social interactions, both focus on the big picture

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Feminists/New Right

Feminists:
patriarchy; gender stereotyping; want change in education

New Right:
individual choice vs. state intervention; school as a business (competition) would raise standards

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CHANGING PARADIGMS

SIR KEN ROBINSON

Sir Ken Robinson
http://sirkenrobinson.com/
Writer/researcher on education.

http://www.thersa.org/events/rsaanimate/animate/rsa-animate-changing-paradi...

What questions do these ideas raise with you?

Do you think he's accurate in what he says? What are your reasons?

Which perspectives and ideas does he appear to agree/disagree with?

mrs j

http://mrsjsociology.wordpress.com

Slide Notes