FUNCTIONALIST + NEW RIGHT views on education

What are values and norms?

Society’s shared consensus’ ‘normal’ ways of acting and the things society collectively deems to be important.

What is the hidden curriculum?

That which is not explicitly taught in schools but which shapes attitudes and behaviours of students.

What is social solidarity?

The integration of people into society through shared values, a common culture and shared understandings which bring them together.

What are particularistic values?

Rules and values that give priority to personal relationships.

What are universalistic values?

Rules and values that apply equally to all members of society.

What is primary socialisation?

How family brings you up and teaches you the norms and values of society.

What is the division of labour?

The division of work into a large number of specialised tasks, each carried out by one worker or group of workers.

What is meritocracy?

Giving power or opportunities to people based on their ability.

What are Durkheim and Parsons four basic functions of education?

CREATING SOCIAL COHESION:

1. Passing on society’s culture and building social solidarity.

2. Providing a bridge between the particularistic values of the family and the universalistic consensus values of society.

   PREPARING STUDENTS FOR WORK:

3. Providing a trained and qualified labour force.

   1. Selecting and allocating people to roles in a meritocratic society and legitimising social inequality.

What is an example of schools ‘passing on society’s culture and building social solidarity’?

Schools teaching students about religions.

What is an example of schools ‘providing a bridge between the particularistic values and universalistic values of society’?

School teachers respect for elders and citizenship.

What is an example of schools ‘providing a trained and qualified labour force’?

Schools give students certain skills to get a qualification for example tech skills to become an engineer.

What is an example of schools ‘selecting and allocating people to roles in a meritocratic society and legitimising social inequality’?

Through careers advice and options evening, students are encouraged into appropriate jobs for their merit - also boundaries for grades needed to join certain courses.

What are criticisms of this theory?

Neglects conflicts e.g. students who get excluded - shows teachers are not successful in building social solidarity.

Many students don’t get qualifications.

People aren’t universally treated the same.

School isn’t meritocratic as some students get ‘unfair’ extra help.

How would Marxism criticise the functionalist view?

It would argue that social mobility is an illusion designed by the bourgeoisie to maintain false consciousness and hegemony.

How would Post-modernism criticise the functionalist view?

It would say that functionalism is too macro/structural so over generalises to the extent of ignoring individual experiences.

How would Feminism criticise the functionalist view?

It would say it ignores the oppression of girls in the school system.

What is the New Right view on the function of school?

Chubb and Moe (1990) say that schools should be marketized/run like privatised businesses and they should compete for students - this competition would make more efficient school systems.

The most able students should be trained into the most important jobs whilst lower ability students should be prepared for lower-level employment.

What are criticisms of the New Right view?

Schools don’t focus on promoting vocational courses or offering enough career advise.

Students think work experience is boring and often don’t find work relevant to what they end up being employed in.