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Summary ALEVEL SOCIOLOGY EDUCATION NOTES
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comprehensive notes for education sociology. helped me achieve A* in sociology. researchers highlighted, all important topics covered.
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Theories about the role of education-structure and organisation of education affected by its ideologies and relations to other institutes.
Formal education (mass education) - education that takes place in school and involves formal
curriculum and examinations to test mastery.
Mass education is a feature of most modern industrial societies. Education and economic
developments/systems are inter-linked and affected by one another.
Functionalist views about how education contributes to value consensus and social solidarity
Each institute perform certain essential core functions for survival (work) and secondary
socialisation (education).
Education system accredits individuals with skills and knowledge as all institutes require certain
things from other institutes to perform these basics functions.
The relationship between education and work is of dependency. Both require one another to
perform successfully.
Functional differentiation: Institutes develop to perform functions that other institutes are unable
to perform either due to lack of reform or lack of ability.
literacy cannot be provided by family or religion in the modern workplace (in the contemporary
/industrial world) thus education as an institute emerges.
If needs of institutes are not met, instability occurs.
The scale of economic change has been greater than the time required for institutes to evolve.
Individuals internalise the norms and values of society (value consensus) through education as
secondary socialisation. Implicit socialisation occurs by interaction between teachers and students
whereas explicit socialisation is done by assemblies and lessons.
Value consensus is promoted to religion and nationalism, through symbols and emblems.
Lower social positions are accepted as fair because of lack of efforts. Social solidarity reduces
conflict.
Education and role allocation
The 1944 UK Education Act established free universal education - distinguished between academic
and vocational students based on intelligence test at age 11. Grammar schools, secondary
modern schools, secondary technical schools.
The school followed contemporary beliefs about intelligence and reflected the economic needs.
Professional work (academic) non-professional (technical)
These ideas are reflected in Davis and Moore’s 1945 argument that most capable individuals are
given higher power, status, and income.
Most functionally important roles must be fulfilled by most capable individuals.
Education sorts students and allocates their roles and designations. This suits individuals and
society as it is an effective way to utilise one’s most prominent skills. School courses are suited for
economic needs.
Criticism of functionalism
Meritocracy has lessened due to social inequalities. Tumin 1953 - Functional importance cannot be
objectively measured. Functional importance is an ideological justification provided by
functionalists in the analysis of education and work. The demand for academic qualifications is
,proof of functional importance, however work that does not require many qualifications may be
equally functionally important.
Meritocracy: a system based on equality of opportunity, those with ability and talent teeth they’re
just rewards regardless of their social characteristics.
Marxist views on education supporting capitalist economic system.
Bowles and Gintis 2002 argue that schools copy workplace structures. Workplace inequalities
reflected in schools. Control of personal space and time and regular attendance is mandatory,
disciplinary actions are all reflective of workspace behaviour. Hierarchy exists, certain people
maintaining authoritative roles. Grades and qualifications promoted competitively. Students have
no control on their content of education and its process.
For Bowles and Gintis, the correspondence principle is maintained at all levels of education to
setting or banding or streaming. As students progress through hierarchy, getting more work, more
responsibilities are given thus more academic control.
Correspondence principle: the view that the organisation of school closely corresponds to the
organisation and demands of the workplace.
Education as an instrument of ideological control and cultural reproduction.
The relationship between education and economy is around cultural reproduction – higher social
classes maintaining economic domination from generation to generation.
Bourdieu 1986 - meritocracy is a myth. Private tutoring and streaming favour ruling elite.
Meritocracy is a myth that seeks to justify inequalities between students.
Cultural reproduction: Marxist idea that higher social classes try to reproduce their leadership and
privileges by investing time, money, and resources in the education of their children.
streaming: situation in which groups of children of different measured abilities are taught
separately in all subjects on the formal curriculum.
Formal curriculum AIDS cultural reproduction as children of different classes separated into
different employment streams, based on measured ability and aptitude (which disguises cultural
reproduction)
Althusser 1971, schools are ideological state apparatus. Workplace is taught as unequal and
allocating students early on into different career paths based on their perceived abilities justifies
their low pays whilst also ruling out vocational students as competitors.
Ideological state apparatus: Marxist concept that argues institutions such as schools encourage
values which benefit the interests of the ruling class in capitalist societies.
Bates and Riseborough 1993 - higher/middle classes promoted towards professional employment
whereas working class students encouraged to take route of vocational/lower-status work.
New vocationalism is about social control. Discipline is taught in return for lower wages and also to
decrease unemployment figures.
Davies 2002 accused vocational schemes of being modern slave labor involving little or no training.
But Marxist view critiques such as Young 1981 called these views left functionalism. Working class
students wrongly perceived as passive and the belief that all that is taught is learnt is not accurate.
Willis 1977 study of working class students showed that them as largely resistant to conformity and
authority.
, Health 1997 - Marxists reject all forms of vocational training because of cultural reproduction but
by demanding equal opportunities, women have been able to work in male-dominated work fields.
New Right Views on Education and Economy.
These perspectives acknowledge the basic relationship between education and economy as
outlined by Davis and Moore. But they argue that such a society and economy does not exist.
Globalisation has resulted in an increase in demand for knowledge and services and these are
characterised by their flexibility. They argue that the economy has changed/shifted from
manufacturing to financial services thus the distinction between vocational and academic
education is too rigid.
Education needs to change, with an emphasis by confidence, problem-solving, teamwork, analysis
etc rather than memorisation of sets and data. The distinction between different types of
knowledge and skills must also be lessened.
Social democratic views on the relationship between education and economy.
Social democratic theory looks at the technological advances of the economy, i.e more demand for
a workforce qualified in computing, finance, and information technology whilst also looking at the
social changes in terms of gender, sexuality, race and class. The tripartite system failed to meet
requirements with only 15% of 18 yr olds qualified entrants and intelligence division based on class.
Comprehensive education; system where schools are open to all children, regardless of their
ability to pay, where they live or earlier educational achievement.
Comprehensive education was designed to address social inequality and technological change.
Social democrats believe comprehensive education fulfils ideal meritocracy. A broad class mix is
present in which all children receive the same secondary education.
Equality of opportunity is achieved by establishing a fair, meritocratic system in which competition
promotes better qualified workforce.
Social mobility can be achieved and social inequality reduced in a meritocratic system. Fairer
distribution of economic and social rewards.
Social democratic theory has emphasised on need to retrain and refocus workforce for
contemporary societies. Chitty (2009) - education and training seen as means to transform
low-skilled and low-paid economies into high wage, high-skilled jobs.
Marxists criticise social democratic theory for not understanding the accurate institutional
relationships in capitalist societies.
Educational inequalities cannot change economic inequalities. Bowles and Gintis 2002 Marxists -
economic inequality drives educational inequality.
Education and social mobility
Social mobility; the ability to move up or down the class structure. Inter-generational and
intra-generational are its two types.
This is based upon the idea that contemporary industrial societies are based on achieved social
status and ability. Age, gender, and ethnicity do not affect position in society. In meritocratic
individuals achieve social positions through efforts and talent.
Functionalists believe that education offers a bridge between economy and the family.
Social mobility is functionally necessary to allow for important occupations and social positions to
be filled by the most qualified individuals.
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