Exam (elaborations)
Education and Research methods past papers with answers- (AQA Sociology A- Level)
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Education and Research Methods past papers with the answers. All full marks
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Education- Past papers
2020
Outline two factors external to schools that may affect social class differences in educational
achievement.
- Lack of resources- disadvantage the child and so does less well in school
- Poor housing ill time off school
Outline box three functions that the education system performs for society
- Social solidarity (1 mark); through the teaching of history and culture, school helps to create a
shared sense of identity (+1 mark).
- Teaching specialist work skills (1 mark); in a society with a complex division of labour this helps to
meet the needs of the economy (+1 mark)
- Secondary socialisation (1 mark); schools are focal socialising agencies teaching universalistic
principles of behaviour to children (+1 mark)
- Role allocation (1 mark); selecting children for the most appropriate occupations based on
meritocratic principles (+1 mark).
- To reproduce class inequality (1 mark); differences in cultural capital limits social mobility (+1
mark).
- To reproduce patriarchy (1 mark); processes such as labelling and differences in subject choice
perpetuate gender inequality in society (+1 mark).
Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which marketisation policies have led to schools
being run like businesses.
- One way in which marketisation policies have led to schools being run like businesses is through
parentocracy that arised after the education reform act (introduced by conservative gov by Margaret
Thatcher) was put into place
- Education reform act has created am ‘education market’ by reducing direct state control over
education- increasing competition and parental choice of school
- Referenced in item stating that “businesses compete with one another to attract customers”
- Supported- Miriam Davies who describes this parental choice as ‘parentocarcy’ because the power
has been moved away from the producers to the consumers
- In past, parents tended to send their children to local schools, however, this act offered parents a
chance to decide which school they felt best suited their child
- Meaning middle class students were at a higher disadvantage as they could use their economic/
cultural capital to select best school for child
- For example, they could claim a ‘selection by mortgage” to fit into certain catchemt areas
- Theefore
- Stephen ball- myth
- Another way in which marketisation policies…. Through league tables
- Item
- League tables were published for public to compare ‘success rates’
- Meant that many mc students were able to use this info to inform their choice of school, while other
parents able to ‘play the system’
- Policy had effect of making good schools even better
- As aspirational parents wanted their children to attend hem, proving the schools ‘business’ w better
league tables
- Postmodernists- problematic
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2019 PAPER
o Outline two criticisms of schools selecting pupils by ability.
One criticism of schools selecting pupils by ability is due to marketisation
policies. Middle class students get sent to the better schools (private
schools) where they are able to excel. Whereas working class students get
sent to state schools, creating a social class divide within schools as well
as wider society
Another criticism is that selecting schools by ability is that it significantly
disregards factors such as material and cultural deprivation. For example,
some lower class students may lack the resources needed in order to
succeed, therefore, they would have to be sent to lower ability schools.
o Outline three ways in which the characteristics of schools may be similar
to the characteristics of workplaces.
One way is through the expectation of wearing school uniform. Much like
students who are expected to follow dress code and wear uniform, employees
within the workplace are also expected to wear he uniform that is required of
them within their place of work
Another way is through the hierarchical structure. Within schools, students are
expected to obey their head teacher. Similarly, within the world of work,
employees are expected to obey their managers
Finally, both schools and workplaces are fragmented. At school, knowledge is
fragmented into different subjects and at work, labour is fragmented into tasks
Mark Scheme
Both are fragmented (1 mark); at school knowledge is fragmented into
different subjects; at work labour is fragmented into small meaningless tasks
(+1mark).
Both are based on extrinsic satisfaction (1 mark); at school students are
rewarded by grades rather than the intrinsic satisfaction of the knowledge
gained; at work employees are rewarded through pay rather than the intrinsic
satisfaction of their work (+1 mark).
Both are based on competition (1 mark); at school students compete for high
grades; at work, employees compete for high wages (+1 mark).
Both have a hierarchy of authority (1 mark); at school there are hierarchies
between teachers and between teachers and students; at work there are
hierarchies of management (+1 mark).
Both are based on alienation (1 mark); at school students have little control
over their time or what they study; at work, employees have little control of
the production process ( +1 mark)
Read Item A below and answer the question that follows
Item A
Some sociologists suggest that pupils of different social classes have different experiences in schools. The
curriculum may place a higher value on middle- class cultural capital and place some pupils at a
disadvantage. Both teacher- pupil relationships and interactions within peer groups are likely to affect how
pupils of different social classes see themselves.
Applying material from Item Am analyse two ways in which processes within schools may affect pupils
identities (10 marks)
One way in which processes within schools may affect pupils’ identities is through creating social inequalities.
This is portrayed in Item A, stating that “the curriculum may place a higher value on middle- class cultural
capital and place some pupils at a disadvantage.” We can argue that the curriculum values middle class values.
For example, children from middle class families are encouraged to partake in educational extra- circular
activities, such as watching documentaries. This then may have positive effects on the identities of pupils
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because middle class children acquire a “symbolic power” at school. This is supported by Bourdieu who claims
that middle class students have greater cultural capital and so this gives them an advantage within school as
they are already somewhat familiar with the school curriculum. This praise of middle- class cultural capital
means that middle- class children are more likely to be successful. Therefore, leaving working class children at
a disadvantage within the school system. We can conclude that one way in which processes within schools
may affect pupils’ identities is through creating social inequalities.
Another way in which processes within schools may affect pupils’ identities is through the process of labelling.
This is reinforced in item A stating that “both teacher- pupil relationships and interactions within peer groups
are likely to affect how pupils of different social classes see themselves.” The interactions with teacher- pupil
relationships
Read Item B below and answer the question that follows.
Item B
All levels of the education system show differences in achievement between ethnic groups. When explaining
these patterns, some sociologists focus on the role of the home and family life in promoting educational
achievement for some ethnic groups. However, other sociologists suggest that factors within schools are more
important in explaining differences in achievement between ethnic groups.
Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of differences in
educational achievement between ethnic groups.
Questionnaires- 20 marker
Item C
Sociological research has shown how much parents can contribute, materially and culturally, to their
children’s achievement in education. For example, parents can support their children by having regular
contact with schools and teachers, and by helping them with their homework. However, parents’ own
education and their attitudes to school may affect their ability or willingness to help. One way of studying
the role of parents in their children’s achievement is to use questionnaires. One advantage of these is that
they can be completed outside the school setting. However, operationalising concepts in questionnaires can
be difficult. Furthermore, for a variety of reasons, some questionnaires may not be returned.
Applying material from item C and your own knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and
limitations of using written questionnaires to investigate the role of parents in their children’s achievement
(20 marks)
As stated in item C, “one way of studying the role of parents in their children’s achievement is to use written
questionnaires.” According to research, written questionnaires are a standardised set of written questions,
which require respondents to write their own answers. Whilst positivists would prefer this method, as they can
produce large amounts of qualitative data, both cheaply and efficiently, interpretivists would point out the
downsides of using written questionnaires, and so they would suggest alternative methods of research that
can be used to investigate the role of parents in their children’s achievement in school. For example,
unstructured interviews.
One practical advantage of using written questionnaires, is that they are highly useful in collecting large
quantities of information, cheaply and efficiently. As stated in the item, information regarding ‘how parents
can contribute, materially and culturally, to their children’s achievement in education,’ can be collected.
Questionnaires can be successfully used in order to collect information about factors such as, the parents’ level
of education and the material and cultural factors that equally play a part in the education of a child.
Reinforced in the item, stating that ‘parents’ own education and their attitudes to school may affect their
ability or willingness to help.’ Questionnaires are therefore useful in making generalisations regarding the role
of parents in their children’s achievement in school. Positivists would point out, that once completed and
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