This is a full breakdown of the education topic for A-Level sociology, which I received A for as a grade. This document/revision notes includes relevant studies, statistics, questions and exam preparation.
1. FUNCTIONALISTS
Norms and values and skills provided for social solidarity and contribute to society for it
to functional
A. Durkheim – Social Solidarity
⇒ Norms and values taught and learnt which prepares children for society in terms
of interaction and skills e.g. national anthem
✗ Multi-cultural society hence the ethnocentric curriculum is not
functional as most have different norms and values
B. Parsons – Focal Socialising Agency
⇒ School is the bridge between family (particularistic values) and work (universal
values) hence preparing students for the wider society e.g. children may not be
sanctioned at home for misbehaving but in school they will be which reinforces the
idea that there will be consequences to bad actions
✓ Supported for recognising the link between education and other
institutions
✓ Schools teaching vocationalism e.g. youth training scheme - shows that
they value the idea that schools prepare children for the wider society
✗ Finn – ix statistics for unemployed instead
✗ Bowles and Gintis – correspondence theory if 20 marker
C. Davis and More – Role Allocation
⇒ Students at school are shifted and sorted (allocated) to positions or sets that its
best with their talents they possess hence the most talented and able are at the top
positions thus functional and fair
✗ Tumin – talent does not mean success and high status jobs e.g. working
class students prevented and limited in achievements due to many
factors such as material deprivation
⇒ AGAINST THEORIES
✗ Marxist
✗ Feminist
1
f f
, 2. MARXISTS
Education reinforces values and behaviours which only bene it the bourgeoisie
A. Althusser – Ideological State Apparatus
⇒ Education system is part of the elite controlled superstructures to maintain
capitalism and exploitation of the proletariats. They use education system – of icial
(capitalism vs communism) and hidden (authority and hierarchy) curriculum - to
transmit norms and values that allows development of false class consciousness
✗ Gramsci – hegemony is not always guaranteed and many negate the
norms and values
✗ Durkheim – social solidarity if 20 marker
B. Bowles and Gintis – Correspondence Theory
⇒ Education system mirrors the workplace in terms of authority, hierarchy,
punctuality etc. which allows development and reinforcement of false class
consciousness so they don’t challenge bourgeoisie
✓ Marketisation of education shows that the competitive environment
such as league tables allows government to control education system
more
✗ Move to academies shows that government no longer controls schools
as much as choice is given to parents, students and teachers to it
curriculum to needs
C. Bourdieu – Capital
⇒ Middle class attain/ascribed cultural (knowledge via operas, museums etc.)l, social
(social networks) and economic ( inance) capital which allows greater advantage
✗ Government policies which aimed at equality of opportunity such as
EMAs and EICs/EAZs (area and school funding in deprived areas which
allowed 11% increase in students achieving 5+ A*-Cs under the
programme) – have been abolished
⇒ AGAINST THEORIES
✗ Feminist
✗ Functionalists
2
f f f f
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