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Functionalist and New Right theories on education - Coggle Diagram
Functionalist and New Right theories on education
Functionalist Perspective
see society as a system made up of interrelated parts that work together to maintain society as a whole
argue that certain things are essential for the maintenance of society - include:
a shared culture - specifically shared norms
accepted ways of behaving - and shared norms
beliefs about what is right and desirable
they focus on how the parts of society contribute to the production of shared norms and values
Emile Durkheim
saw the major function of education as the transmission (passing on) of society's norms and values
vital task for all societies is the welding of a mass of individuals into a united whole - the creation of
social solidarity
involves a commitment to society, a sense of belonging, and a feeling that the social unit is more important than the individual
Durkheim (1961)
argued that "to become attached to society, the child must feel in it something that is real, alive and powerful, which dominates the person and to which he also owes the best part of himself."
education, particularly the teaching of history, provides the
link between the individual and society
if history is brought alive to children, they will come to see that they are part of something larger than themselves - they will develop a sense of commitment to the social group
"
Society can survive only if there exists among its members a sufficient degree of homogeneity (sameness). Education perpetuates and reinforces this homogeneity by fixing in the child from the beginning the essential similarities which collective life demands.
"
Durkheim, 1961
without these 'essential similarities', cooperation, social unity and therefore social life itself would be impossible
saw the school as society in miniature - a
model of the social system
in school, the child must interact with other members of the school community in terms of a fixed set of rules
prepares them for interacting with members of society as a whole in terms of society's rules
"
It is by respecting the school rules that the child learns to respect rules in general, that he develops the habit of self-control and restraint simply because he should control and restrain himself. It is a first initiation into the austerity of duty. Serious life has now begun.
"
Durkheim, 1961
argued that education teaches skills needed for future occupations
industrial society has a
specialised division of labour
- people have specialised jobs which require specific skills and knowledge
according to Durkheim, the specialised division of labour in industrial societies
relies increasingly on the educational system
to provide the skills and knowledge required by the workforce
Evaluation of Durkheim
provided the basis for functionalist
assumes societies have a
shared culture
that can be passed on by the education system - some countries are now multicultural.
There is not a single culture for schools to pass on
can be argued that in a multicultural society some shared norms and values are essential for society to hold together e.g. a common language or belief in freedom of speech
Marxists argue that the education system
serves the interests of the ruling class
rather than of society as a whole
some researchers argue that schools emphasise
individual competition
through exams, rather than encouraging working together, cooperation and social solidarity
Durkheim
laid the foundation
for functionalist theories of education
Talcott Parsons
argued that after primary socialisation, the school takes over as the main socialising agency
acts as a bridge between the family and society as a whole, preparing children for their adult role
secondary socialisation
within the family, the child is judged and treated largely in terms of
particularistic standards
however in the wider society, the individual is treated and judged in terms of
universalistic standards
within the family, the child's status is ascribed however in adult life, their status is largely achieved
the child must move from particularistic standards and ascribed status of the family to the universalistic and achieved status of adult society
School prepares young people for this transition
establishes
universalistic standards
in terms of which all students achieve their status
conduct is assessed against the yardstick of the school rules; their
achievement is measured by performance
in exams
same standards apply to all students regardless of ascribed characteristics e.g. gender, ethnicity or class
schools operate on
meritocratic principles
- status is achieved on the basis of merit (ability and motivation)
Argues that the school
represents society in miniature
- modern industrial society is increasingly based on achievement rather than a script ion, universalstic rather than particularistic standards
by reflecting the operation of society as a whole, the school
prepares young people for their adult roles
Schools socialise young people into the basic values of society
parsons agreed that the
value consensus is essential
for society to operate effectively
schools in American society instil two major values:
1) the
value of achievement
2) the
value of equality of opportunity
Schools develop the value of achievement by encouraging students to strive for
high levels of academic attainment
and
rewarding those who succeed
schools develop the value of equality of opportunity by placing individuals in the
same situation in the classroom
, allowing them to
compete on equal terms
in exams
Values have important functions in society as a whole
advanced industrial society requires a highly motivated, achievement-orientated workforce
necessitates differential reward for differential achievement; principle is established in schools
both winders and the losers will see the system as just and fair, since their status or position is achieved in a situation where all have an equal chance; principles in school mirror those in wider society
Parsons saw the educational system as an important mechanism for the selection of individuals for their future role in society
it ‘
functions to allocate these human resources within the role-structure of adult society
’
by testing and evaluating students, schools match their talents, skills and capacities to the jobs for which they are best suited
school is the
major mechanism for role allocation
Evaluation of Parsons
fails
to give adequate consideration the the possibility that the values transmitted by the educational system may be those which
benefit a ruling minority
rather than society as a whole
support
- increasing cultural diversity and difference in today’s societies require the transmission of at least
some shared norms and values
Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore
saw education as a means of role allocation - linked the education system more directly with the system of social stratification (class system)
see social stratification as a mechanism for ensuring that the most talented and able members of society are allocated those positions that are functionally most important for society
high rewards, which act as incentives, are attached to those positions
in theory, everyone will compete for them and the most talented will win through
education system is an important part of this process
it's the '
providing ground for ability and hence the selective agency for placing people in different statuses according to their capacities
'
the education system sifts, sorts and grades ibndividuals in terms of talent anfd abilities
it rewards the most talented with high qualifications, which provide entry to those occupations that are functionally most important to society
Evaluation of Davis and Moore
relationship between academic credentials and occupational reward is not particularly close
considerable doubt about the claim that the educational system grades people in terms of ability - has been argued that intelligence has little effect upon educational attainment
widespread evidence to suggest that social stratification largely prevents the educational system from efficiently grading individuals in terms of ability