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Education - Functionalism - Coggle Diagram
Education - Functionalism
Functions of education: Durkheim (AO1)
Create social solidarity
Teaches students same norms and values
Shared culture and belief
Reduces conflict in society
Teaching specialist skills
Teaches individuals skills knowledge so they can play a part in labour
Specific roles to play in society
Everyone must cooperate (vocational courses)
Analysis: David Cameron's speech (AO3)
Relevant to society today
Supports the view of functionalism that if schools don't socialise properly, will lead to anomie
'Foster pride through strict uniform and behaviour policies'
Evaluation (AO3)
Marxists and Feminists argue that norms and values are in favour of certain groups rather than whole society (men, upper class)
Doesn't always succeed in transmitting shared values like self discipline and social solidarity, as not everyone behaves or feels part of the school
Functionalism ignores dysfunctions in society
Functions of education: Parsons (AO1)
Meritocracy - a system where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed and where individuals rewards and status are achieved by their own efforts rather than ascribed
Education helps you move from ascribed to achieved status
Within schools, every pupil is judged by universalistic standards rather than particularistic standards
Analysis: Case studies of meritocracy (AO3)
Mark Zuckerberg was born into a middle class family, moved to upper class by creating FB
Alan Sugar was born into a working class family, left school with 1 GCSE, moved to upper class
Shows that education doesn't assist in meritocracy
Parson's view of meritocracy is not applicable in today's society
Evaluation (AO3)
Myth of meritocracy
Little equal opportunity in society
Functions of education: Davis and Moore (AO1)
Role allocation - most able get highest qualifications and most important and highly rewarded positions
Education acts as a device for selection and role allocation
Inequality is necessary to ensure most important roles are filled by most talented individuals
Sifts and sorts according to our ability
Encourages competition
Analysis: Blau and Duncan (AO3)
Modern economy depends on its prosperity on using 'human capital'
So it makes use of most talented and maximises productivity
Relevant to society as it is still used in education, for example selective sixth forms
Evaluation (AO3)
Employers often criticise the education system for not producing workers who have the right skills and most skills are learnt on the job
Not always a link between educational success and income / status, for example jobless graduates
Ignores other factors that play a role in sifting and sorting people for the right job (gender, age)