EDUCATION AND SOCIETY
Sociologists often see the relationship between society and education results as similar, but explain them in different ways.
THE FUNCIONALIST APPROACH
Explain all by relationship between education and other social institutions, and the contribution education makes to meet the functional needs of the social system as a whole.
The Economic Function
Education responds to needs of employers, which then pay tax and fund more education. Prepares for the world of work by:
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General training for work.
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Specific training for specific jobs.
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Giving exams allowing selection.
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Producing future workers with suitable attributes.
The Socialization Function
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Prepared for jobs and society in general.
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Education transmits culture, formally, eg religious studies, or informally eg. literature. Includes consensual norms and often national or other cultural identity.
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Teach appropriate roles associated with age, gender and class.
THE MARXIST APPROACH
All part of the superstructure of capitalist society. Socialization serves the interests of the economic role. Marxism is a structuralist-conflict theory, whereas functionalism is a structuralist/consensus theory.
Bowles and Gintis
They applied Marxism to USA. Examples of the correspondence between school and work include:
Pupils rely on teachers for knowledge as workers rely on managers.
Work and education use rewards for complicity, rather than satisfaction in doing the work.
A COMPARISON OF MARXISM AND FUNCTIONALISM
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Both understand education by its relationship with the whole system.
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Both link education with the economy. Marxism says it reproduces capitalism, focusing on producing obedient workers, but functionalists say it meets the needs of an industrial society, focusing on on training and role allocation.
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Both say it reproduces culture. Functionalists stress teaching consensual values which has an integrating effect, but Marxists say it teaches ruling-class ideologies, which keeps the working class falsely conscious.
THE NEW RIGHT APPROACH
Two, sometimes contradictory approaches:
1 -- Apply free market to improve standards, have parental choice and involve the private sector.
2 -- Traditional teaching, not anti-sexism/racism, multiculturalism are all condemned.
Curriculum is the sum of the teaching experience offered by schools. The hidden curriculum provides the unofficial and sometimes unplanned consequences of school, including:
Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs which could include unintended sexism and racism in school books.
There will always be people at the top exercising control, and teachers above pupils.
Rules, teachers control space and time. Some spaces are denied, permission is needed to use time.
Extra Information
Hidden curriculum was originally a Marxist term used critically, then feminists used critically, then teachers in a neutral way.
Feminists say hidden curriculum reinforces patriarchal ideology.
Keep answers to the economy and don't talk about functionalism in general.