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Functionalist Theories of Education
- Emile Durkheim (1903)
- Two main functions of education
- Social Solidarity
- Without social solidarity,
co-operation would be
impossible due to
selfishness.
- Created by transmitting shared
beliefs and values to the next
generation. E.g. History instills a
shared heritage.
- School = Society. The Education system
emulates society. Pupils must conform to
authority and work with peers they may not like.
- Without social solidarity,
co-operation would be
impossible due to
selfishness.
- Specialist Skills
- Industry requires co-operation to produce products.
The education teaches pupils the specialist skills and
knowledge that need to fulfil their role in society.
Promoting social solidarity.
- Industry requires co-operation to produce products.
The education teaches pupils the specialist skills and
knowledge that need to fulfil their role in society.
Promoting social solidarity.
- Social Solidarity
- Two main functions of education
- Talcott Parsons (1961)
- Meritocracy
- School bridges the gap between
family and the wider society.
They operate differently, so
pupils need to learn a new way
of life.
- In the family a child has an ascribed status
and is judged in their own unique way. E.g.
Elder son will get different rules to younger
daughter due to age and sex.
- In school, universal and
impersonal standards are
used. Same laws apply for
everyone.
- In schools, everyone
sits the same exam
with the same pass
mark
- In schools, everyone
sits the same exam
with the same pass
mark
- How hard a pupil works will
affect their achieved status.
Both schools and wider society
are based on meritocracy.
- School bridges the gap between
family and the wider society.
They operate differently, so
pupils need to learn a new way
of life.
- Meritocracy
- Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore (1945)
- Schools select and allocate
pupils to their future work
roles.
- Inequality is necessary to
ensure important roles are
filled by most talented
people.
- The most
important jobs have
higher rewards to
encourage
competition
- Education is a
proving ground. Most
able get better
qualifications.
- Peter Blau and Otis Duncan (1978) suggest that a
meritocratic society enables each person to
fulfil the role they are best suited to.
Therefore society makes the most effective
use of its 'Human Capital' and maximise
productivity.
- Schools select and allocate
pupils to their future work
roles.
- Evaluation Points
- Inadequate teaching of specialised skills - Wolf Review of
Vocational Education (2011): Quality apprenticeships are
rare. Up to 1/3 of 16 - 19 year olds will not go on to
higher education or jobs.
- Equal opportunity does not exist.
Achievement influenced by class
rather than ability.
- Melvin Tumin (1953): Davis and Moore have made a circular
argument. The important jobs have a high reward because
they are more important.
- Marxists believe the education
system only transmits the values
and ideology of the ruling class.
- Interactionists like Dennis Wrong (1961) suggest
that functionalists have an 'over socialised' view
that people are puppets of society and that
pupils never reject school's values
- Neoliberals and the New Right argue that the
eduction system fails to prepare young
people adequately for work.
- Inadequate teaching of specialised skills - Wolf Review of
Vocational Education (2011): Quality apprenticeships are
rare. Up to 1/3 of 16 - 19 year olds will not go on to
higher education or jobs.
- SSUMR
- Socialisation
- Skills
- Unity
- Meritocracy
- Role Allocation
- Socialisation
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