PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION AND SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION
Name:
Student number:
Subject number: PSE4801
Unique number:
Assignment: 2
Date: 25 May 2023
Number of Pages: 8
1
, SHORT QUESTIONS
Chapter 1: What is this book about?
Question 1
Differentiate between how functionalists and conflict theorists view the school. (10)
Functionalism is a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose
parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. Functionalism sees the school as serving to
socialize students to adopt to economic, political and social institution of that society. According to
the functionalist perspective of sociology, each aspect of society is interdependent and contributes
to society’s stability and functioning as a whole e.g. the government provides education for
children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running.
School perform in a formal way those basic tasks that simpler societies are able to perform
informally through ongoing activity of the family, the community or tribe, e.g. in traditional
societies, children learn to work by observing their parents and other adults working, In
modern societies, children are at school have little opportunity to watch their parent work, the
school must now teach many of the requisite skills and attitudes, it provides the role differentiation
and solidarity that in most traditional societies are developed through other means. In traditional
societies individuals have little chance to advance beyond station which they are born. Training
and opportunities are only provided to those with appropriate birthright.
Many functionalists believe that school are essential transformation mechanism between life in
the family and life as an adult in a modern, urban, industrial society. The norm of independence
refers to the learning that occurs when children come to take responsibility for their own action and
to acknowledge that others have a right to hold them accountable for such action. The school
teaches children norm through such things as sanction against cheating and plagiarism. These
sanctions prepare children for adult life and for the kind of occupations that will require
them to take on individual responsibility. The adoption of these norms teaches children to be
personally, accountable for their own performances.
Conflict theorist on other hand would be generally view schooling as a social practice supported
and utilized by those in power to maintain their dominance in the social order. theory believe the
driving force in complex societies is the unending struggle between different groups that hold
power and status, in modern society Conflict theory sees the school as an important instrument in
the struggle.Conflict theorist believe that the school serve the dominant privilege class by so
providing for the social reproduction of economic and political status quo in a way that gives the
illusion of objectivity, neutrality and opportunity.They believes that the school reproduce the
attitudes and dispositions that are required for the continuation of the person system domination
by privileged class.
In conclusion functionalism and conflict theory are two different ways of looking at the social world
and at the relation of the school society. One sees the school as an organ of society, like heart or
lung that keep the body politic ongoing (Functionalism), the other sees the school as an instrument
of class domination serving reproduce the workforce and maintain class relationships.
2|Page
Name:
Student number:
Subject number: PSE4801
Unique number:
Assignment: 2
Date: 25 May 2023
Number of Pages: 8
1
, SHORT QUESTIONS
Chapter 1: What is this book about?
Question 1
Differentiate between how functionalists and conflict theorists view the school. (10)
Functionalism is a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose
parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. Functionalism sees the school as serving to
socialize students to adopt to economic, political and social institution of that society. According to
the functionalist perspective of sociology, each aspect of society is interdependent and contributes
to society’s stability and functioning as a whole e.g. the government provides education for
children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running.
School perform in a formal way those basic tasks that simpler societies are able to perform
informally through ongoing activity of the family, the community or tribe, e.g. in traditional
societies, children learn to work by observing their parents and other adults working, In
modern societies, children are at school have little opportunity to watch their parent work, the
school must now teach many of the requisite skills and attitudes, it provides the role differentiation
and solidarity that in most traditional societies are developed through other means. In traditional
societies individuals have little chance to advance beyond station which they are born. Training
and opportunities are only provided to those with appropriate birthright.
Many functionalists believe that school are essential transformation mechanism between life in
the family and life as an adult in a modern, urban, industrial society. The norm of independence
refers to the learning that occurs when children come to take responsibility for their own action and
to acknowledge that others have a right to hold them accountable for such action. The school
teaches children norm through such things as sanction against cheating and plagiarism. These
sanctions prepare children for adult life and for the kind of occupations that will require
them to take on individual responsibility. The adoption of these norms teaches children to be
personally, accountable for their own performances.
Conflict theorist on other hand would be generally view schooling as a social practice supported
and utilized by those in power to maintain their dominance in the social order. theory believe the
driving force in complex societies is the unending struggle between different groups that hold
power and status, in modern society Conflict theory sees the school as an important instrument in
the struggle.Conflict theorist believe that the school serve the dominant privilege class by so
providing for the social reproduction of economic and political status quo in a way that gives the
illusion of objectivity, neutrality and opportunity.They believes that the school reproduce the
attitudes and dispositions that are required for the continuation of the person system domination
by privileged class.
In conclusion functionalism and conflict theory are two different ways of looking at the social world
and at the relation of the school society. One sees the school as an organ of society, like heart or
lung that keep the body politic ongoing (Functionalism), the other sees the school as an instrument
of class domination serving reproduce the workforce and maintain class relationships.
2|Page
