These documents entail notes for the A Level Sociology AQA Education topic. the topics include gender, ethnic and class differences in educational achievement, educational social policy, sociological explanations of education, etc
Education-
Role and purpose of Education-
Structuralists highlight 2 themes in the functions that education performs for
society- one theme is that education continues the job of the family ensuring
that children think and act in acceptable ways (AKA agency of secondary
socialisation)- schools instil society’s norms and values using mechanisms of
social control, education does this in ways which are different to the family-
schools provide a ‘society in miniature- allowing pupils to practice behaviours
and interactions expected of them outside of the family- some also note the
importance of education in producing citizens- schools foster belonging and
identity making people ‘feel’ like citizens
Consensus perspectives- FUNCTIONALISTS- emphasise positive aspects of
schools- Durkheim states education prevents anomie and he also emphasised
the importance of subjects like history in teaching children their shared
heritage, promoting integration and solidarity- functionalists have noted ways
in which education teaches children to interact outside of their families-
Durkheim argued whilst the family is based on affective relationships society is
based on instrumental relationships- Parsons argues that educations teaches
children to value achieved status rather than ascribed status by the family-
school rules adjust children to universalistic standards rather than the
particularistic standards of the family- Parsons also argues that education
instils values of competition, equality and individualism which are crucial to
the functioning of capitalism but the family as it is, is based on cooperation
and collectivism, struggles to teach them- functionalists focus on the ways
institutions benefit society- Durkheim emphasised the importance of
education in meeting economic needs, not only maths and English skills but in
general values which make ‘good workers’ like punctuality, education is
crucial in producing the kinds of workers needed by businesses, it makes
individuals employable- Parsons highlights that schools are important in
assigning people to jobs which match their abilities, he sees education as
meritocratic, argues that education is crucial in ensuring the right people are
assigned to jobs which in modern society are increasingly specialised
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