Functionalists have a very positive approach to society and always see the good in everything. E.g.: they focus on the contributions made by education to society. They want to generalise their ideas to the whole of society. Therefore for education they look for what it does for society; not just certain people in society. They believe every society require basic needs. If these needs are met then society is functioning and more likely to last longer. They also look at how society is based on consensus so individuals must obey society’s norms and values. They see a link between education and the economy in that education develops the skills needed for the world of work.
Functionalists believe the role of education is to teach the key skills needed in life to pupils so they can achieve the status they want or sometimes need for the future.
Emile Durkheim (1858 – 1917) was a French sociologist he was the key founder of the functionalist theory. He argued that the main function of education is the transmission of society’s norms and values. He believed that education had a number of functions for society.
First of these is making an individual members reinforce their sense of belonging and community this is known as social solidarity this is for them to believe they are part of a single ‘body’ he argues as if this was not here people would only think of their own selfish needs. In education this is done in many ways, but it is seen as its best by uniting people and making them feel part of a particular group e.g. by giving uniforms or taking part in competitions brings them all together. Also creates it by transmitting social culture, they share beliefs and values which continues of our culture in next generations.
The Essay on Education As A Part Of Society
Education has always been a crucial part of society for the past centuries. Some believe that our education is a privilege. Some believe that our education is a right. Some believe that our education is an obligation. The only obligation we might have towards education is to treat it as a privilege as well as a right, but certainly not an obligation to have an education. Education has been the ...
The next role of education is maintaining social order; schools are a microcosm of society. Pupils learn how some have more power than others, and mix with people, how to follow a set of rules and which certain behavior will help them later in life. In the future they will have to survive in society and accept social rules which school gets you ready for.
The final function Durkheim believes education provides is a range of specialized skills for a division of labour in complex society. For society to function specific skills and specialized knowledge is needed. Society would not survive if we didn’t have people doing different work. Schools provide general education which sifts and sort’s pupils and give them desired skills needed for future aspirations by this they will be playing a part in social division if labour.
Talcott Parsons (1902 – 1979) developed Durkheim’s ideas. He believes the most important agency of secondary socialization is education, he see’s school as the focal point in society acting like a bridge between the family and wider society. Principles within the family and society work differently, the values we learn in school apply to all society not just our homes. However schools have a more serious function; that is to prepare us for life to do that they use ‘social selection’ choosing what students will do for their future job roles. He argues that best students will go far and get the best jobs whereas the weaker ones will get low pay and status work. In both school and wider society status is achieved not ascribed e.g. we gain a promotion depending on how great we are at the job, whereas at school we pass or fail because of our effort.
Parsons see’s school is preparing us for the wider society in a fair way, in the meritocracy approach everyone is given the same opportunities and individuals achieve through their own effort and ability. This means that students learn to accept that the system is a fair and equal one.
Great Depression Teachers School Education
During the Great Depression receiving an education was becoming more and more difficult for southerners. From not being able to afford the required supplies needed, to not being able to pay the tut ions, many people found it nearly impossible to attend school. The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee shows how the lack of education in society during the Great Depression affected ...
Davis and Moore (1945) followed up on Parsons Theory. They both also see education as a selection but they look at more the relationship between social inequality and education. They argue that inequality is necessary because all societies have inequalities; its existence shows it much be good for society.
They believe the adult roles that seem to be functionally important must be filled by most able, capable and competent members of society. E.g. having a weak able person as a surgeon would be dangerous. Everyone in society have different abilities to do things therefore the highest rewarded jobs should go to those who are able enough. This introduces competition between pupils within the school as everyone would want the jobs. Education is the place when individuals show how talented they are therefore it is a big part of this process.
Some jobs require specific skills that set them apart from others, but to gain these skills a lot of hard work and commitment has to be dedicated to the job, for the best jobs a lot of training and extra education. People work hard because they know it will bring them some sort of pleasure in the future, people wouldn’t do this unless they knew it would make them powerful than others. Therefore they would be rewarded with high pays which will act as incentives. Others in society would not have only those who deserve the best rewards will get them.
Schools provide economic training and social control, without this we would not be ready for the world of work. Society has a need to regulate the activities of citizens to some extent (people can’t do what they desire to) it all depends on social capability. Schools provide adequate supply of sufficiently trained labour for the modern economy; it is getting us ready for the world of work.
However functionalist views play down conflict in schools and dysfunctions e.g. bullying, failure and truancy. Whose values are promoted in schools? Some sociologists would say that these are whites, middle class values.
The Term Paper on Project Report on Education Society
Activities of the Promoting Body including a listing of major educational promotional activities undertaken till now. 2. 4. Mission of the Promoting Body 2. 5. Vision of the Promoting Body CHAPTER III : OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF THE PROPOSED PROGRAMME 3. 1 Objectives 3. 2 General and Commerce Education Scenario in the State 3. 3 Status at Entry Level 3. 4. Status of Commerce Level manpower 3. 5 ...
Marxist approach argues that rather education is seen as an apparatus that legitimizes and reproduces society’s inequalities and divisions (school just keeps society fair).
Education is part of the bourgeois. Education is a crucial part of the system of social control where we are taught to believe in the dominant ideology of the capitalist state structures. Education socializes us into accepting the values of the capitalist system.
In addition Parsons wrote a lot, but hardly did any practical research. There is little evidence to support his ideas this is a weakness as it makes it difficult to test his theories.
Should education be about being prepared for our roles as our workers in the economy? What if skills we have learnt are not required? It questions whether sifting and sorting is fair.
Many researchers show there is no meritocracy in education, as evidence shows that your social class background has a big influence of achievement.
