Many sociologists have given alternate views about the main function of education. Functionalists argue that the main function of education is to maintain a value consensus – agreed social values – whereas Marxists argue that education transmits values that benefit the ruling class. Durkheim (1903), a functionalist, argues that society needs a sense of social solidarity because without it, social life and cooperation would be impossible as individuals would pursue their own selfish desires. The education system helps create social solidarity by transmitting society’s culture from one generation to the next so the main function of education is to maintain a value consensus in society. However, Marxists criticise this and argue that education in capitalist society only transmits the ideology of the ruling class and not the shared values of society.
I have chosen to compare and contrast John Dewey and Nel Noddings views on their educational goals, a social justice curriculum, liberation education, issues of standardized testing and the effects on students and teachers. Dewey’s main educational goal is that education should have two sides: social and psychological. His evaluations are based on how the child interacts with society and how he/she contributes to the good of society. Dewey was the first one to say we need to look at the students to decide how to teach, a modern-day form of ‘differentiation’. He believed that all students should have the opportunity to take part in their own learning.
Althusser, sees education as an ideological state apparatus that reproduces and legitimates class inequality, ensuring working-class pupils end up in working-class jobs, and that they accept their exploited role. According to Bowles and Gintis, this is achieved through correspondence principle which refers to the tendency of schools to promote the values expected of individuals in each social class so as to prepare students for the types of jobs typically held by
Question 2: Evaluate own roles and responsibilities in the lifelong learning sector. Review your roles and responsibilities in identifying and meeting the needs of learners Answer: The role of a teacher in the lifelong learning sector should be to meet the needs of the learner, the organisation and the needs of regulatory bodies. However, the bulk of the role of a teacher in lifelong learning rests on meeting the needs of the learner which borders on playing the role of a learning facilitator. By doing this, the tutor will enable learners to successfully achieve their goals. To better understand this aspect of the role of the teacher, one would have to understand the teaching and learning cycle The teaching and learning cycle The teaching and learning cycle enables training to be effective if all the stages in the cycle if followed through.
Functionalists believe education is a key component in the construction of society, they also believe that it is one of the most important institutions and plays a major role during secondary socialisation. They also believe that without education, society would not be able to continue functioning. This links to the idea of the ‘human body analogy’ which suggests that society is like a living organism, the institutions are like organs in a body and must work together in order to function. Parsons came up with the idea of role allocation. This is where young people are sifted and sorted in terms of their talents and abilities and then allocated a particular role in society.
Using material from item A and elsewhere assess the view that the education system exists mainly to select and prepare young people for their future work roles. The education system is the social institution in which children are taught formal knowledge, which includes reading, writing and arithmetic, and also they are taught the norms, values and morals of society. The education system plays a vital role in wider society as it prepares young people and equips them with everything they need to become fully functioning members of wider society. One way to select and prepare pupils for their future work roles is by selecting and allocating pupils of education a role in society, as mention in item A: “it also selects and allocates them to their future work roles” this means that social inequality is justified because of the Hierarchal system in society – someone is on top as the head and someone has to be at the bottom as taking orders and obeying to the head. This ideology is said to be derived from having a society based on meritocratic principles where everyone has an equal opportunity that is provided to them in education and then in the workplace.
Furthermore, item A also says, "sociologists see the education system as performing a vital role in modern societies." One functionalist called Durkheim holds this view; he believes in social solidarity and specialist skills. Durkheim argues that society needs a sense of solidarity so that it's individual members feel themselves to be part of a single community. He argues that without social solidarity, social life and cooperation would be impossible because each individual would pursue their own selfish desires. The education system helps to create social solidarity by transmitting society's culture from one generation to the next.
It is a impact on what teacher’s can achieve to improve themselves and therefore improve their students but it must all have an interconnection of validity and results. As identified by Darling-Hammond and McLaughlin (2011), “Habits and cultures inside schools must foster critical
Some think it as promoting value consensus and some see otherwise. Functionalists believe that education transmits society's norms and values and therefore promotes value consensus, with the educational and economic system working hand in hand to develop the skills required for the world of work. Emile Durkheim provides the basic framework of the functionalists view on the education system, agreeing with its function of transmitting norms and values. He believed that for society to operate effectively they have to develop a sense of belonging to something, becoming 'social beings' with a loyalty and commitment to society as a whole. The education system creates this effectively by teaching subjects such as history, which enables children to see the link between themselves and wider society.
In his book, Democracy and Education, John Dewey; the father of experimental education, describes how high school education requires a curriculum acknowledging social responsibilities, like participating in a democracy. Dewey’s vision is one in which education ultimately produces socially responsible citizens that are actively capable of functioning in society. Currently, in the 21st century, American high schools are actively attempting to prepare students to be active, responsible, and productive members of a democratic society. Today, American high schools do several different things to show a student what it means to fulfill their social obligation of participating in a democracy. When one thinks of democracy, one thing pops into their head almost immediately – voting.