The Functionalist View on Education (for as Level Sociology)

Asses the contribution of functionalism to our understanding of the role of direction Functionalists take a very positive view of didactics. They see it as a form of secondary sociableisation which is essential to the maintenance of society. Functionalists conceptualize that social institutions including education benefit society and perform functions to maintain a stable society. however there atomic number 18 many another(prenominal) different theories to consider. Sociologists much(prenominal) as Durkheim believe that education has two main roles. These atomic number 18 Creating social solidarity and teaching specialist skills.Durkheim believes that social solidarity is created done teaching baberen sh ared norms and values. These are taught particularly in history lessons where students learn about their shared heritage. It may in any case be constructed through wearing schooldays uniform or in American schools, pledging to the American flag. This helps create value consensus and prepares students for lick as both children and adults have to overwork with throng who arent family or friends. Durkheim also establishes the fact that modern industrial society has a very entangled division of labour.He argues that education teaches students specialist skills in order to keep the economy functioning, as students can break their skills to particular(prenominal) jobs that society needs them to perform. Parsons argues that school is a bridge between family and wider society, especi eithery work. He states that how we are treat in the family is different to how we are treated at work. Therefore schools essential prepare children for this change. Parsons claims that in the family a child is judged by particularistic standards (rules that apply only to that child/family) thus their status is ascribed.However in school and work, children are judged by universalistic standards (rules that apply to everyone equally), which means their status is achi eved through modification exams or working towards a promotion. According to Parsons both school and work are meritocratic which means every student and employee has an equal jeopardy in succeeding. Sociologists Davis and Moore argue the main function of education is role parcelling. (Making sure people end up in the jobs they are meet to). To do this we need to make sure the most talented students get to the most important jobs such as doctors etc.As these jobs are highly paid, many students try to compete for them in school. Schools then sift and sort people based of their talents and intellect, to ensure the students with the highest valued qualifications achieve the most important jobs. vocational courses are an example of the functionalist view that education teaches students specialist skills to perform specific jobs. The first type of vocational course was the Youth Training scheme (YTS) which was formed in the 1980s which unemployed young people had to enrol.This gave them the work experience they needed to maintain a job. Later forms of vocational courses include BTECs, NVQs and vocational A-levels. However YTS has been criticised due to young people not being offered jobs after training. Also, vocational training can be seen as having a lower status and being less academic than courses such as A-levels and Degrees. Functionalists have also been criticised as Marxists argue the norms and values that are passed on through education arent those of society, but of the ruling class.Interactionalists such Wrong also argue that the functionalist view of education is too deterministic functionalists assume that students accept the norms and values they are taught in school, when they may disclaim them. In addition to this there is a lot of evidence that suggests that students slangt have an equal chance of succeeding. Gender, social class and ethnicity all have an influence on how well children do in school. In conclusion, functionalists are able to establish the preparation for the workplace which occurs in schools through theories such as parsons and Durkheims.It is clear that education does in fact create value consensus and prepare students for changing attitudes from school to the workplace. However there are flaws in many of these theories. As Wrong states, functionalists contract the fact that students may reject norms and values, thus the functionalist view on education is too deterministic. There is also evidence that schools are not meritocratic due to influences that gender, social class and ethnicity have on a childs education. Ella Clarke