The Functionalist Explanation of the Role of Education in Modern Society

The Functionalist Explanation of the Role of Education in Modern Society

I will discuss the functionalist's theories in comparison to those of

the Marxist and Interactionists.

Functionalists believe that all in society serves a purpose and it's a

positive function. They also believe that education is a way of

achieving in society; it develops people so that it gives them the

opportunities in society (workplace). Durkheim believed that in order

for children to feel as though they belong in society and for society

to work, the education system will enable people to belong to society

for example the teaching of certain subjects (transmission of cultural

capital) i.e. history, will allow children to make a link or see

similarities between themselves and the past society. Functionalist

Tallcott Parsons argued that there are four main functions in

education

* Social control - school teaches us about acceptable and

unacceptable behaviour (insure continuity of norms and values)

* Economic training - education provides labour free force to meet

needs of the economy

* Social selection - schools help to select young people and

allocate them to their abilities as adults

Along with these Functionalists views there are criticisms on

education.

* There are not equal chances for all students as there are

underachievers

* As there are different classes and ethnicities, there would be

many different values ruling values are chosen as its thought to

be the right way and fair to all.

* Also schools stream pupils into the class they are already in

The Marxist theory on education contras...

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...ls with experiences of ethnic minority students at the hand of

teacher. It proves R&J's theory of stereotypes, some teachers blame

African Caribbean students more than white students for unacceptable

behaviour even when it is identical - myth of the black challenge.

There are criticisms made on the Interactionists view. Their research

can ignore larger Marco dimensions to the classroom such as government

policy. Also the work of Paul Willis on the working class boys shows

that some students don't accept the labels that other have on them.

So after studying the Functionalists, Marxists and Interactionists

theories it would appear that the Functionalists views on education is

useful in modern society as schools build a bridge between ascribed

status and your achieved status even if it may be influenced by

capitalism.