hello lovelies in this video we're going to be going over the sociology of education for your AQA gcsc sociology now don't forget over in the website there's the master class so I've been taking this video breaking it down into smaller chunks and then we put a load of multiple choice questions after it so after you've gone through the whole of this video you can go over to the website try the free questions we've gotten there and then if you want you can the example essays that we've done how we broken them down look at the examiners commentary and then the predicted papers that we've got for this [Music] AQA GCSE sociology topic four education lesson one types of school and Alternative forms of Education the types of schools seen in the UK are primary schools are the first level of formal education typically for children aged between 4 and 11 years old they are focused on providing children with a basic education in subjects such as Reading Writing maths and science primary schools also provide a foundation for children's personal and social development and prepare them for Secondary School secondary schools are the next level of formal education typically for children aged between 11 and 18 years old they are focused on providing students with a more advanced education in a wide range of subjects such as mathematics science languages Humanities and the Arts secondary schools also provide students with more specialized education in preparation for specific careers or further education State schools are funded by the government and are free to attend they are also known as public schools they follow the national curriculum and are subject to government inspection and regulation in most countries they are the most common type of school private schools also known as independent schools are not funded by the government and are typically more expensive to attend they have more autonomy over the curriculum and are not subject to the same regulations as state schools private schools may have a religious or philosophical orientation and some have a reputation for academic Excellence some private schools have selective admission process meaning that not all applicants are accepted Alternative forms of Education provision include homeschooling and deschooling homeschooling is when a child is educated at home typically by their parent or a tutor rather than attending a traditional school this can be done for a variety of reasons including religious beliefs dissatisfaction with the traditional school system or a desire for a more personalized education homeschooling typically follows a curriculum but it can also be more flexible and for more self-directed learning deschooling is a philosophy of education that emphasizes the importance of self-directed learning and the rejection of traditional schooling it is often associated with the unschooled in movement which advocates for allowing children to learn in a more natural and organic way without the constraints of traditional schools these schoolers believe that traditional schools stifle creativity and that children should be free to pursue their own interests and passions both homeschooling and deschooling are Alternative forms of educational provision that differ from traditional schooling homeschooling is characterized by a more personalized education and is usually done in a homebased setting while deschooling emphasizes on the importance of self-directed learning and the rejection of traditional schooling both forms of Education have their own advantages and disadvantages and it's important to evaluate the suitability of each form of education for a child based on their individual needs and circumstances lesson two functions of education education serves several important functions in society one of the main functions of Education is to serve the needs of the economy education is seen as a means of providing individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to be productive members of society this includes providing individuals with the skills they need to be successful in the workforce such as literacy numeracy and problem solving skills education also helps to prepare individuals for specific careers and industries such as engineering Healthcare and Technology by doing so education helps to ensure that the economy has a skilled Workforce that can meet the demands of employers and compete in the global Marketplace another important function of education is to facilitate social Mobility education is often seen as a means of helping individuals to move up the social ladder by providing them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life education can help to level the playing field and provide individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds with the same opportunities as those from more privileged backgrounds by providing individuals with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful education can help to break down barriers to social mobility and promote greater equality of opportunity a third function of education is to Foster social cohesion education is often seen as a means of promoting social cohesion by fostering a sense of shared identity common values and mutual understanding among individuals education can help to promote Civic engagement and a sense of shared responsibility for the common good by providing individuals with a shared understanding of the world World education can help to promote social cohesion and a sense of community among individuals lesson three sociological perspectives on education functionalists understanding various sociological perspectives on the role of education is a fundamental component of GCSE sociology let's first break down the viewpoints of the functionalist perspective functionalist perspectives on education a brief description functionalist theorists see education as a beneficial institution that prepares individuals for the demands of The Wider society and serves to maintain social order key proponents include Emil durheim Emil deim a French sociologist had several key ideas about education the socialization of children he said the major function of education is the transmission of society's norms and values so that a value consensus can be reached he belied that the school teaches children to cooperate with others through reward house points and Punishment like detentions children learn to self-discipline and to see that misbehavior damages Society this prepares children to function in wider Society away from their family creating social cohesion education provides the link between the individual and Society in subjects like history students May develop a sense of belonging to their country and Community children will come to see that they are part of why this society and will develop a sense of commitment to the social group and social solidarity skills for work finally children learn the skills they need to be successful in society for example English and maths classes teach students the essential skills they need to get a job in the future a second notable functionalist was tolot Parsons an American sociologist he also saw education as a posit positive influence on society firstly education is a process of socialization Parson viewed education as a process of socialization where individuals learn the Norms values and expectations of their society he believed that education played a crucial role in the development of the individual and the integration of them into society this process helps maintain social order and contributes to the creation of a value consensus secondly education and meritocracy Parsons believed that education was a means of achieving meritocracy where individuals are rewarded based on their abilities and achievements for example if you work hard at school you will gain good qualifications and get a well-paid job in the future he saw education as a tool to promote social mobility and equal opportunities for individuals thirdly education and the transmission of universalistic values Parsons believe that the school acts is a bridge between the family and Society in the family you are socialize into particularistic values as every family is different these values may only apply to your household for example some families eat at the table and others don't in education everyone is treated according to the same universalistic values which reflect those of wider Society for example in school everyone is taught to arrive to lessons on time which reflects the expectation in society that you should arrive to work on time this prepares children to be successful adults in society away from their family fourthly education and role allocation schools function as an important mechanism for the selection of individuals for their future role in society it helps identify the most able and hardworking people in society for example those with the highest grades so that they can be given the most important or complex and well-paid jobs in society functionally view Society is a complex system made up of interconnected parts that work together to maintain stability and equilibrium they argue that education plays an important role in providing the skills and knowledge needed for individuals to fulfill their roles in society and that traditional schooling is necessary for socialization and the transmission of cultural values from a functionalist perspective alter native forms of Education such as homeschooling and deschooling may be seen as problematic because they deviate from the norm and may not adequately prepare individuals for their roles in society so to sum up the key points social solidarity education instills shared values culture and a sense of belonging role allocation it identifies individuals strengths and weaknesses alloc a in them to appropriate roles or jobs in society skill provision education equips individuals with the skills and knowledge required for the modern economy Lesson Four sociological perspectives on education feminists feminist perspectives on education a brief description feminist theorists analyze education in terms of how it perpetuates gender dispari and also how changes in education can Empower women feminist view Society is patriarchal and argue that traditional institutions such as schools reinforce gender inequality from a feminist perspective homeschooling and deschooling may be seen as positive Alternatives because they allow for more flexibility and autonomy in education and may be particularly beneficial for women and girls who may face discrimination in traditional schools some key points gender stereotyping traditional educational content often reinforces gender roles and stereotypes historically the curriculum favored male achievements sidelining the accomplishments of women empowerment on on the positive side feminists note that increased educational opportunities for women have played a part in challenging gender inequalities lead into to changes in employment prospects and societal positions lesson five sociological perspectives on education marxis the Marxist perspective on education a brief description Marxist theorists see education as a tool used by the capitalist class to perpetuate their dominance and serve their interests key proponents include luel thusa and balls and gintis marxists take a more critical view of Education unlike functionalists they do not believe education benefits Society instead they feel it benefits the ruling class only and maintains capitalism Samuel BS and Herbert gintis are notable Marxist theorist who had several key ideas about education and capitalism education and capitalism they believe schools have a hidden curriculum which teaches students to obey Authority and accept hierarchy unquestionably this is achieved through the correspondence principle which is the idea that schools mirror the workplace for example Le in schools students are punished if they break the rules and given detention this teaches them to obey their boss when they go to work students are also taught to be polite to their teachers and follow their instructions this means they respect authority when they enter the workplace in the future the correspondence principle leads to the creation of a hardworking docile obedient and highly motivated Workforce which is too divided to challenge the author ity of management in turn this prevents workers from rebelling and starting a revolution in the future and means capitalism continues without challenge education and a myth of meritocracy bows and ginst also reject the idea that education is meritocratic and believe it sets workingclass pupils up to fail students are taught that if they work hard and get good qualifications they will be successful regardless of their background however in reality people's social class has a bigger impact on their educational success than how hard they work for example the ruling class have access to private education which may provide them with a better quality education and more opportunity than a state school would consequently they argue that the idea that education is meritocratic is a myth Marxist view Society is divided into classes with the ruling class the Bourgeois exploiting the working class the proletar ACT they argue that education serves the interests of the ruling class by reproducing social inequality from a Marxist perspective homeschooling and deschooling may be seen as problematic because they may serve to reinforce class Division and privilege let summarize the key points firstly ideological State apparatus education serves to transmit the ideology of the dominant class making the capitalist system seem just and inevitable reproduction of inequality through various means the educational system helps reproduce class inequalities for future Generations hidden curriculum this refers to the values and behaviors that student learn indirectly over the course of their schooling like obedience to Authority which marxists argue benefits capitalist employers now we'll do an overall comparison and contrast of the three perspectives we've looked at in the last three lessons so the purpose of education for functionalists education serves to benefit Society by creating a cohesive system and preparing individuals for roles within that system feminists education can both reinforce gender disparities and serve as a means for empowerment and challenging these disparities Marxist education serves the interests of the capitalist class perpetuating class differences and capitalist ideologies the nature of Education functionalists they generally view education as a neutral or beneficial institution feminists AC education is gendered historically favoring men but also evolving to empower women marxists they perceive education as inherently biased favoring the interest of the capitalist elite lesson six the correspondence principle the correspondence principle refers to the idea that the education system corresponds to the needs of the economy and society different sociological perspectives have different views on the correspondence principle firstly the functionalist perspective functionalists argue that the education system serves important societal functions such as socialization and the transmission of culture they believe that the education system corresponds to the needs of society by providing individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to function in their roles in society they argue that the education system corresponds to the needs of the economy by providing the workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge secondly the Marxist perspective this is more of a conflict perspective and it argues that the education system reproduces social inequality by providing some individuals with the opportunities for Success while denying those opportunities to others they argue that the education system corresponds to the needs of the economy by providing a compliant and docile Workforce but this does not serve the interest of all social classes equally finally the feminist perspective feminists argue that the education system reinforces patriarchal gender norms and reproduces gender inequality by providing girls and boys with different opportunities and expectations they argue that the education system corresponds to the needs of the economy by providing a gender segregated Workforce and does not truly corresponds to the needs of women lesson seven Factor affecting achievement class educational achievement is affected by a variety of factors this lesson looks at class socioeconomic status is a major factor that affects educational achievement research has shown that children from lower income families are more likely to have lower educational achievement than those from higher income families this is because children from lower inome families often lack access to resources such as books computers and educational opportunities that are necessary for academic success they also tend to have less support from parents and caregivers who may have less education themselves and may not be able to provide the same level of support for their children's education let's take a look at the general Trend in achievement historically there has been a cons consistent achievement gap between students from higher socioeconomic statuses sces and those from lower sces backgrounds students from more affluent backgrounds tend to achieve higher grades stay in education longer and are more likely to attend University a key statistic for example a frequently cited statistic is that children receiving free School meals often used as an indicator of lower sces are less likely to achieve five or more gcses at grades a star to C or 9 to4 compared to their more affluent peers let's take a more in-depth look at these social class internal factors that affect education number one labeling this refers to the process by which teachers categorize students based on perceived ability Behavior or social class the effect of this once a student is labeled it can influence teacher expectations which can become self-fulfilling prophecies for instance a workingclass student labeled as low ability might receive less encouragement leading to reduced effort and poorer performance setting and streaming setting this is where students are divided into groups based on ability in particular subjects streaming this is where students are placed into General ability groups and remain with the same group for all subjects the effect of this these processes can perpetuate class inequalities workingclass students are often disproportionately placed in lower sets or streams limiting their opportunities and reinforcing low expectations workingclass subcultures this refers to the values attitudes and behaviors shared by workingclass students that might be at odds with the values promoted by the education system the effect of this some theories suggest workingclass subcultures May prize immediate gratification and place less emphasis on long-term educational success this can lead to a lack of motivation or even resistance to the school system now let's look at the social class external factors that affect education firstly material deprivation this refers to the lack of physical resources essential for learning such as books a quiet study space or even basic needs like food and clothing the effect of this students facing material deprivation May struggle academically due to poor living conditions lack of tools or resources or the need to work part-time jobs cultural deprivation this Theory suggests that workingclass families might lack the cultural capital so the values attitudes and skills that align with the education system the effect of this workingclass students might not be as familiar with dominant so often middle class cultural norms and Val promoted in schools this can lead to them feeling excluded or undervalued parental attitude this refers to how parents value and approach education the effect of this workingclass parents possibly due to their own experience or economic circumstances might Place less emphasis on education or might not be able to actively engage in their child's schooling this can influence a child's attitudes towards learning and their overall educational experience in conclusion these factors illustrate how both School environments the internal factors and home societal conditions the external factors interact to influence the educational experiences and outcomes of students from different social classes Hy is a British sociologist known for his resarch on class-based inequalities in education some of these key ideas include class-based inequalities in educational achievement Hy argues that there are significant class-based inequalities in educational achievement with children from workingclass backgrounds achieving less than those from middleclass backgrounds this is despite efforts to create a meritocracy in education where individ idual are rewarded for their abilities and hard work cultural deprivation Hy argues that workingclass children are often culturally deprived meaning that they lack the cultural capital so the knowledge skills and attitudes necessary for success in school this can include a lack of knowledge of literature and art lack of knowledge of how to speak in formal situations and a lack of knowledge of how to behave in formal situations lesson eight factors affecting achievement gender educational achievement is affected by a variety of factors this lesson looks specifically at gender gender is another factor that affects educational achievement research has shown that boys tend to have lower educational achievement than girls particularly in subjects such as reading and writing this is often attributed to cultural stereotypes that view boys as less academically inclined than girls and to the fact that boys tend to receive less support and encouragement for their academic Pursuits than girls the overall trend in achievement in recent decades girls have outperformed boys at GCSE level in many subjects this gender gap in achievement widens further at a level where female students tend to achieve more top grades than their male counterparts however there are subjects where boys have traditionally performed better or at least as well as girls especially in stem Fields a key statistic as an illustrative Point data from various years has shown that roughly 70% of girls achieve five or more gcses at grades a star to C or 9 to4 compared to around 60% of boys again these figures can vary based on the specific year of reference gender internal factors that affect achievement feminization of education and female role models over recent years there's been an increase in female professionals within the education system this has led some to argue that schools have become feminized with teaching styles and classroom behaviors favoring female students the effect of this the presence of female teachers and administrators can provide positive role models for female students potentially boosting their confidence and aspirations labeling just as with social class teachers might label students based on gender expectations for instance girls might be labeled as more studious and boys as more disruptive the effect of this such labels can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies where students perform according to expectations this can result in differential treatment feedback and opportunities based on gender gender external factors affecting achievement changes to the law over the years various laws have been enacted to promote gender equality in education the effect of this these laws have helped ensure that girls have equal access to all areas of the curriculum and are not discriminated against in terms of opportunities and resources changes in employment the job market has evolved to offer more opportun unities for women in various Fields making higher education more attractive and economically beneficial for them the effect with better employment prospects and the breaking down of traditional gender job roles there's a stronger motivation for women to pursue higher education impact of feminism the feminist movement has highlighted and challenged gender inequalities advocating for equal rights and opportunities the effect the influence of feminism has led to increased aspirations and confidence among women it has also brought about changes in curriculum content and educational practices to be more inclusive of women's contributions and perspectives gender socialization from a young age children are socialized into gender roles and behaviors shaping their preferences interests and and self-conceptions the effect this can impact the value and emphasis that families place on education for boys versus girls additionally gendered expectations might shape the subjects and extracurricular activities students gravitate towards why do different genders pick different subjects societal expectations traditional views about appropriate gender roles can steer boys towards subjects like physics or computer science and girls towards subjects like literature or biology peer pressure students might choose subjects based on what their same gender friends are choosing to fit in or avoid teasing teacher expectations teachers might consciously or unconsciously encourage students to choose subjects based on gendered stereotypes representation the presence or lack of role models in certain Fields can influence choices for instance a lack of female scientists highlighted in the curriculum might discourage girls from pursuing physics or chemistry in summary both internal and external factors influence gender Dynamics within the educational system recognizing these factors is crucial for understanding patterns of achievement subject choices and broader educational outcomes based on gender lesson nine factors affec in achievement ethnicity educational achievement is affected by a variety of factors this lesson looks specifically at ethnicity ethnicity is a major factor that affects educational achievement research has shown that children from ethnic minority groups tend to have lower educational achievement than children from the majority ethnic group this is often attributed to discrimination and Prejudice as well as to a lack of resources and opportunities in schools that serve minority communities children from ethnic minority groups may also face additional barriers to educational success such as lack of language proficiency cultural barriers and socioeconomic disadvantages Trend in achievement the relationship between ethnicity and educational achievement is complex with significant variation between different ethnic groups historically Chinese and Indian students in the UK have tended to outperform their peers in terms of GCSE and a-level results conversely black Caribbean and Pakistani students have on average scored lower than the national average though it's essential to note that there are many exceptions and individual variations a key statistic a representative statistic from past year showed that around 80% of Chinese students achieve five or more GCS at grades a star to C or 9 to four comp compared to a national average of around 65% however this figure was around 50% for black Caribbean students ethnicity internal factors that affect achievement labeling this refers to the process where teachers and other students might categorize or judge students based on their ethnic background rather than their individual abilities or potential the effect such labeling can create self-fulfilling prophecies for instance if a student from a particular ethnic background is labeled as disruptive or less able they might be treated differently influencing their self perception and ultimately their academic performance curriculum a hidden curriculum this refers to the lessons that are taught implicitly through the school's culture structures and practices which may favor one ethnic group over others ethnocentric curriculum this refers to a curriculum that reflects the culture history and values of a dominant ethnic group often overlooking or marginalizing the experiences and contributions of other ethnic groups the effect an ethnocentric curriculum can make minority minity ethnic students feel excluded or undervalued leading to disengagement the lack of representation might also limit their aspirations or sense of belonging in the school environment ethnicity external factors affec in achievement cultural deprivations this Theory suggests that some ethnic groups might not possess the cultural tools or cultural capital that a with the dominant Educational Systems values and methods the effect if students from certain ethnic backgrounds feel that their culture is at odds with the school culture it can lead to disengagement or a feeling of alienation language barriers some students might speak a language other than English at home which can lead to challenges in schools where English is the primary medium of instruction the effect students might face difficulties in understanding the curriculum participating in class discussions or completing assignments potentially impacting their academic performance parental expectations different ethnic groups might have varying expectations and values regarding education shaped by cultural norms or past experiences the effect high parental expectations can motivate students to excel academically conversely if parents have limited interaction with the school due to past negative experiences or cultural reasons it might affect the child's engagement with their education in summary both internal and external factors into play to influence the educational experiences of students from various ethnic backgrounds recognizing these factors is crucial in understanding educational inequalities and in developing strategies to create a more inclusive and Equitable educational environment lesson 10 factors affec in achievement sociological perspectives the different sociological perspectives on the issues which affect achievement are functionalist perspective functionalists view education as a social institution that serves to promote social cohesion and stability they see education as necessary for the functioning of society by providing individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their roles in society from this perspective education is seen as a meritocracy where individuals are rewarded for their abilities and hard work therefore educational achievement is seen because of individual effort and ability rather than factors such as class gender and ethnicity feminist perspective feminist view education is a means of reproducing patriarchal power relations they argue that education perpetuates gender inequality by reinforcing traditional gender roles and stereotypes from this perspective educational achievement is seen because of structural inequalities and discrimin ation rather than individual effort and ability therefore the lower educational achievements of girls compared to boys is because of discrimination and bias rather than a lack of ability or effort Marxist perspective marxists view education as a means of reproducing class inequality they argue that education perpetuates class inequality by reproducing the relations of production and prepares children for for their future class positions from this perspective educational achievement is because of class and economic structures rather than individual effort and ability therefore the lower educational achievement of children from lower income families is seen because of structural inequalities in class exploitation rather than a lack of ability or effort lesson 11 parental choice and competition B is a British sociologist known for his research on Parental choice and competition between schools some of his key ideas include parental choice and competition between schools all argues that the introduction of Parental choice and competition between schools has led to a significant increase in social inequality in education he argues that this is because parents who are more affluent and better educated are more able to make inform choices about the best schools for their children while less affluent and less educated parents are less able to do so the creation of super schools bu argues that competition between schools has led to the creation of super schools that are highly sought after by parents these schools have the resources and reputation to attract the best teach teachers and students while other schools struggle to compete the bogus Choice debate all has been critical of the idea that parental Choice leads to Greater educational opportunities for all students he argues that for many parents the choices available to them are limited and that the idea of choice is a bogus one marketization led to backdoor selection School schools tried to recruit more middleclass peoples as they felt they would perform better they did this by marketing their schools to middle class families rather than workingclass families this meant middleclass parents were better able to use their choices to get their children into higher achieving schools marketization of Education B argues that the introduction of Parental choice and competition between schools has has led to a marketization of Education where schools are seen as compe in businesses rather than public services Lesson 12 processes within schools common processes within schools include streaming streaming is the practice of grouping students based on their academic abilities this can be done by class subject or grade level streaming is used to provide students with instruction that is tailored to their ability level with the goal of improving academic achievement however research has shown that streaming can have negative effects on student motivation and can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies where students who are placed in lower ability groups are more likely to underperform setting like streaming setting is the practice of grouping students based on their academic abilities it's different from streaming in that it is done within a subject rather than across subjects setting is often used in subjects such as mathematics and science where students are placed in groups based on their ability level the goal of setting is to provide instruction that is tailored to student needs and to improve academic achievement however like streaming setting can have negative effects on student motivation and can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies mixed ability teaching mixed ability teaching is a practice of teaching students of different abilities in the same class the goal of mixed ability teaching is to provide instruction that is tailored to the individual needs of each student to promote student engagement and to improve academic achievement mixed ability teaching could be more challenging for teachers as they need to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students with a wide range of abilities labeling labeling is the practice of assigning students to a specific category based on their academic abilities this can be done through streaming setting or testing labeling can have negative effect effect on student motivation and can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies where students who are labeled as lower ability are more likely to underperform self-fulfilling prophecy the self-fulfilling prophecy is a phenomenon in which an individual's expectations about a situation or another person leads to them behaving in a way that makes their expectations come true this can happen in the context of Education when teachers students or other stakeholders have low expectations of certain students which can lead to those students underperforming the sociological perspectives on these issues are the interactionist perspective they believe that the interactions between students and teachers shape students identities beliefs and values and that these interaction are influenced by factors such as race gender and class interactionists also focus on the micro level interactions that occur in classrooms and the ways in which these interactions shape student outcomes from this perspective the process within schools affecting educational achievement such as streaming and setting are viewed as labeling students and creating self-fulfilling prophecies which can perpetuate social inequalities functionalist perspective they see education as a meritocracy where students are rewarded for their hard work and abilities from this perspective the process within schools affecting educational achievement such as streaming and setting are viewed as useful tools for sorting and tracking students based on their abilities for example teachers are better able to cater to the needs of their students stents if they are set according to their ability however functionalists acknowledge that there are some issues with the education system such as social class disparities in educational achievement but they tend to view these issues as problems to be solved within the existing system the feminist perspective they argue that the education system reflects and reinforces gender stereotypes that girls are often socialized to be less confident and less ambitious than boys from this perspective the processes within schools affecting educational achievement such as streaming and setting are viewed as ways to reproduce social inequalities and to limit opportunities for girls and women for example boys may be labeled by teachers in a way that makes them believe they are better suited to stem subjects this means girls are less likely to choose to study those subjects in further education the Marxist perspective they argue that the education system is used to maintain class divisions by preparing workingclass students for low-paying jobs and preparing middle and upper class students for professional careers from this perspective the process within schools affecting educational achievement such as streaming and setting are viewed as way to reproduce social inequalities and to maintain class divisions lesson 13 teacher expectations the key ideas of Steven B in regard to teacher expectations can be summarized as follows teacher expectations influence student outcomes all argues that teacher expectations can have a powerful influence on student performance and outcomes He suggests that when teachers have high expectations for their students it can lead to higher levels of student engagement motivation and achievement self-fulfilling prophecy B explains that the teacher expectations can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where teachers expectations for their students abilities can become a reality when teachers have high expectations tend to provide more opportunities for Success give more feedback and are more likely to expect students to meet higher standard the influence of social class B suggests that the teacher expectations are often influenced by the social class of the students B conducted a participant observation at a comprehensive school and found that pups in lower sets were more likely to be working class and were not given as much support the practice of placing workingclass students in lower sets or streams often based on perceived ability is a contentious issue in education and understanding its implications is crucial for GCSE sociology here's a breakdown of the problems associated with such practices self-fulfilling prophecy when workingclass students are consistently placed in lower sets they may internalize the belief belief that they're of lower ability over time this perception can negatively impact their self-esteem and motivation leading them to perform at a level consistent with the Lowered Expectations set for them even if they initially had the potential to perform better limited educational opportunities being in lower sets can restrict access to certain subjects topics or more challenging materials limiting the students overall education experience this restriction can reduce opportunities for further studies or career options in the future reinforcement of stereotypes consistently placing working class students in lower sets perpetuates The Stereotype that they're inherently less capable or less ambitious than their middle class peers this stereotype can have long-term social and psychological repercussions both Within and outside the education system peer influences research has shown that student Behavior can be influenced by their peer group if students are grouped with others who may be disengaged or disruptive it can further hinder their academic progress reduce teacher expectations and investment there's evidence suggesting that teachers might inadvertently have lower expect expectations for students in lower sets this can mean less encouragement fewer challenges and a general reduction in academic support for these students societal implications by perpetuating class divides within the education system Society may continue to reproduce existing inequalities this practice can hinder social mobility and maintain the status quo where the working class might remain in lower socioeconomic positions emotional and social consequences being in a lower set can also have emotional repercussions such as feelings of inadequacy exclusion or embarrassment it might also influence how a student interacts socially with peers from higher sets potentially impacting their broader Social Development potential misclassification the criteria for setting can sometimes be arbitrary or based on subjective judgment as a result students may be placed in a lower set due to factors unrelated to their actual ability such as behavioral issues or lack of Prior opportunity in summary targeting workingclass students below sets in schools is a multifaceted issue that can perpetuate social inequalities and hinder the potential of count L students the topic raises essential questions about fairness opportunity and the role of Education in promoting social Mobility lesson 14 counter School cultures the sociologist Willis completed some research in schools and conducted a participant observation of a male subculture in a Midland Secondary School the key ideas of Paul Willis regarding the cre of counter School cultures can be summarized as follows the reproduction of working class culture Willis argues that schools tend to reproduce working-class culture and fail to provide working-class students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the dominant culture the creation of counter School cultures Willis claims that workingclass students in response the failure of the school system to meet their needs create counter School cultures that reject the values and goals of the dominant culture he argues that these counter School cultures provide students with a sense of identity and belonging that the school culture does not the role of resistance Willis believes that the creation of counter School cultures is a form of resistance to the dominant culture he argues that working class students use resistance as a means of resisting the middle class values and goals that the school system tries to impose on them the role of masculinity Willis argues that the creation of counter School cultures is often linked to the construction of masculinity he claims that workingclass boys often use counter School cultures as a means of asserting their masculinity and resisting the emasculating effects of the school system the limitations of resistance Willis acknowledges that resistance can be limited and often leads to the reproduction of workingclass culture he argues that resistance can only be successful if it leads to real change and not just a reproduction of workingclass culture ouch this is why in some videos I like [Music] scratches