AQA A Level Sociology Paper 1: Education with Theory and Methods

Introduction

• Focus: Education (Part 1) - Theory and Research Methods (Part 2)
• Purpose: Revision aid for exams
• AQA Exam Breakdown:
  • Total: 80 marks, 2 hours
  • Education Section: 50 marks, 4 questions
  • Other Sections: Methods in Context, Theory, and Methods

Functionalism

Key Theorists

• Durkheim
  • Education socializes people into shared norms and values (social solidarity)
  • Assemblies, homework, uniform, attendance foster togetherness
  • Criticism: Marxists argue this indoctrinates students into passive acceptance
• Parsons
  • Bridge Theory and Meritocracy
  • Home teaches particularistic standards; school teaches universalistic standards
  • Education is a bridge between family and wider society
  • Criticism: Not all students have equal chances (parental involvement, disabilities, social class, gender)
• Davis and Moore
  • Role Allocation: Education sifts people based on achievement
  • Criticism: Middle/upper-class white men dominate powerful roles

Evaluation

• New Right Support: Meritocracy promotes individual responsibility
• Criticisms: Overlooks racism, sexism, and class bias; not everyone shares the same norms

Marxism

Key Concepts

• Althusser
  • Education as Ideological State Apparatus
  • Reproduces and justifies inequalities
• Bourdieu
  • Cultural Capital: Middle-class students have advantages
• Bowles and Gintis
  • Correspondence Principle: School mirrors workplace
  • Passive acceptance of hierarchy and indoctrination
• Paul Willis
  • Learning to Labour: Anti-school subcultures challenge indoctrination

Evaluation

• Exposes myth of meritocracy
• Criticism: Focus on class, ignores gender and ethnicity

Social Policy and Education

Key Acts and Policies

• 1944 Education Act
  • Grammar, secondary modern, technical schools
  • Aim: Abolish inequality, post-WWII welfare state
• 1965 Comprehensive Education Act
  • Abolished selection at age 11
  • Aim: Equal opportunity for all
• 1988 Education Reform Act (New Right)
  • Marketization: Testing, national curriculum, league tables
  • Aim: Increase competition, parental choice

Evaluation

• Criticisms: Stress from testing, inequality in opportunity

Globalization

• Impacts on Education
  • Policies aim to compete internationally
  • Commodification of students
  • Multicultural curriculum to increase equality

Internal School Relationships and Processes

Key Concepts

• Hidden Curriculum
  • Teaches extrinsic rewards, conformity
• Labeling and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
  • Labels affect student identities and achievements
  • Study: Rosenthal and Jacobson's "Pygmalion in the Classroom"
• Setting and Streaming
  • Grouping based on ability
  • Criticism: Reinforces inequality

Social Class and Educational Achievement

Key Factors

• Material Deprivation
  • Impacts on educational resources, housing, and nutrition
• Cultural Deprivation
  • Different attitudes and speech patterns linked to class
• Cultural Capital (Bourdieu)
  • Middle-class advantages in education

Gender and Educational Achievement

• Females vs. Males
  • Females outperform males due to feminized school environment
  • Males face lack of role models, higher dropout rates

Ethnicity and Educational Achievement

• Cultural and Material Deprivation
  • Differences in family structure, role models, and socio-economic status
• Institutional Racism
  • Education reflects broader societal racism