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AQA Sociology A Level: Theories of Education Notes and PDFs

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Maisie Wood

24/04/2023

Sociology

Theories in Education: AQA Sociology A Level

AQA Sociology A Level: Theories of Education Notes and PDFs

A-Level Sociology Education provides a comprehensive analysis of educational theories and policies, examining how different sociological perspectives interpret the role and impact of education in society.

Key points:

  • Explores Functionalism marxism and new right in education perspectives
  • Analyzes educational policies and their societal impact
  • Discusses inequality and social reproduction in education
  • Examines the role of marketisation and state intervention
  • Evaluates various educational policies sociology reforms
...

24/04/2023

571

Education
Education sifts and
Sorts Pupils based
Jon ability
Davis and Moore - Role
Education allocates
Pupils to their
future job roles
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Marxist Critique and State Role in Education

This page delves into Marxist perspectives on education and examines the state's role in shaping educational policies and outcomes.

Marxists argue that education reproduces class inequality and serves the interests of the ruling class:

Quote: "Education is a 'one size fits all' approach that ignores local needs." - Marxist critique of state education

Key Marxist concepts in education include:

  • False class consciousness
  • Ideological state apparatus AlthusserAlthusser
  • Hidden curriculum BowlesandGintisBowles and Gintis

Definition: Hidden curriculum - Unofficial lessons, values, and perspectives that students learn in school.

Marxists critique the idea of a shared culture in compulsory education, arguing it primarily reflects ruling class values. They see the education system as legitimizing and reproducing class inequalities.

The state plays a significant role in education through:

  • National curriculum
  • Ofsted inspections
  • League tables
  • Funding allocation

Example: The introduction of league tables as part of the marketization of education, encouraging competition between schools.

New Right thinkers like Chubb and Moe propose market-based reforms to improve education, advocating for increased parental choice and school competition. This approach, known as "parentocracy," aims to make schools more responsive to consumer parentparent demands.

Vocabulary: Parentocracy - An education system heavily influenced by parental choice and market forces.

Understanding these perspectives is essential for AQA A Level Sociology Education Past papers and AQA A Level sociology education flashcards.

Education
Education sifts and
Sorts Pupils based
Jon ability
Davis and Moore - Role
Education allocates
Pupils to their
future job roles
Tum

View

Feminist Perspectives and Educational Policies

This page explores feminist critiques of education and provides an overview of key educational policies in the UK.

Feminist sociologists argue that the education system reproduces gender inequalities:

Quote: "Education reproduces patriarchy from generation to generation." - Feminist Marxist perspective

Macdonald 19801980 critiques Marxism for ignoring how education perpetuates gender inequality alongside class divisions. Feminists highlight issues such as:

  • Gender stereotyping in the curriculum
  • Unequal teacher attention
  • Gendered subject choices

Highlight: Despite girls now outperforming boys academically, men still dominate top positions in higher education and the workforce.

Key educational policies in the UK include:

  1. 1944 Tripartite System: Introduced 11+ exams and grammar schools
  2. 1966-1968 Comprehensive School Act: Abolished 11+ laterreinstatedlater reinstated and secondary moderns
  3. 1988 Education Reform Act: Introduced marketization, league tables, and the National Curriculum

Example: The 1988 Education Reform Act significantly reshaped the UK education system, introducing market principles to raise standards.

These policies reflect changing societal attitudes and political ideologies over time, from post-war egalitarianism to neoliberal market-driven approaches.

Postmodernists critique both Marxist and functionalist grand narratives, emphasizing the diversity of educational experiences and outcomes based on factors like race, gender, and sexuality.

Vocabulary: Marketization - The process of introducing market forces and principles into education.

This content is crucial for Education policy and inequality in aqa sociology notes and Educational policies sociology A level revision.

Education
Education sifts and
Sorts Pupils based
Jon ability
Davis and Moore - Role
Education allocates
Pupils to their
future job roles
Tum

View

Page 4: Educational Policies and Feminist Perspectives

The final page covers major educational policies and feminist critiques of education.

Definition: Marketisation in education refers to introducing market principles into educational provision.

Example: 1988 Education Reform Act introduced league tables and the National Curriculum.

Highlight: Girls now outperform boys academically, yet men still dominate top positions.

Quote: "The education system is patriarchal" - Macdonald 19801980.

Vocabulary: Tripartite system - post-1944 division of secondary education into grammar, technical, and modern schools.

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Sociology

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24 Apr 2023

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AQA Sociology A Level: Theories of Education Notes and PDFs

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Maisie Wood

@alevel.revisionnotes

A-Level Sociology Education provides a comprehensive analysis of educational theories and policies, examining how different sociological perspectives interpret the role and impact of education in society.

Key points:

  • Explores Functionalism marxism and new right in education perspectives
  • Analyzes educational policies... Show more

Education
Education sifts and
Sorts Pupils based
Jon ability
Davis and Moore - Role
Education allocates
Pupils to their
future job roles
Tum

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Marxist Critique and State Role in Education

This page delves into Marxist perspectives on education and examines the state's role in shaping educational policies and outcomes.

Marxists argue that education reproduces class inequality and serves the interests of the ruling class:

Quote: "Education is a 'one size fits all' approach that ignores local needs." - Marxist critique of state education

Key Marxist concepts in education include:

  • False class consciousness
  • Ideological state apparatus AlthusserAlthusser
  • Hidden curriculum BowlesandGintisBowles and Gintis

Definition: Hidden curriculum - Unofficial lessons, values, and perspectives that students learn in school.

Marxists critique the idea of a shared culture in compulsory education, arguing it primarily reflects ruling class values. They see the education system as legitimizing and reproducing class inequalities.

The state plays a significant role in education through:

  • National curriculum
  • Ofsted inspections
  • League tables
  • Funding allocation

Example: The introduction of league tables as part of the marketization of education, encouraging competition between schools.

New Right thinkers like Chubb and Moe propose market-based reforms to improve education, advocating for increased parental choice and school competition. This approach, known as "parentocracy," aims to make schools more responsive to consumer parentparent demands.

Vocabulary: Parentocracy - An education system heavily influenced by parental choice and market forces.

Understanding these perspectives is essential for AQA A Level Sociology Education Past papers and AQA A Level sociology education flashcards.

Education
Education sifts and
Sorts Pupils based
Jon ability
Davis and Moore - Role
Education allocates
Pupils to their
future job roles
Tum

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Feminist Perspectives and Educational Policies

This page explores feminist critiques of education and provides an overview of key educational policies in the UK.

Feminist sociologists argue that the education system reproduces gender inequalities:

Quote: "Education reproduces patriarchy from generation to generation." - Feminist Marxist perspective

Macdonald 19801980 critiques Marxism for ignoring how education perpetuates gender inequality alongside class divisions. Feminists highlight issues such as:

  • Gender stereotyping in the curriculum
  • Unequal teacher attention
  • Gendered subject choices

Highlight: Despite girls now outperforming boys academically, men still dominate top positions in higher education and the workforce.

Key educational policies in the UK include:

  1. 1944 Tripartite System: Introduced 11+ exams and grammar schools
  2. 1966-1968 Comprehensive School Act: Abolished 11+ laterreinstatedlater reinstated and secondary moderns
  3. 1988 Education Reform Act: Introduced marketization, league tables, and the National Curriculum

Example: The 1988 Education Reform Act significantly reshaped the UK education system, introducing market principles to raise standards.

These policies reflect changing societal attitudes and political ideologies over time, from post-war egalitarianism to neoliberal market-driven approaches.

Postmodernists critique both Marxist and functionalist grand narratives, emphasizing the diversity of educational experiences and outcomes based on factors like race, gender, and sexuality.

Vocabulary: Marketization - The process of introducing market forces and principles into education.

This content is crucial for Education policy and inequality in aqa sociology notes and Educational policies sociology A level revision.

Education
Education sifts and
Sorts Pupils based
Jon ability
Davis and Moore - Role
Education allocates
Pupils to their
future job roles
Tum

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Page 4: Educational Policies and Feminist Perspectives

The final page covers major educational policies and feminist critiques of education.

Definition: Marketisation in education refers to introducing market principles into educational provision.

Example: 1988 Education Reform Act introduced league tables and the National Curriculum.

Highlight: Girls now outperform boys academically, yet men still dominate top positions.

Quote: "The education system is patriarchal" - Macdonald 19801980.

Vocabulary: Tripartite system - post-1944 division of secondary education into grammar, technical, and modern schools.

Education
Education sifts and
Sorts Pupils based
Jon ability
Davis and Moore - Role
Education allocates
Pupils to their
future job roles
Tum

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Functionalist and New Right Perspectives on Education

Functionalism and the New Right offer contrasting views on the role of education in society. This page explores their key arguments and critiques.

Functionalists like Davis and Moore argue that education serves to allocate pupils to future job roles based on ability and merit. They see schools as fulfilling important functions for society:

Definition: Meritocracy - A system where success is based on individual merit and effort rather than social background.

Parsons emphasizes education's role in socialization and promoting equal opportunity. Durkheim highlights how schools teach shared norms and values, fostering social solidarity.

Highlight: Functionalists view education as a "society in miniature" that prepares students for their future roles in the workforce.

The New Right and neoliberals critique state education, arguing it fails to adequately prepare students for work. They advocate for market-based reforms to improve educational standards:

Example: Proposing school voucher systems to increase parental choice and competition between schools.

Critics like Tumin challenge functionalist assumptions about meritocracy, while interactionists like Wrong argue this view is overly deterministic. Wolf's research questions whether education effectively teaches specialist skills needed for high-paying jobs.

Vocabulary: Cultural capital - Non-financial social assets that promote social mobility, such as education and intellect.

This overview is crucial for AQA A Level Sociology Education revision, providing a foundation for understanding key theoretical perspectives.

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Elisha

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This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user