Roles and Functions of Education
The functionalist view of education: how Durkheim said schools pass on shared values and build social solidarity, and how Parsons said schools judge everyone by the same standards and sort people into future roles.
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What is school for?
Functionalist sociologists believe that education performs positive functions that help society work smoothly. Two thinkers explained these functions: Durkheim said schools pass on shared values and bind people together, and Parsons said schools judge everyone fairly and sort people into future roles. This module looks at both views.
Education function terms
Learn these four terms before you study the functions of education.
Durkheim or Parsons?
Both were functionalists, but they stressed different functions.
Function, thinker, evaluation
A top answer links each function to the right thinker and adds a brief evaluation. For example, critics argue that education does not really reward merit fairly but reproduces inequality, since class background still shapes achievement. Name the theorist, then judge the idea.
Match the function
- socialisation
- social solidarity
- meritocracy
- role allocation
- passing on the shared norms and values of society
- binding people together into one united society
- a system where status is earned by effort and ability
- sorting and selecting people for future jobs
Match the term
- universalistic standards
- particularistic standards
- social mobility
- alternative provision
- everyone is judged by the same rules
- a child is treated as a special individual, as in the family
- moving up or down in society
- education outside a normal school, such as home schooling
The functionalist view
What do functionalists believe education does for society?
- It performs positive functions, such as passing on shared values and skills.
- It exists mainly to make a profit for business owners.
- It has no real effect on society.
- It reproduces class inequality from one generation to the next.
Functions of education
Select the TWO functions of education described by functionalists.
- Passing on shared norms and values.
- Preparing people with skills for work.
- Making a profit for private owners.
- Deliberately turning groups into enemies.
How school works
Put the functionalist idea of how school works in order, earliest first.
- A child leaves the family for school
- School teaches the shared values of society
- Pupils are judged on merit, by the same rules
- Pupils are allocated to a future job role
Summarise the theories
Functionalists believe education performs positive _____ for society. Durkheim said education passes on shared norms and values and builds social _____, welding people into one whole. Parsons said school judges everyone by the same, or _____, standards, unlike the family. He argued school works on _____, where status is earned on merit, and it sorts people into future roles, a process called role _____.
Count the thinkers
How many functionalist thinkers does this module focus on: Durkheim and Parsons?
Find the Durkheim ideas
Tap the TWO ideas linked to Durkheim.
- Education transmits shared norms and values
- School operates on meritocratic principles
- Education builds social solidarity
- School applies universalistic standards
- School allocates pupils to job roles
Whose view is it?
Decide whose view each statement is.
- Education passes on the shared values of society and binds people together
- School judges everyone by the same standards and rewards merit
- Education mainly reproduces inequality and favours the powerful
Explain the view
Explain the functionalist view of the role of education. Use the ideas of Durkheim and Parsons in your answer.
- Describe what Durkheim said education does
- Describe what Parsons said education does
- Give one criticism of the functionalist view