Aqa Sociology Gcse (Education)

Front 1

What is meant by the term formal curriculum?

Back 1

The things that are taught in school, for example National Curriculum subjects- (maths, english, science)

Front 2

What is meant by the term hidden curriculum?

Back 2

The term used to describe the way that children are taught the norms and values of society through the culture of school, the materials used and other things that are not part of the actual curriculum, e.g Dress code, timekeeping, manners.

Front 3

What are the different types of schools? Why are they different to each other?

Back 3

State Funded Comprehensive School- Educate students regardless of background and ability.

Grammar School- Select their students based on academic ability.

Independent School- Set their own curriculum and admissions policies. Funded by fees paid by parents and guardians. Still sit national exams.

Faith Schools- Run in the same way as state schools. But their faith status may be reflected in their religious education curriculum.

Academies- Publicly- funded independent schools. Some get funding from sponsors. They get money from the government but not the local council. Don't have to follow the national curriculum and can set their own term and school times.

City Technology Colleges- Independently managed, non fee paying schools in urban areas. The focus on science and technology and vocational qualifications.

Special Schools- Schools for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), they offer a choice to parent who have children that require special education.

Front 4

What does the term material deprivation mean?

Back 4

Financially poor. Not having the money and belongings that the majority of society have.

Front 5

What does the term cultural deprivation mean?

Back 5

Not being having the skills and knowledge to access activites of society that help you achieve because of social factors, such as poverty or discrimination.

Front 6

What does the term cultural capital mean?

Back 6

Having the skills and knowledge that are needed to achieve.

Front 7

What is meant by the term self-fulfilling prophecy?

Back 7

When someone conforms to a label they have been given.

Front 8

What is meant by the term labelling?

Back 8

The word used to describe how pupils are given labelled based on their ability, behaviour or disability.

Front 9

What is meant by the term Anti-school subculture?

Back 9

A small group that occurs in schools that try go against the main learning culture of school.

Front 10

What is the Marxist view on Education?

Back 10

They view on education as a whole, as only benefiting the rich and powerful people in society. They say that it brainwashes people to follow norms and values and to accept class inequality.

Front 11

What is the Functionalist view on Education?

Back 11

They believe that education as a whole, performs a beneficial role in society and it teaches the norms and values for a successful society to run smoothly.

Front 12

What is the Feminist view on Education?

Back 12

They believe that education as a whole only benefits men, as it ensures that males remain more powerful in society by teaching patriarchal norms and values, such as women's roles as carers and restricting access to certain subjects.

Front 13

What is meant by the term streaming and setting? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Back 13

Ways of separating children into different groups according to ability.

Advantages- children can reach their full ability in the right set which means they are challenged appropriately and they know their strengths and weaknesses so and can act as a positive label which leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy emerging.

Disadvantages- Can feel like a negative label, which could mean a child won't attempt to work better and aren't challenged to improve. Again a self-fulfilling prophecy can emerge.

Front 14

What is meant by the term Tripartite System?

Back 14

Until the 1960's high schools were divided into 3 types. Students were tested at the end of primary school using the '11 Plus' which decided which type of school they would go to:

Grammar Schools- Those who passed 11 Plus and were seen as academic and intelligent.

Technical Schools- Those who didn't pass 11 Plus but showed strong ability for highly skilled technical work.

Secondary Modern Schools- anyone who didn't go to Grammar schools or Technical schools went here. They would get a good basic education that would prepare them for less skilled jobs or managing the home.

Front 15

What were the two main problems with the Tripartite System?

Back 15

1. Most students who failed 11 Plus ended up in Secondary Modern Schools because of lack of funding for Technical schools. This meant pupils with a strong ability in practical skills were not being given the right opportunities.

2. Labelling pupils according to their ability resulted in a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Front 16

How is educational success measured?& What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Back 16

League Tables are used to compare schools based on the percentage of A*-C grades achieved in GCSE's and ALevels.

Advantages- Allows people to see the results and standards of different schools in a certain area.

Disadvantages- Doesn't take into account people background and area.

Ofsted Inspections are carried out regularly to make sure that schools are performing as well as they should.

Advantages- schools know where they need to improve

Disadvantages- can put a negative labels on the school or certain area.

National Assessments- Children are tested so they can be compared to people from other schools to make sure they are doing as well as they should.

Advantages- Pupils and parents know how well they're doing and means they can get the support needed.

Disadvantages- Negative labels or underachieving compared to other people might make children feel like they aren't doing well and could create a self- fulfilling prophecy.

Front 17

What is meant by the term Crisis of Masculinity?

Back 17

The idea that men's perception of what a man is and how he ought to behave has been undermined by social and economic changes.

Front 18

How does Class affect Education?

Back 18

Middle class do better in education than working class children. Reasons for this are:

Better living conditions- middle class people are more likely to have better diet, their own space to work and access to computers and internet. Therefore they are in a better position to learn. (Home factor)

Higher level of aspiration- middle class people are people likely to aim higher in job status, this is because their parents are more likely to have a high status job. (Home factor)

The halo effect from teachers- middle class children are seen as being more intelligent because they share the same norms and values as their teachers. This leads to labelling and self-fulfilling prophecy. (School factor)

A greater awareness of the benefits of deferred gratification- middle class children are more aware that staying on in school and going to university might mean doing without in the short-term and getting better paid work in the long term. (School and home factor)

Peer values that encourage more studious approach to schoolwork- students choose friend who are like them, so they share the same norms and values. Middle class people have middle class friends, working class people have working class friends. (School and home factor).

Working hours- working class parent usually have longer working hours to top up low pay. this means they are less likely to have time to help with school work.

Parents Influences- Middle class parent are more likely to encourage their children to do well as they see education as important. Whereas working class parent are more likely to encourage their children to get a job or an apprenticeship straight from school.

This creates a -self- perpetuating' pattern.

Front 19

How does Gender affect Education?

Back 19

On average Girls do better than Boys, however this was not the case in the past. The reasons for this change are:

Change in ambitions- girls ambitions have changed more girls want to have a career than stay at home and have a family. (School and home factor)

Less restrictions on subjects- more socially acceptable for girls to study resistant materials and boys to study health and social care. (School factor)

Great pride in work- girls are more likely to take greater pride in their work, could be linked to the greater value girl's place on personal appearance, they are also encouraged by other institutions such as mass media. (School factor)

Anti-school subculture- boys are said to have developed and anti-school subculture where it is seen as 'cool' to not do work. Girls are also part of this, which suggests gender isn't the only thing that matters. (School factor)

Socialisation- Parents buy boys and girls different toys, and girls and boys spend their leisure time differently. Boys relate to their peers by doing, girls more by talking and listening. Boys and girls are socialised differently to believe they have to take on different roles within the job market. (Home factor)

Pupil teacher interaction- Teachers might spend more time helping girls as they are more willing to talk and ask for help, so girls might achieve and behave better. (School factor)

Hidden Curriculum- Boys are more likely to be taught that they should be active and fit e.g play football, girls- less likely. (School factor)

Front 20

How does Ethnicity affect Education?

Back 20

Research shows that even when teachers are not deliberately racist, they still discriminate against children from different cultural/ ethnic backgrounds. This is because of their interpretation of body language, speech, dress styles and walking styles- some teachers see it as a challenge to their authority.
Not all ethnic minorities do badly in education- Indian pupils get good results.

The main ethnic minority group that underachieve are Afro Caribbeans.

Bangladeshi pupils underachieved until recently, but their performance has not improved.

Cultural Deprivation Explanation

Family life- Asian families are more supportive and encouraging than Afro- Caribbean parents.

Language- Ethnic minorities underachieve as English is not their first language. This is only for a small number of ethnic minorities.

Front 21

What is the Functionalists view on The Economic Role of education?

Back 21

They believe that schools teach the key skills and knowledge necessary for a modern, technical society.

Front 22

What is the Marxist view on The Economic Role of education?

Back 22

They believe that education reinforces the class system by ensuring children of the poor learn the skills for low paid jobs.

Front 23

What is the Feminist's view on The Economic Role of education?

Back 23

They believe that education reinforces patriarchy by ensuring that women learn the skills or lower jobs and unpaid work in the home.

Front 24

What is the Anti-Racist views on The Economic Role of education?

Back 24

They believe that education reinforces the power of the ethnic majority by ensuring that children from minority ethnic backgrounds learn the skills for low- paid jobs.

Front 25

What are the Functionalist views on The Selective Role?

Back 25

They see the education system as a sieve grading students according to ability and placing pupils into their most appropriate role in society.

Front 26

What are the Marxist views on The Selective Role of education?

Back 26

They do not believe that education provides equal opportunities for all.

Front 27

What are the Feminist views on The Selective Role of education?

Back 27

They believe that education provides different opportunities to girls and boys, pushing them into studying different subjects based on their gender- developing Gender Differences.

Front 28

What are the Anti-Racist views on The Selective Role in education?

Back 28

They believe that students from minority ethnic backgrounds are given less opportunity than White British children.

Front 29

What are the Functionalists views on The Socialisation Role in education?

Back 29

They believe education plays an important role in teaching the values and norms of society to each new generation.

Front 30

What are the Marxists views on The Socialisation Role in education?

Back 30

They see education as socialising individuals into accepting the values of the most powerful group.

Front 31

What are the Feminists views on The Socialisation Role in education?

Back 31

They see education as continuing the process of gender role socialisation ensuring that boys and girls act the way they should.

Front 32

What are the Anti- Racist views on The Socialisation Role in education?

Back 32

They see education as socialising individuals into accepting the values of the most powerful group.

Front 33

What are the Functionalists views on Social Control by education?

Back 33

They argue that for society to function smoothly there must be some regulation.

Front 34

What are the Marxists views on Social Control by education?

Back 34

They see social control in schools as reflecting the social control in the wider society, which benefits the most powerful group.

Front 35

What are the Feminists views on Social Control by education?

Back 35

They see social control in schools as reflecting the social control in the wider society, which benefits the most powerful group.

Front 36

What are the Anti-Racist views on Social Control by education?

Back 36

They see social control in schools as reflecting the social control in the wider society, which benefits the most powerful group.

Front 37

What are the Functionalists views on The Political Role of education?

Back 37

They see education as learning about society- through education pupils will accept the political system.

Front 38

What are the Marxists views on The Political Role of education?

Back 38

They believe only certain political opinions and ideas are tolerated in education. Many of these ideas are from the powerful group.

Front 39

What are the Feminists views on The Political Role of education?

Back 39

They believe only certain political opinions and ideas are tolerated in education. Many of these ideas are from the powerful group.

Front 40

What are the Anti-Racist views on The Political Role of education?

Back 40

They believe only certain political opinions and ideas are tolerated in education. Many of these ideas are from the powerful group.

Front 41

Who do the Marxists say the 'powerful group' in society are?

Back 41

The ruling class

Front 42

Who do the Feminists say the 'powerful group' in society are?

Back 42

Men

Front 43

Who do the Anti- Racist say the 'powerful group' in society are?

Back 43

White British (in the UK).

Front 44

What is meant by the term The Economic Role?

Back 44

Teaching the skills for work.

Front 45

What is meant by the term The Selective Role?

Back 45

Choosing the most able for the most important jobs.

Front 46

What is meant by the term The Socialisation Role?

Back 46

Teaching the norms and values.

Front 47

What is meant by the term Social Control?

Back 47

Teaching the acceptance of rules and authority.

Front 48

What is meant by the term The Political Role?

Back 48

Teaching people to be effective citizens.

Front 49

What are the Government Policies/ Educational reforms that have been introduced to improve education?

Back 49

Education Act (Butler Act)- Entrance Exam.

Comprehensive Education- One school for all.

New Vocationalism- Form of Post 16 education, apprenticeships provide chances to do more practical than academic work.

EMA- Financial help when staying on in Post 16 Education.