Neo-Functionalism Perspective on Education

What is meritocracy?

• Political theory that advocates technocratic and meritocracy solutions to the problem of differential educational achievement.

• System where schools are open to all children, regardless of their ability to pay, where they live or prior educational achievement.

• System based on equality of opportunity; those with ability and talent achieve their rewards regardless of their social characteristics.

• The knowledge and skills required for specific types of employment.

What does the term ‘cultural capital’ mean?

• Anything in the individual's cultural background that gives them advantages over others.

• Extent to which people are connected to social networks and how this can be used to the individual's advantage.

• A term used to refer to a person or group's accumulated status within a stratified society.

• Refers to the beliefs that people hold about reality, the norms that guide their behavior, the values that orient their moral commitments, or the symbols through which these beliefs, norms, and values are communicated.

How is social mobility related to education, according to Saunders (1996)?

• An individual has better chances at getting a high position job if they come from a wealthy background.

• The lower class will not be able to climb the social class.

• It reflects the life decisions of various individuals and groups.

• The upper class will still maintain at the top even if they fail.

The relation between _____________ and education, suggested by the neo-functionalists, is where individual choices are the key to mobility through education, schools should be privately owned rather than state controlled. Thus, ensuring that consumers (parents and their children) have the widest possible choice

Murphy (1990) argues that in an education system that provides _________________, differences in achievement are the result of unsuccessful students choosing not to participate.

• equality of opportunity

• marketisation

• cultural capital

• social capital

According to the neo-functionalism, one way to increase an individual's social mobility is through _______.

Consumer choice is available for the lower class.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Shepherd and Rogers (2012) concluded their analysis on English faith state schools stating that there were only a few number of students from low working class that attended said school.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Saunders (1996) believed that the ________________ are more intelligent than the __________________.

• middle class.... upper class

• upper class.... low working class

• middle class.... low working class

• low working class.... upper class