1. SOCIOL 316: Critical Theories of Schooling
Week 2: History of Compulsory Schooling & Conservative Theories
Lecturer: Dr Bruce Cohen

2. This Week Definitions Katz reading – group work
Industrialization and Compulsory Schooling
Introduction to Functionalism
Education as a ‘social fact’
Durkheim on ‘moral education’
Parsons reading – group work
School as a meritocracy
Criticisms of conservative theories

3. Education: ‘The transmission of knowledge from one generation to another by means of direct instruction.’ (Giddens 2006: 1014)
Schooling:-
-‘instruction in specialized educational environments in which individuals spend several years of their lives.’ (Giddens 2006: 1015)
-‘A process of learning and management of socially approved knowledge, involving curriculum and pedagogy, paid professional educators, compulsory attendance of pupils, and school grouping.’ (Scott and Marshall 2005: 581)
Definitions

4. What were the five main problems that advocates argued could be tackled by developing a system of public schooling?
Why does Katz state that, ‘It is no accident that the mass production of clocks and watches began at about the same time as the mass production of public schools.’
According to Katz, has public schooling been a success or a failure? What reasons does he give for this belief?
Group work (15 minutes)

5. New Zealand Ministry of Education (2015)
“Our Vision - Every New Zealander:
“Is strong in their national and cultural identity
“Aspires for themselves and their children to achieve more
“Has the choice and opportunity to be the best they can be
“Is an active participant and citizen in creating a strong civil society
“Is productive, valued and competitive in the world.”
( -retrieved 20/07/16)

6. Emergence of Mass Public Education
“Most of you, indeed, cannot but have been part and parcel of one of those huge, mechanical, educational machines, or mills, as they might more properly be called. They are, I believe, peculiar to our time and country, and are so organized as to combine as nearly as possible the principle characteristics of the cotton mill and the railroad with those of the model state's prison.” (Charles Francis Adams, addressing the US National Education Association 1880)

7. Industrialization and Compulsory Schooling
As a separate and distinct phase of the life cycle, “childhood” only emerges with the Enlightenment, and then develops further with industrial society (Aires 1962).
Compulsory education:
1870 Education Act (UK); Education Act 1877 in New Zealand
Reasons: need for literate / higher skilled workforce; constructing a national identity; response to class / status conflict.

8. Conservative theory… Émile Durkheim
(Structural)Functionalism: society functions the same as any living organism.
Agrarian to industrial society: change from ‘mechanical’ to ‘organic’ solidarity.
Concern for ‘anomie’ in individualistic, industrial societies: when norms and values of society are no longer effective in regulating behaviour.
Education is a ‘social fact’ and the major site for secondary socialization of the child.
Major writings on education: ‘Education and Sociology’ and ‘Moral Education’.
(David Émile Durkheim,
1858–1917)

9. Education as a ‘Social Fact’
“Education is the influence exercised by adult generations on those that are not yet ready for social life. Its object is to arouse and to develop in the child a certain number of physical, intellectual and moral states which are demanded of him by both the political society as a whole and the special milieu for which he is specifically destined.” (Durkheim, ‘Education and Sociology’)

10. Discipline
Attachment
Autonomy

11. Small group work (15 minutes)
According to Parsons:
What is the primary function of schooling ?
What are the four specific ways in which elementary (primary) school encourages achievement among the pupils?
Which two fundamental values of American society are reflected within the schools system?
Suggest some criticisms or limitation of Parsons’ analysis.

12. Conservative theory… Talcott Parsons
Education is a ‘focal socializing agency’.
Family to School: from particularistic to universal standards.
Achieved rather than ascribed status.
As with wider society, schools must operate on a meritocratic basis.
(Talcott Parsons, )

13. Summary: The Function of Schools
‘Manifest’ functions:
Socialisation
Transmission of culture norms and values
Social control
Social placement
‘Latent’ functions:
Restriction of activities
Social networking
Creation of generation gap

14. Criticisms and Limitations
“Every New Zealander: Has the choice and opportunity to be the best they can be”
(NZ Ministry of Education, -retrieved 20/07/16)
New Zealand children from poor families are over six times more likely to do badly at maths than children from well-off families.
(OECD, 2016, ‘Low-Performing Students - Why They Fall Behind and How To Help Them Succeed’)
“New Zealand has known about the achievement gap between rich and poor for 25 years. And yet it persists”
(New Zealand Herald)

15. Criticisms (contd.) Research suggests school reinforces inequalities.
Presupposes consensual view of schooling (and society).
Influence of wider power structures ignored.
No consideration of ‘Hidden curriculum’.
‘the power of “ascribed” groups may be the prime basis of selection in all organizations…’ (Collins 2007: 43)
Criticisms (contd.)

16. Next Week: Labelling Theory Selected Bibliography:
Aires, P. (1962) Centuries of Childhood. New York: Vintage Books.
Collins, R. (2007) ‘Functional and Conflict Theories and Educational Stratification’, in Sadovnik, A. R. (ed.) Sociology of Education: A Critical Reader, 2nd ed. (pp ). New York: Routledge.
Durkheim, E. (1956) Education and Sociology. Glencoe, Illinois: The Free Press
Durkheim, E. (1961) Moral Education: A Study In The Theory and Application Of The Sociology of Education. Glencoe, Illinois: The Free Press.
Goldstein, M. A. (1976) ‘Durkheim’s Sociology of Education: Interpretations of Social Change Through Education’, Education Theory, 26(3):
Next Week:
Labelling Theory