Past Questions for G673 Education Paper
Theory
















Outline and assess functionalist explanations of the relationship between education and
work.
Outline and assess the view that vocational education simply trains workers for
exploitation
Outline and assess sociological views of the relationship between education and the
economy
Outline and assess the view that the role of the education system is to justify and
reproduce social inequalities.
Outline and assess the view that the main purpose of education is to encourage
individual achievement whilst maintaining social solidarity.
Outline and assess the view that education reproduces social and economic
inequalities.
Outline and assess sociological theories of the relationship between school, training and
work.
Outline and assess the role of the hidden curriculum in the transmission and
reproduction of culture.
Outline and assess the view that the education system effectively prepares young
people for their adult roles.
Outline and assess the view that the education system operates to meet the needs of
the economy.
Outline and assess functionalist explanations of the role of the education system
Outline and assess Marxist explanations of the role of the education system
Outline and assess the view that schools reproduce social class inequalities.
Outline and assess the role of schools in the transmission and reproduction of culture.
Outline and assess the role of schools in preparing young people for employment.
Outline and assess interactionist contributions to the study of education.
Policy






Outline and assess the view that changes to educational policy since 1988 have
resulted in greater equality of opportunity for all students.
Outline and assess the view that choice and diversity have increased equality of
opportunity since 1988
Outline and assess the view that the Education Reform Act has led to greater equality
amongst all social groups
Outline and assess the view that New Labour policies have improved equality of
opportunity and given students greater choice
Outline and assess the view that the existence of different types of schools helps to
create a meritocratic system
Outline and assess educational policies influenced by the New Right since 1988
Differential Achievement
Class








Outline and assess the view that it is factors outside the school which affect the
educational achievement of different social classes.
Outline and assess interactionist explanations of social class inequalities within school
Outline and assess sociological explanations of social class inequalities in educational
attainment.
Outline and assess the view that the way schools and teaching are organised is more
important than external influences, such as the home, in explaining working-class
underachievement.
Outline and assess cultural explanations of social class differences in educational
achievement.
Outline and assess the view that cultural deprivation is the reason for the
underachievement of working class
Outline and assess the view that working class underachievement in education is
caused by factors outside schools.
Outline and assess the view that processes within schools reproduce social class
inequalities
Gender







Outline and assess the explanations for girls improved performance in education
Outline and assess sociological explanations for the underachievement of males in
education
Outline and assess sociological explanations of gender differences in educational
achievement.
Outline and assess the view that processes within schools may lead to gender
differences in educational achievement
Outline and assess sociological explanations for the changes in attainment of girls
Outline and assess the view that boys underachievement is caused by processes within
the school
Outline and assess the view that home factors are responsible for the
underachievement of boys in education.
Ethnicity






Outline and assess cultural explanations of the differential educational achievement of
ethnic minority groups.
Outline and assess the view that racism is the main cause of differential achievement
amongst ethnic groups
Outline and assess the view that differences in achievement amongst ethnic groups is
caused by home factors
Outline and assess the view that schools are institutionally racist.
Outline and assess sociological explanations of ethnic differences in educational
achievement.
Outline and assess cultural explanations of ethnic differences in educational
achievement.
General (covers class, ethnicity and gender together)




Outline and assess
Outline and assess
Outline and assess
factors
Outline and assess
within the school
Interactionist explanations of differential educational achievement.
cultural explanations of inequalities in educational achievement.
the view that differences in achievement are caused by home
the view that differences in achievement are caused by processes