What is the role of education, and how do sociologists view it?
The role and functions of education for individuals and society, and the contrasting functionalist, Marxist, feminist and interactionist perspectives on education.
A focused answer on the role and functions of education for WJEC GCSE Sociology: what education does for society, and the functionalist, Marxist, feminist and interactionist perspectives on it.
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What this dot point is asking
This dot point covers the role and functions of education and the perspectives sociologists use to view it: functionalist, Marxist, feminist and interactionist. You need to describe what education does (teaching skills, socialising pupils, sorting them for jobs) and explain how the perspectives disagree about whether education benefits everyone, reproduces inequality, or disadvantages some groups. Showing more than one perspective is what lifts a "discuss" answer.
The functions of education
The functionalist perspective
The Marxist perspective
Feminist and interactionist perspectives
Try this
Q1. Identify two functions of education. [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. Any two of: teaching skills for work, secondary socialisation, acting as a bridge to wider society, and sifting and sorting people into jobs by ability.
Q2. Explain how the Marxist view of education differs from the functionalist view. [Short explanation]
- Cue. Functionalists see education as benefiting everyone by teaching skills and sorting people fairly by ability, while Marxists argue it reproduces class inequality, passing advantages to the rich and preparing working-class pupils for low-paid work.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC (Component 1)4 marksDescribe two functions of education.Show worked answer →
A describe question (AO1). Reward two distinct, developed functions.
Skills for work. Education teaches the knowledge and skills, such as literacy and numeracy, that people need for the workplace.
Socialisation. Education passes on the shared norms and values of society, helping to create social unity.
Top band. Two clear functions, each developed with a short explanation.
WJEC (Component 1)8 marksDiscuss the view that education benefits everyone in society.Show worked answer →
A discuss question (AO1, AO2 and evaluation). Reward contrasting perspectives and a judgement.
Functionalist view. Education benefits everyone: it teaches skills, socialises pupils and sorts people into suitable jobs by ability.
Marxist and feminist views. Marxists argue it reproduces class inequality and prepares working-class pupils for low-paid work; feminists point to ways it can disadvantage girls.
Judgement. Education performs useful functions, but the Marxist and feminist critiques show the benefits are not shared equally, so it does not benefit everyone in the same way.
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Sociology (Wales) specification (C200QS) — WJEC (2017)