Education Key Concepts
Define the term “hidden curriculum.”
The informal transmission of norms, values, and expectations through school routines and practices (e.g., punctuality, obedience).
Name two material factors that may affect working-class pupil achievement.
Overcrowded housing, lack of textbooks, poor nutrition, lack of internet access, or part-time work.
What is media saturation?
A condition where individuals are constantly exposed to and surrounded by media in their daily lives.
How are young people often portrayed in media? Who is a key theorist behind this description?
As deviant, reckless, or part of moral panics. Theorist: Stanley Cohen (folk devils and moral panic).
Define globalisation (there are certain words that need to be used).
The increasing interconnectedness of societies in economic, cultural, political, and technological dimensions.
Who argued that schools promote value consensus and social solidarity?
Émile Durkheim
Who found that teacher expectations led to a self-fulfilling prophecy in schools?
Rosenthal and Jacobson
Define media convergence and give one example.
The merging of traditional and digital media platforms. Example: using smartphones for news, streaming, social media, and podcasts.
Who coined "symbolic annihilation" and what does it mean?
Gaye Tuchman. It means the absence or trivialisation of certain groups (especially women) in media, suggesting they are unimportant.
What is glocalisation and who is the key theorist?
The adaptation of global products or ideas to fit local cultures. Theorist: Roland Robertson. Example: McDonald’s localised menus.
Who theorised the 'correspondence principle' AND what does it mean?
Bowles and Gintis’ concept that school reflects the workplace—hierarchy, discipline, competition—preparing students for capitalist employment.
Define “ethnocentric curriculum” and give three examples.
A curriculum that reflects the culture of the dominant ethnic group, e.g. focusing on British history, white authors in literature, Christian holidays.
Who developed the two-step flow model of media influence?
Katz and Lazarsfeld.
What is the “male gaze” and who developed this theory?
Laura Mulvey’s theory that media often portrays women from a heterosexual male perspective, objectifying and sexualising them.
Name one theorist who sees globalisation as leading to cultural homogenisation.
George Ritzer (McDonaldisation), Marshall McLuhan (global village), or Herbert Schiller (cultural imperialism).
Describe Althusser’s concept of the Ideological State Apparatus (ISA) in relation to education (use sociological vocabulary).
Education acts as an ISA by transmitting ruling class ideology, legitimising capitalism, and maintaining false class consciousness.
What concept did Gillborn use to explain how school practices disadvantage black pupils?
Institutional racism
Describe the cultural effects model and name one theorist.
Media gradually shapes audience beliefs over time. Theorists: Stuart Hall (encoding/decoding), or neo-Marxists.
How do postmodernists view media representation and reality? Who is a key theorist?
Postmodernists argue media blurs the line between reality and fiction, creating hyperreality. Theorist: Jean Baudrillard.
What is cultural imperialism in relation to media globalisation and which theory does the concept most match to?
The domination of global media by Western (especially American) values, marginalising local cultures. Theorists: Schiller, Tomlinson, neo-Marxists.
Who theorised speech codes and how do they apply to social class?
Bernstein created the concept to describe the fact that working-class children use restricted code (context-bound, less formal), while middle-class children use elaborated code (abstract, used in schools), giving them an advantage.
Name 3 feminist sociologists and their views on gender equality in schools.
Sue Sharpe (changing priorities), Weiner (sexism in the curriculum), and Stanworth (teacher expectations).
What is agenda setting and who are the key theorists?
The idea that media filters and prioritises topics, shaping what the public considers important. Theorists: McCombs and Shaw. Also supported by the Glasgow Media Group.
Name two ways ethnic minorities are stereotyped in media and name the theorists.
As criminals, cultural threats, or victims. Theorists: Stuart Hall (policing the crisis), Van Dijk (black criminality), Alvarado (exotic, dangerous, pitied, humorous).
Using one theorist, explain how globalisation influences identity.
Anthony Giddens: globalisation allows individuals to construct reflexive identities. Bauman (liquid identity), Stuart Hall (hybrid identities and diaspora).