HED4809
Assignment 1 2026
Unique number:
Due Date: May 2026
QUESTION 1
1.1 According to the Functionalist theory, the main role of schooling is to:
a) Challenge dominant power structures
b) Prepare learners for economic, political, and social roles in society
c) Eliminate class differences
d) Promote resistance to authority
The functionalist perspective views education as a system that contributes to social stability
by preparing learners to take up roles in society. Schools transmit shared values and skills
needed for participation in the economy and civic life (Ballantine, 2017; Feinberg & Soltis,
2009).
1.2 The hidden curriculum refers to:
a) Official examination content
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b) Informal lessons about discipline, obedience, and authority
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implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or liability for any actions taken based on the
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, +27 81 278 3372
QUESTION 1
1.1 According to the Functionalist theory, the main role of schooling is to:
a) Challenge dominant power structures
b) Prepare learners for economic, political, and social roles in society
c) Eliminate class differences
d) Promote resistance to authority
The functionalist perspective views education as a system that contributes to social
stability by preparing learners to take up roles in society. Schools transmit shared
values and skills needed for participation in the economy and civic life (Ballantine,
2017; Feinberg & Soltis, 2009).
1.2 The hidden curriculum refers to:
a) Official examination content
b) Informal lessons about discipline, obedience, and authority
c) Government education policy
d) Extra-curricular activities only
The hidden curriculum includes the unwritten and informal lessons learners acquire
in school, such as respect for authority, punctuality, and discipline. These are not
part of the formal syllabus but shape behaviour and social expectations (Feinberg &
Soltis, 2009).
1.3 Robert Dreeben’s norm of achievement emphasises that learners are:
a) Rewarded based on background
b) Judged on effort alone
c) Evaluated according to performance compared to others
d) Not compared with peers
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is"
without any express or implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or
liability for any actions taken based on the information contained within this document. This document is
intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes. Reproduction, resale, or transmission
, +27 81 278 3372
Dreeben explains that schools promote achievement norms where learners are
assessed based on their performance relative to set standards and often in
comparison with peers. This prepares them for merit-based systems in wider society
(Ballantine, 2017).
1.4 From a Conflict Theory perspective, schooling mainly:
a) Promotes equal opportunity
b) Strengthens social unity
c) Maintains inequality and reproduces class relations
d) Encourages creativity
Conflict theorists argue that education systems reinforce existing inequalities by
favouring dominant groups. Schools can reproduce class divisions by giving
advantages to learners from higher socio-economic backgrounds (Ballantine, 2017;
Feinberg & Soltis, 2009).
1.5 Interpretivism focuses mainly on:
a) Economic structures
b) Statistical outcomes
c) Meaning making and interaction in schools
d) Political control of education
Interpretivism is concerned with how individuals create meaning through daily
interactions. In schools, this includes how learners and teachers interpret
experiences, relationships, and classroom practices (Feinberg & Soltis, 2009).
QUESTION 2
Disclaimer
Great care has been taken in the preparation of this document; however, the contents are provided "as is"
without any express or implied representations or warranties. The author accepts no responsibility or
liability for any actions taken based on the information contained within this document. This document is
intended solely for comparison, research, and reference purposes. Reproduction, resale, or transmission