AS SOCIOLOGY 7191/1

AS SOCIOLOGY 7191/1 Paper 1 Education with Methods in Context Mark scheme June 2024 Version: 1.0 Final *246a7191/1/MS* Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the gender identity of others in their exam responses. A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria. Further copies of this mark scheme are available from Copyright information AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre. Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. Level of response marking instructions Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level. Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme. Step 1 Determine a level Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the lower levels of the mark scheme. When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within the level, ie if the response is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content. Step 2 Determine a mark Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example. You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate. Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme. An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks. Qu Marking guidance Total marks 01 Define the term ‘marketisation of education’. Two marks for a satisfactory definition such as: schools organising and running themselves like businesses, or similar. One mark for a partial definition; or only an example given; a policy; or a feature of marketisation not applied to education. No marks for no/an unsatisfactory definition, and/or repetition of the word market/market policies/market forces without qualification or elaboration. 2 Qu Marking guidance Total marks 02 Using one example, briefly explain how a factor internal to schools may affect ethnic differences in educational achievement. Two marks for a clearly explained example or one mark for a partially explained example. Answers may include: • teacher labelling (1 mark); may lead to pupils from minority ethnic groups underachieving or excelling through the self-fulfilling prophecy (+1 mark) • ethnocentric/culturally biased curriculum (1 mark); may lead to pupils from minority ethnic groups becoming disengaged from school work and so perform less well (+1 mark) • training of staff to be more aware of racism (1 mark); this may have positive effect on the achievement of pupils from minority ethnic groups (+1 mark). Other relevant material should be credited. No marks for no relevant points. 2 Qu Marking guidance Total marks 03 Outline three criticisms of feminist views of education. Two marks for each of three appropriate criticisms clearly outlined or one mark for appropriate criticisms partially outlined. Answers may include: • does not explain the achievement of female pupils adequately (1 mark); the outperformance of male by female students in examinations suggests that patriarchy is no longer restricting the performance of female students in education (+1 mark). • does not explain the increased numbers of female students electing to take science subjects (1 mark); the increased numbers of female students studying science suggests the patriarchal stereotyping of subjects as either male or female has broken down (+1 mark). • modern teacher training (1 mark); teachers are now trained to be aware of and to avoid treating male and female students differently (+1 mark). • feminist explanations may be seen as outdated. (1 mark); feminist views do not recognise changes in the organisation of schools and education and do not adequately describe schools and education today (+1 mark). • class is more significant than gender (1 mark); Marxists state that class inequality in education is more significant than gender inequality (+1 mark). • schools are meritocratic (1 mark); according to functionalists, schools are meritocratic and success is to be explained through application and ability not patriarchy (+1 mark). Other relevant material should be credited. No marks for no relevant points. 6 Qu Marking guidance Total marks 04 Outline and explain two ways in which inequalities in wider society may affect the educational achievement of working-class pupils. 10 Marks Level descriptors 8–10 Answers in this band will show very good knowledge and understanding of two ways in which inequalities in wider society may affect the educational achievement of working-class pupils. There will be two applications of relevant material, eg material factors such as income may determine access to resources (eg extra tuition) that could play a role in improving achievement of the middle class compared to working-class pupils; cultural differences relating to speech patterns may disadvantage working-class pupils compared to middle-class pupils. There will be appropriate analysis, eg the reasoned conclusion that continuation of material differences between the working and middle class explains the lower educational achievement of working-class pupils. 4–7 Answers in this band will show a reasonable to good knowledge and understanding of one or two ways in which inequalities in wider society may affect the educational achievement of working-class pupils. There will be one or two applications of relevant material, eg the poorer diet and nutrition of some working-class pupils leads to lower levels of achievement. There will be some basic analysis. 1–3 Answers in this band will show limited knowledge and little or no understanding of the question or the material. There will be limited focus on the question, eg there may be some drift into a general discussion of educational achievement across different social groups. There will be little or no analysis. 0 No relevant points. Indicative content Answers may include the following and/or other relevant points: • material deprivation (housing, resources) • cultural deprivation (values, attitudes) • restricted/elaborated speech codes • nutritional deficiency • cultural capital • habitus • deferred vs immediate gratification • fatalism. Qu Marking guidance Total marks 05 Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the role the education system plays in preparing pupils for work. 20 Marks Level descriptors 17–20 Answers in this band will show sound, conceptually detailed knowledge of a range of relevant material of the role the education system plays in preparing pupils for work. Good understanding of the question and of the presented material will be shown. Appropriate material will be applied accurately to the issues raised by the question. Analysis and evaluation will be explicit and relevant. Evaluation may be developed, for example, through a discussion of the functionalist view of the role the education system plays in preparing pupils for work or through an explicit comparison of the functionalist and Marxist views of the role the education system plays in preparing pupils for work. Analysis will show clear explanation and may draw appropriate conclusions 13–16 Answers in this band will show broad or deep, accurate but incomplete knowledge. Understands a number of significant aspects of the question; reasonable understanding of the presented material. Application of material is largely explicitly relevant to the question, though some material may be inadequately focused. Some limited explicit evaluation, eg the inability of Marxism to be able to explain parts of the curriculum (like music or drama that have little to do with preparing pupils for the world of work) and/or some appropriate analysis, eg clear explanations of some of the presented material. 9–12 Answers in this band will show largely accurate knowledge but limited range and depth, eg a broadly accurate, if basic, account of one or two views like the correspondence theory or role allocation. Understands some limited but significant aspects of the question; superficial understanding of the presented material. Applying material (possibly in a list-like fashion) from the general topic area but with limited regard for its relevance to the issues raised by the question, or applying a narrow range of more relevant material. Evaluation limited at most to juxtaposition of competing positions or to one or two isolated stated points. Analysis will be limited, with answers tending towards the descriptive. 5–8 Answers in this band will show limited undeveloped knowledge, eg two or three insubstantial points about the role the education system plays in preparing pupils for the world of work. Understands only very limited aspects of the question; simplistic understanding of the presented material. Limited application of suitable material, and/or material often at a tangent to the demands of the question. Minimal or no evaluation. Attempts at analysis, if any, are thin and disjointed. 1–4 Answers in this band will show very limited knowledge, eg one or two very insubstantial points about education in general. Very little/no understanding of the question and of the presented material. Significant errors, omissions, and/or incoherence in application of material. No analysis or evaluation. 0 No relevant points. Indicative content Concepts and issues such as the following may appear: hierarchy; obedience/subservience; dominant ideology; fragmentation of knowledge; role allocation; class reproduction; correspondence principle; ideological state apparatus; meritocracy; cultural capital, marketisation of education, globalisation, new right views of education. Qu Marking guidance Total marks 06 Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using official statistics to investigate disruptive pupil behaviour in schools. 20 Marks Level descriptors 17–20 Answers in this band may show accurate, conceptually detailed knowledge and sound understanding of a range of relevant material on official statistics. Appropriate material will be applied accurately and with sensitivity to the investigation of the specific issue of disruptive pupil behaviour. Students will apply knowledge of a range of relevant strengths and limitations of using official statistics to research issues and characteristics relating to disruptive pupil behaviour. These may include some of the following and/or other relevant concerns, though answers do not need to include all of these, even for full marks: • the research characteristics of potential research subjects, eg pupils, teachers, parents (attitude to school, literacy, self-esteem) • the research contexts and settings, eg school, classroom, home environment • the sensitivity of researching disruptive pupil behaviour in schools (negative publicity, vulnerability of participants, parental consent, alteration of self-image). Evaluation of the usefulness of official statistics will be explicit and relevant. Analysis will show clear explanation and may draw appropriate conclusions. 13–16 Answers in this band will show broad or deep, accurate, but incomplete knowledge of the strengths and limitations of official statistics. Understands a number of significant aspects of the question; good understanding of the presented material. Application of knowledge will be broadly appropriate but will tend to be applied in a more generalised way or a more restricted way; for example: • applying the method to the study of education in general, not to the specifics of disruptive pupil behaviour • specific but undeveloped application to disruptive pupil behaviour • a focus on the research characteristics of disruptive pupil behaviour / the context it takes place in. There will be some limited explicit evaluation, eg of one or two features of official statistics as a method, and/or some appropriate analysis, eg clear explanations of some of the features of official statistics. 9–12 Answers in this band will show largely accurate knowledge but limited range and depth, including a broadly accurate, if basic, account of some of the strengths and/or limitations of official statistics. Understands some limited but significant aspects of the question; superficial understanding of the presented material. Applying material (possibly in a list-like fashion) on official statistics, but with very limited or non-existent application to either the study of disruptive pupil behaviour in particular or of education in general. Evaluation limited at most to briefly stated points. Analysis will be limited, with answers tending towards the descriptive. 5–8 Answers in this band will show limited undeveloped knowledge, eg two or three insubstantial points about some features of official statistics. Understands only very limited aspects of the question; simplistic understanding of the presented material. Very limited application of suitable material, and/or material often at a tangent to the demands of the question, eg perhaps drifting into an unfocused comparison of different methods. Minimal/no evaluation. Attempts at analysis, if any, are thin and disjointed. 1–4 Answers in this band will show very limited knowledge, eg one or two very insubstantial points about methods in general. Very little/no understanding of the question and of the presented material. Significant errors, omissions, and/or incoherence in application of material. Some material ineffectually recycled from the Item, or some knowledge applied solely to the substantive issue of disruptive pupil behaviour, with very little or no reference to official statistics. No analysis or evaluation. 0 No relevant points.