4 Gender differences in education

Question 1

Key terms / legislations
1. Gender domains
2. symbolic capital - bordieu/archer
3. symbolic violence - bordieu/archer

Answer 1

1. The tasks and activities that boys and girls see as the ‘territory’ of their respective genders; e.g. mending a car is seen as within the male gender domain. Children’s beliefs about gender domains are shaped by their early experiences and adults’ expectations.
2. status, recognition and sense of worth we can obtain from others, especially those in a similar social class. Archer: w/c girls gain symbolic capital from their peers by performing a hyper-heterosexual feminine, ‘Nike’ identity, but this conflicts with the school’s m/c ethos.
3. the harm done by denying someone symbolic capital, e.g. by defining their culture as worthless. Archer: schools devalue w/c pupils’ style preferences as tasteless.

Question 2

1. What are the differences in achievement between girls and boys at the following stages of education
   a. on starting school

Answer 2

**2013 teacher assessments at the end of yr 1 shows girls ahead of boys by 7-17 percentage points **

This was in all 7 areas being tested (literacy, language, numeracy, etc)

Girls were better at concentrating

Question 3

b. At key stages 1 to 3
who do better?

Answer 3

Girls do consistently better than boys.

Especially in English where the gap widens with age. Maths and science the girls still do better, but the gap is not as wide.

Question 4

c. at GCSES?

Answer 4

Gender gap stands around 10 percentage points with girls being ahead.

Question 5

D. at AS and Alevel
whose more likley to get higher

2013 statistics

who out performed who and in what subjects?

Answer 5

Girls are more likely to sit, pass, and get higher grades than boys but the gap is narrower than GCSE.

In 2013 for e.g. 46.8% of girls gained A or B grades at A-Level but only 42.2% of boys.

Girls outperformed boys in what is considered as ‘boys subjects’ like maths and physics.

Question 6

e. vocational courses

Answer 6

These courses prepare students for a career – large portion of girls achieve distinctions in every subject including those they were a minority like engineering and construction

Question 7

although both sexes have improved - how are girls different?

Answer 7

the rate that girls are improving has been faster especially at GCSE.

Question 8

feminism

4.2 External factors and gender diff. in achievement
1. what are the external factors sociologists argue leads to gender differences in education?

Answer 8

The impact of feminism, Changes in the family, changes in women’s employment, girls’ changing ambitions.

Question 9

What is feminism?

what has the feminism movement challenged?

Answer 9

Feminism is a social movement aiming to bring equal rights for women in all areas of life.

1 Women is only a mother and housewife.
2 Women are inferior to men in work, education and the law.

Question 10

According to feminists
1. what is still needed to be accompilished in society?
2. what has the feminist movement accomplished?

where can these accomplishments be seen?

Answer 10

1. full equality has still not been met though they have made some changes.
2. success in improving women’s rights and opportunities through changes in the law and raise woman’s expectations and self-esteem
3. partly seen in media images and messages

Question 11

the imact of feminism, ‘left on the shelf’

4d. A good example comes from McRobbie’s findings, describe it

4.e How do changes like these encouraged by feminism influences girls’ achievement?

Answer 11

4d. In the 1970s – magazines emphasized the importance of getting married and not being ‘left on the shelf’ - nowadays they contain more assertive, independent women.
4e. may affect girls’ self-image and ambitions and so they feel differently about family and careers. This then may explain improvements in education girls. (links back to the learning objective)

Question 12

changes in the family

5. since 1970s, there have been major changes in the family - what are they?

Answer 12

• An increase in divorce rate, cohabitation and the number of lone-parent families / Smaller families
• a decrease in the number of first marriages

Question 13

changes in the family

How are these changes affecting girls’ attitudes towards education? include examples

Answer 13

e.g. increased number of lone parent families may mean more women need to take on breadwinner role – this turns into new adult role models for girls (financially independent women). To be this independent – women need well paid jobs so need good qualifications.

Increase in divorce rate shows girls it is unwise to rely on your husband to be the provider – this encourages girls to focus on themselves, their qualifications to make a living.

Question 14

Changes in women’s employement

what are the important changes in women’s employment in the recent decade:

Answer 14

1. 1970 - Equal pay act = it’s illegal to pay women less than men for work of equal value
   1975 - sex discrimination act = outlaw’s discrimination at work
2. Pay Gap - since 1975, the pay gap between men and women has halved from 30% To 15%
3. Women and employement - the number of women employed has risen from 53% in 1971 to 67% in 2013
   Growth of the service sector and flexible part time work has offered opportunities for women
4. ‘Glass ceiling’ - the invisible barrier keeping them out of getting top jobs, women are breaking through this

Question 15

changes in women’s employment

How are these changes affecting girls’ attitudes towards education?

Answer 15

encouraged girls to see how their future, in terms of paid work, rather than becoming a housewife. The better the job opportunities, pay and more role models, all provide incentive for girls to gain qualifications.

Question 16

womens changing ambitions

what is the overall argument?

Answer 16

changes in employment and family have been leading to changes in girl’s ambitions - this has influenced girls motivation in education and their incentive to do well.

Question 17

womens changing ambitions

What did sharpe say about this?

Answer 17

1. Sharpe - interviewed girls in the 1970s and 90s , which showed a change in the way girls saw their future
   1974- girls low aspirations = education was unfeminine, ambitions seem unattractive, prorities were love, marriage, husbands, children then jobs
   by 1990 - girls changed ambitions, different priorities i.e working and they were able to support themselves and saw their furture as independent rather than relying on husbands

Question 18

womans changing ambitions

O’Connor’s
Beck and Gernsheim
Fuller

Answer 18

1. Studied 14-17 year olds and their findings were marriage and kids weren’t a major part of their life plans
2. Linked this trends of changing ambitions towards individualims in modern society. independence is valued more than in the past. Careers have become part of women’s life project because it promises recognition and self sufficiency.
3. Girls now recognise to get independence and be self sufficient, they need a good education. Study: educational success = part of the girls identity saw themselves as creators of their own future. Believed in meritocracy = aimed for a professional career = gain independence and need good qualifications for that.

Question 19

class, gender and ambition

1. there are class differences in what?
2. What do some w/c girls continue to have?

Answer 19

1. how far girls’ ambitions have changed.
2. gender-stereotyped aspirations for marriage and children and expected to go into traditional low paid women’s’ work.

Question 20

class, gender and ambition

Reay - how do w/c girls’ aspiration show their class position?

Answer 20

WC girls lower ambitions reflects their class position. Their limited aspirations show the limited job opportunities they think is available for them. While a traditional gender identity (especially being part of a couple) is both attainable and offers them some status.

Question 21

class, gender and ambition

Biggart - How do her findings also show how class impact girls’ aspirations?
(Evaluation / analysis A03)

Answer 21

found that WC girls are more likely to face uncertain position in the labour market so more likely to see motherhood as the only possible option for their future. So, they see less point in achieving in education. For example, most the WC girls in Fullers study were not interested in staying on at school and expressed a desire for low-level jobs.

Question 22

Internal factos

what are the internal factos of gender differences in achievement?

Answer 22

1.Equal opportunity policies
2. positive role models
3. GCSE & Coursework
4. Teacher attention and classroom interaction
5. Challenging sterotypes in the curriculum
6. Selection and league tables.

Question 23

Equal opportunities policies

How have feminist idea had a major impact on the education ?

Question 24

4.3 Internal facters and gender diff. in ach.

what factors are included when looking at internal factors and gender achievements?

Answer 24

1. Equal opportunity policies
2. Positive role models in schools
3. GCSE and coursework
4. Teacher attention and classroom interaction
5. Challenging stereotypes in the curriculum
6. Selection and league tables

Question 25

# equal opportunity policies How have feminist ideas had a major impact on the education system? What examples of policies do we have to show that same opportunities between boys and girls is being considered?

Answer 25

1. Policymakers are now more aware of gender issues Teachers are more sensitive to avoiding stereotypes The belief that boys & girls are entitled to the same opportunity is part of mainstream thinking and influences educational policies 2. Policies such as GIST (girls into science and technology) and WISE (Women into science and engineering) Female scientists visiting schools (role model for students and raise science teachers' awareness of gender issues) Non sexists career advice has been provided and learning materials in science reflecting girls’ interests being developed

Question 26

# equal opportunites What did the introduction of the national curriculum in 1998 mean?

Answer 26

removed one source of gender inequality – by making boys and girls mostly study the same subject (which was not the case before).

Question 27

# equal opportunities Boaler 1998 - what does the impact of equal opportunity policies influence girls' achievement?

Answer 27

Many of the barriers have been removed – schooling has become more meritocratic. This means girls who generally work harder than boys achieve more

Question 28

# positive role models in schools What's increased in school professional positions? What does this increase mean for girls in school? Why are women teachers likely to be an important role model for girls' educational achievement?

Answer 28

proportion of female teachers and head. For example, in 1992 headteachers that were women in secondary schools were 22% which has risen to 37% by 2012. may act as role models for girls – showing them women can achieve important positions – giving them a non-traditional goal to aim for. since to become a teacher the individual needs to go through a lengthy and successful education herself.

Question 29

# GCSES and coursework What do some sociologists argue about assessment methods? Goard - how does his findings support this claim?

Answer 29

changes in the way pupils are assessed favour girls and disadvantage boys. the gender gap in achievement was fairly constant from 1975 until 1989. After 1989 the gap increased - this was when GCSEs was introduced and coursework with it in nearly all subjects. He concludes – gender gap in achievement is because of the changed system of assessments.

Question 30

# GCSE and coursework Mitsos and Browne - support Goard. How do their findings show this?

Answer 30

Girls are more successful in coursework because they are thorough and organised than boys. Girls also: Spend more time on their work Take more care with the way it is presented Better at meeting deadlines Bring the right equipment and materials to lessons. These factors help girls benefit from the introduction of coursework in GCSE, AS and A level. Oral exams being used more – benefits girls because they generally have better developed language.

Question 31

# GCSE and coursework According to some sociologists where do these diffeent characteristics ?

Answer 31

early gender role socialisation in the family. For example, girls are more likely to be encouraged to be neat/tidy – these qualities become an advantage in today's assessment system helping girls achieve more.

Question 32

# GCSE and coursework Eldwood- How does she critisise the view that coursework has major influence in gender differences in achievement? (Could be an A03)

Answer 32

coursework may have some influence but unlikely to be the only cause of the gender gap because exams have more influence on final grades.

Question 33

# teacher attention What have sociologists found in teachers' interactions with pupils?

Answer 33

The way teachers interact with boys and girls differs

Question 34

# teacher attention Jane and French Francis Swan

Answer 34

1. – analysed classroom interactions – boys received more attention because they required more warnings/disciplinary action 2. also found while boys got more attention, they were also disciplined more harshly and felt picked on by their teachers who generally had lower expectations of them. 3. Found gender differences in communication styles. Boys dominated whole class discussions, but girls preferred paired work and group work. Girls were better at listening and waited their turn to speak, boys were more hostile and interrupted

Question 35

# Teachers attention What might these findings explain? what does this lead to?

Answer 35

why teachers respond positively to girls who are seen as cooperative while boys are seen as disruptive. This may lead to the self-fulfilling prophecy – positive interactions with teachers raises girls' self-esteem and then grades.

Question 36

# challenging sterotypes in the curriculum 1. what do sociologists argue about sterotypes in the curriculum? 2. What did research from the 1970s and 80s show? 3. What does weiner argue?

Answer 36

1. the removal of gender stereotypes from textbooks, reading schemes and other learning materials in recent years has removed a barrier to girls’ achievement 2. reading schemes mainly presented women as mothers/housewives, physics books - as scared of science, math books - boys as more inventive. 3. since 1980s teachers have challenged these stereotypes, sexist materials have also been removed – which helped raise girls' achievement by showing more positive images of what they can do.