Differences in educational achievement (gender)

Question 1

What has inspired greater emphasis on equal opportunities in schools since the 1980s?

Answer 1

Research showed systematic discrimination against females due to presentation of materials & teacher attitudes

Question 2

Studies on boys achievement out of school vs girls in school

Answer 2

Rothermel:
- boys did as well as, if not better, homeschooled than girls in school

Haralambos & Holborn (2013):
- “girls do better than boys” more applicable to working class boys, less so in middle class

Question 3

How can it be argued that school has become “feminised”?

Answer 3

• whats expected by teachers in terms of tidiness and neatness

Sukhanda (2000):
- boys feel less supported in school due to a higher expectation of girls, therefore feeling alienated

Abraham (1995):
- teachers not as critical of boys, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy

Question 4

How can it be argued school has not become “feminised”?

Answer 4

Coffee (2000):
- schools have always been patriarchal & leadership teams mainly male

Question 5

How can it be argued curriculum and assessment plays a role in how well different genders achieve?

Answer 5

• when coursework involved in final grade, girls tend to do better due to better organisation & research skills

Machin (2006):
- change to GCSEs coincided with greater achievement for girls

Hurst (2014):
- Since 2010 boys have begun to overtake girls in subjects without coursework (maths)

Question 6

What has the research shown regarding gender and subject choice?

Answer 6

Skelton (2014):
- stereotypical choices post-14

Collins (1998):
- these trends mean girls end up in lower paying jobs

Question 7

What has the pattern of girls’ achievement been since WW2?

Answer 7

• Girls have out-performed boys and gradually barriers to their success have been removed.

Question 8

What has Edwards and David (2000) concluded about the socialisation of boys in the home and links to education?

Answer 8

Boys allowed to be noisier and more boisterous at home than girls

Question 9

What has Edwards and David (2000) concluded about the socialisation of girls in the home and links to education?

Answer 9

• Gender-differentiated primary socialisation can give girls an advantage due to how the education system works.
• Girls are taught more to conform through their behaviour standards.

Question 10

What is the influence of gender “peer groups” on success in education?

Answer 10

Edward & Davis (2000):
- boys behaviour shaped more by peers. seeking masculine validation

Hannan (2000):
- girls relate more to each other based on what they perceive at home and school and are more likely to talk about it

Question 11

What is meant by a crisis of masculinity?

Answer 11

Mac & Ghali (1994):
- development of more individualistic society and a change from post-industrial culture has led to men lacking self-esteem

Peterson (2018):
- men have to shape a role for themselves and its increasingly harder to do so

Question 12

reay

Answer 12

class divisions in how far girls ambitions have changed. WC girls still take up stereotypical ambitions of marriage and kids and most likely go into low paid jobs, despite genderquake

Question 13

mitsos and browne

Answer 13

“identity crisis” in men due to decline in male job industry. undermines sense of purpose and motivation to get qualifications

Question 14

criticism of mitos and browne

Answer 14

decline of male jobs are typically WC jobs that require few qualifications so this shouldnt have much of an impact on boys motivation (boys use it as an excuse)

Question 15

Spender

Answer 15

teachers spent more time interacting with boys

Question 16

French and French criticising spender

Answer 16

argue that similar time spent interacting with boys and girls for academic reasons but boys get more attention as they are more disruptive etc