Education- gender differences Flashcards
what are external factors?
- impact of feminism
- changes in the family
- changes in women’s employment
- girls changing perceptions and ambitions
what is the impact of feminism?
- changes encouraged by feminism may affect girls self image and ambitions with regard to the family and careers
what are impacts of changes in the family and why?
- increase in divorce rates, mean more lone parent families, women need to take on a breadwinner role
- thus make them want to achieve
what are impacts of changes in women’s employment?
- 1970 equal pay act makes it illegal to pay women less than men for work of equal value
- therefore girls see the future in terms of paid work rather than a housewife
Sharp (1990s) on girls ambitions
found girls were now more likely to see the future as an independent women with a career rather than dependent on their husbands
what are internal factors with gender differences?
- equal opportunities policies
- positive role models
- coursework
- teacher attention
- stereotypes in the curriculum
- selection and league tables
what are equal opportunity policies?
- GIST (girls into science and technology)
- WISE (women into science and engineering)
- introduction of national curriculum, making boys and girls choose mostly the same subjects
how do positive role models in schools impact gender achievement?
- increase in proportion of female teachers and head teachers
- act as role models for girls
- argues primary schools have become feminised with mainly female staff
Eriene Mitsos and Ken Browne (1998) on coursework
- they conclude that girls are more successful in coursework as they’re more organised than boys
Becky Francis (2001) on teacher attention?
- found while boys got more attention, they were disciplined more harshly and felt picked on by teachers, who tended to have lower expectations
how have selection and league tables impacted achievement?
- marketisation policies have created a more competitive climate in which schools see girls as desirable recruits as they achieve better exam results
David Jackson (1998) on selection and league tables
- notes that the introduction of exam league tables, which place higher value on academic achievement, has improved opportunities for girls
- self fulfilling prophecy
what are radcial feminists view of girls achievement?
- they emphasise that the system remains patriarchal
- sexual harassment of girls continue at school
- male teachers are still more likely to become heads of secondary schools
why do boys have poorer literacy and language skills?
- parents spend less time reading to their sons
- boys leisure activities such as football and computer games, do little to help their language skills
why has feminisation of education impacted male achievement?
- schools don’y nurture ‘masculine’ traits such as competitiveness and leadership
what have laddish subcultures caused?
- contributed to boys under achievement
- W/C boys are likely to be harassed, labelled as sissies and subject to homophobia
- therefore tend to reject schoolwork
Andrew Stables and Felicity Wikeley (1996) on national curriculum options
- where there’s a choice boys and girls choose differently
what are explanations of gender subject choices?
- early socialisation
- gendered subject images
- peer pressure
- gendered career opportunities
Eileen Byrne (1979) on early socialisation
- shows teachers encourage boys to be tough and show initiative and not be weak
- whereas girls are expected to be quiet
Jannette Elwood (1998) on early socialisation
- boys read hobby books and information texts, while girls are more likely to read stories about people
- explains why boys prefer science and girls English
why does Kelly argue science is seen as a boys subject?
- teachers are more likely to be men
- boys monopolise the apparatus and dominate the laboratory, acting as if its theirs
how does peer pressure effect subject choice?
- others may apply pressure to an individual if they disprove of his or her choice
- e.g. boys tend to opt out of music and dance as they fall out their gender domains
how do pupils experience within schools reinforce their gender and sexual identity?
- verbal abuse
- male peer groups
- teachers and discipline
- the male gaze
- double standards
how do male peer groups reinforce gender and sexual identity?
- use verbal language
- boys in anti-school subcultures often accuse boys who want to do well of being gay
