Education- Gender differences in achievement Flashcards
Key statistic on gender differences in education
Girls outperform boys in all aspects of education.
How does the external factor of the impact of feminism cause gender differences in education?
The Feminist movement has had considerable success in improving women’s rights and opportunities through changes in the law. More broadly, feminism has raised women’s expectations and self esteem.
McRobbie compared girls’ magazines in the 1970s and the 1990s. In the 1970s girls magazines, focused on the importance of getting married and not being ‘left on the shelf’ whereas
nowadays they contain images of assertive, independent women.
How does the external factor of changes in the family cause gender differences in education?
Changes in the family such as an increase in the divorce rate, cohabitation and lone parent families have impact to girls’ and boys’ attitudes towards education. For example, increasing numbers of female-headed lone-parent families may mean more women need to take on a breadwinner role. This in turn creates a new adult role model for girls, the financially independent woman. To achieve this, women need good qualifications and well-paid jobs. Increase in divorce suggest to girls its unwise to rely on a husband to be their provider. Furthermore this may explain underachievement in boys through lack of a male role model in the family unit to aspire to.
How does the external factor of changes in women’s employment cause gender differences in education?
The 1970 Equal Pay Act makes it illegal to pay women less than men for work of equal value, and the 1975 Sex
Discrimination Act outlaws discrimination at work. These changes have encouraged women to see their future in terms of paid work rather than as housewives. Some women are now breaking through the’ glass ceiling’. Greater career opportunities and better pay for women provide an incentive for girls to gain qualifications.
How does the external factor of girl’s changing ambition cause gender differences in education?
Sharpe (1994) interviewed girls in the 1970s and 1990s to show a major shift in how they see their future. In 1974 girls
had low aspirations believing that educational success was unfeminine and that appearing ambitious would be
unattractive. But in the 1990s girls had a placed importance on a career and being able to support themselves. Sharpe found girl’s were more likely to see their future as an independent women with a career than as dependant on their husband’s income. Girls now had higher career aspirations and so needed educational qualifications.
How does the internal factor of educational policies cause gender differences in education?
The impact of equal opportunities policies such as GIST and WISE that encourage women into more male
dominated professions. These policies have ensured female scientists visit schools; non-sexist career advice is given and even reviewed learning material in science subjects. All of these initiative
have gone some way to ensure a more equal split of genders in subject choice. The introduction of the National Curriculum allows boys and girls to study the same subjects. Many of the barriers have been removed and schooling is more meritocratic, based on equal opportunities.
How does the internal factor of positive role models cause gender differences in education?
There has been an increase in the proportion of female teachers and headteachers. These women in positions of authority may act as role models for girls, showing them women can achieve positions of importance and giving them non-traditional goals to aim for.
How does the internal factor of GCSE and coursework cause gender differences in education?
Sociologists argue females are better at coursework due to socialisation in the family. Gorard found the gender gap increased in 1988-9 which was the year GCSEs were introduced as well as coursework, concluding the gender gap in achievement is due to the changed system of assessment. Mitsos and Browne conclude girls are more successful in coursework because they are more organised and conscientious than boys e.g. spend more time on work and meet deadlines. Girls are better at oral exams due to better language development. These characteristics are the result of gender role socialisation as girls are encouraged to be neat and tidy.
How does the internal factor of teacher’s attention cause gender differences in education?
Boys get more attention than girls but were disciplined more harshly and felt picked on by teachers who tended to have lower expectations of them. Swann Found boys are generally more boisterous and attract the teacher’s attention more than girls. However, the way teachers interact with girls is positive because it is focused on schoolwork rather than on behaviour as they are cooperative. this leads to a SFP in which successful interactions with teachers promote girls’ self esteem and raise their achievement levels.
How does the internal factor of challenging stereotypes in the curriculum cause gender differences in education?
Research in the 1970s and 80s found that reading schemes portrayed women mainly as housewives and mothers, that
physics books showed them as frightened by science, and that maths books depicted boys are more inventive. Weiner argues that since the 1980s, teachers have challenged such stereotypes. Also, in general, sexist images have been removed from learning materials. This may have helped to raise girls’ achievement by presenting them with more positive images of what women can do.
How does the internal factor of selection and league tables cause gender differences in education?
Marketisation policies have created a more competitive climate in which schools see girls as desirable recruits because they achieve better exam results. Jackson notes that the introduction of league tables has improved opportunities for girls: high achieving girls are attractive to schools, whereas low-achieving boys are not. This creates a SFP– because girls are more likely to be recruited by good schools, they are more likely to do well. Boys are seen as liability students obstacles in improving exam league tables.
How does the internal factor of feminisation of education cause gender differences in education?
Sewell argues schools do not nurture masculine traits such as competitiveness or leadership. Instead they celebrate qualities more closely associated with girls, such as methodical working and
attentiveness ion class. Sees coursework as a major cause of gender differences in achievement.
How does the internal factor of shortage of male primary school cause gender differences in education?
Only 14% of primary school teachers are male. This may lead to boys seeing education as feminised.
Boys often work harder when they have a male teacher. This may be because female teachers are unable to control boy’s behaviour. Male teachers are better able to impose the strict discipline boys need in order to concentrate.
Francis found that two thirds of 7-8 year olds believed the gender of teachers does not matter.
How does the external factor of boys and literacy cause gender differences in education?
Parents spend less time reading to their sons. In addition, it is usually mothers who do most of the reading with their children so is seen as a feminine activity. Girls are better socialised for schools as they often spend more time interacting and communicating with other girls (e.g. bedroom culture), whereas boys leisure pursuits do little to develop their language and communication skills. Dads and Sons campaigns encourage fathers to be more involved with their son’s education.
How does the external factor of globalisation and the decline of traditional men’s jobs cause gender differences in education?
there has been a decline in heavy industries such as iron, steel, shipbuilding and mining in the UK. Mitsos and Browne claim that this decline in male employment has led to an ‘identity crisis for men’. Many boys now believe that they have little prospect of getting a proper job. This undermines their motivation and self-esteem and so they give up on trying to get qualifications and underachieve at school.
Many traditional manual working class jobs didn’t need qualifications, so the decline of these jobs shouldn’t make much difference to boys’ achievement.
