Education: Topic 4- Gender differences in education

Question 1

What are the external and gender differences in achievement?

Answer 1

• Impact of feminism
• Changes in the family
• Changes in womens employement
• Girls changing ambitions

Question 2

External factors & gender differences in achievement

What does McRobbie argue about the impact of feminism?

Answer 2

• Since 1960s, the feminine movements challenged traditional stereotypes
• McRobbie did a study of girls and found the1970s emphasised getting married but now its independent women who are in work

Question 3

External factors & gender differences in achievement

Explain the changes in the family

Answer 3

Changes since 1970s:
* Increase in divorce rates: Suggests its unwise to rely on a husband to be their provider
* Increase in lone-parent families: Women had to become the breadwinner creating a role model for girls to achieve independence through high-paid jobs

Question 4

External factors & gender differences in achievement

Explain the changes in womens employment.

Answer 4

• 1970s equal pay act makes it illegal for women to be paid less than men
• This has encouraged girls to see their future in terms of paid work rather than housewives

Question 5

External factors & gender differences in achievement

What does Sharpe argue about girls changing ambitions?

Answer 5

Sharpe interviewed with girls in 1970s and 1990s showing a mojor shift
* 1970s: Girls had low ambitions and prioritised love, marriage, husbands, children
* 1990s: Girls ambition changed to careers and supporting themselves, rather than being dependent

Question 6

External factors & gender differences in achievement:

What does Reay argue about W/C girls ambitions?

Answer 6

Reay argues trad life reflects reality of W/C girls. Their limits aspirations reflects limited job opportunities they view being available, whilst a traditional lifestyles is attainable

Question 7

What are the internal factors and gender difference in achievement?

Answer 7

• Equal opportunites policies
• Positive role models
• GCSE and coursework
• Teacher attention
• Challenging stereotypes in the curriculum
• Selection and league tables

Question 8

Internal factors & gender differences in achievement

What does Boaler argue about equal opportunites policies?

Answer 8

Boaler sees the opportunity policies as a key reason for change. Many barriers have been removed and its become meritocratic, making girls, who work harder than boys’ achieve more E.g. GIST, WISE

Question 9

Internal factors & gender differences in achievement

What does Mitsos and Browne argue about GCSE and coursework?

Answer 9

They say girls spend more time one work, meet deadlines, and are more organised when doing coursework.

Question 10

Internal factors & gender differences in achievement

What is a criticism of Mitosis and Browne’s argument about GCSE and Coursework?

Answer 10

Exams have a bigger influence than coursework on final grades

Question 11

Internal factors & gender differences in achievement

How does positive role models in schools affect gender difference in achievement?

Answer 11

An increase amount of female teachers and heads which provides a role model, showing girls they can achieve positions of importance and something to aim for

Question 12

Internal factors & gender differences in achievement

What does Weiner argue about challenging stereotypes in the curriculum?

Answer 12

Argues that since the 80s teachers have challenged stereotypes in learning materials. Sexist images have been removed, raising girls achievement by presenting them more positive images.

Question 13

Internal factors & gender differences in achievement

What does Swann argue about teacher attention?

Answer 13

Swann found girls are better at listening and cooperating which is attractive to teachers, as they’re seen as cooperative while boys are seen as disruptive. This leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Question 14

Internal factors & gender differences in achievement

What does Slee argue about selection and league tables?

Answer 14

Boys are less attractive to schools because they suffer from behavioural difficulties and are 4x more likely to be excluded. Boys are seen as liability students

Question 15

Internal factors & gender differences in achievement

What are the liberal feminists view on girls achievement?

Answer 15

They celebrate progress and further progress is going to come

Question 16

Internal factors & gender differences in achievement

What are radical feminists view of girls achievement?

Answer 16

They take a critical view and says the system is still patriachal. E.g. sexual harrassment

Question 17

Identity class and differences in girls achievement

How does hyper-herterosexual feminine identities affect girls achievement?

Answer 17

Girls who invest time/money into appearance. E.g. £40 spent on appearance. This brings conflict w/ schools and are punished.

Question 18

Identity class and differences in girls achievement

How does being loud affect girls achievement?

Answer 18

W/C are outspoken and assertive, therefore questioned by teachers and get punished for attitude/disrupting class

Question 19

Identity class and differences in girls achievement

How does boyfriends affect girls achievement?

Answer 19

They get boyfriend and lose interest in university and settle down young to have kids

Question 20

Identity class and differences in girls achievement

What does Archer argue about W/C girls dilemma affecting girls achievement?

Answer 20

Archer argues they conflict with each other and W/C girls invest into feminine identities
Girls pick between gaining:
* educational capital: by rejecting W/C identity and conforming to schools M/C notions
* symbolic capital: from peers by conforming to H-HF identity

Question 21

Identity class and differences in girls achievement

What does Evan’s argue about ‘Successful’ working-class girls?

Answer 21

Some W/C girls go onto higher education but are disadvantaged by their gender/class identity.
* Evan’s study of 21 W/C girls and found they wanted to go to increase their earning power and help their families. Cost of debt makes them reflect this

Question 22

What are the factors of boys and achievement?

Answer 22

• Boys and literacy
• Globalisation and the decline of traditional mens jobs
• Feminisation of education
• Shortage primary school teachers

Question 23

Boys achievement

How does boys and literacy affect achievement? (external)

Answer 23

Reading is seen as a feminine activity therefore boys have poor literacy and language skills as parents will spend less time or not read with their sons. Boys pursuit leisure which doesnt develop communcation

Question 24

Boys achievement

What does Mitsos and Browne argue about globalisation and decline of traditional mens jobs? (external)

Answer 24

Manufactures have relocated to developing countires causing manual job sectors to collaps
* Mitosis and browne claim this has led to an indentity crisis. Boys have little prospect to get a proper job.

Question 25

Boys achievement

What does Sewell argue about the feminisation of education? (Internal)

Answer 25

School has become feminised and doesnt nurture ‘masculine’ traits like leadership, assertiveness. Instead celebrates feminine qualities

Question 26

Boys achievement

How does shortage of male primary school teachers affect boys achievement? (internal)

Answer 26

Boys lack role models in the education system. E.g. 14% of primary teachers are male. Female staff are unable to control boys behaviour, only male teachers can impose strict discipline to control boys

Question 27

Boys achievement

What does Francis argue about laddish subcultures? (internal)

Answer 27

Francis argues boys are concerned about feminine labels, they do manual work because its seen to be masculine

Question 28

What are the factors that affect the gender differences in subject choices?

Answer 28

• Gender role socialisation
• Gendered subject images
• Gendered identity and peer pressure
• Gendered career opportunities

Question 29

Gender and subject choice

What does Norman argue about gender role socialisation?

Answer 29

Boys and girls are socialised differently. E.g. dressed differently, have different toys. This results in them learning the behaviours expected of males and females.

Question 30

Gender and subject choice

What does Kelly argue about gendered subject images?

Answer 30

Subjects are seen as either masculine or feminine. This impacts the subject students pick.
* Kelly argues science is sees as a boys subject
AO3: Single sex schools

Question 31

Gender and subject choice

What does Paechter argue about gendered identity and peer pressure?

Answer 31

Girls and boys can be influenced by peer pressure, hence why boys opt out dance/music as it can attract a negative response from peers
* Paechter found people saw sports as manly, girls were called lesbians

Question 32

Gender and subject choice

How does gendered career opportunites affect gender difference in subject choice?

Answer 32

Employment is gendered. Women as housewives, nannies. Men as lawyers, doctors. Therefore pupils pick subjects that are more aligned with their genders job.

Question 33

Gender and subject choice

What does Fuller argue about gender, vocational choice and class?

Answer 33

Found W/C jobs like nannies were overwhelmingly the norm for girls. With schools steering them into it. E.g. Health and social care predominately girls

Question 34

What are the factors of pupils sexual and gender identities?

Answer 34

• Double standards
• Verbal abuse
• The male gaze
• Male peer groups
• Female peer groups
• Teacher and discipline

Question 35

Pupils sexual and gender identitites

What does Lee argue about double standards?

Answer 35

When girls are sexual they’re seen as ‘slags’ but boys are prasied from the same thing. Giving girls negative labels but boys status.

Question 36

Pupils sexual and gender identitites

What does Connell argue about verbal abuse?

Answer 36

He says verbal abuse reinforces dominant gender and sexual identities. E.g. boys use name-calling to put girls down if they behave or dress in a certain way.

Question 37

Pupils sexual and gender identitites

What does Mac and Ghaill argue about the male gaze?

Answer 37

Girls are seens as sexual objects and their appearance is judged. This is how boys prove their masculinity

Question 38

Pupils sexual and gender identitites

What does Epstein and Willis argue about male peer groups?

Answer 38

• Male peer groups reinforces masculinity
• Shows boys in anti-school subculture label boys who want to do well as gay

Question 39

Pupils sexual and gender identitites

What does Ringrose argue about female peer groups?

Answer 39

• Small scale study of 13-14 W/C peer groups
• Being popular was crucial and girls had to pick between idealized feminine identity (being loyal) or sexualised identity (boys)

Question 40

Pupils sexual and gender identitites

What does Mac and Ghaill argue about discipline?

Answer 40

• Found male teachers told boys off for acting like girls
• Teachers ignore boys verbal abuse and blame the girls instead