Education: Topic 4- Gender differences in education Flashcards
What are the external and gender differences in achievement?
- Impact of feminism
- Changes in the family
- Changes in womens employement
- Girls changing ambitions
External factors & gender differences in achievement
What does McRobbie argue about the impact of feminism?
- 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
External factors & gender differences in achievement
Explain the changes in the family
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
External factors & gender differences in achievement
Explain the changes in womens employment.
- 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
External factors & gender differences in achievement
What does Sharpe argue about girls changing ambitions?
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
External factors & gender differences in achievement:
What does Reay argue about W/C girls ambitions?
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
What are the internal factors and gender difference in achievement?
- Equal opportunites policies
- Positive role models
- GCSE and coursework
- Teacher attention
- Challenging stereotypes in the curriculum
- Selection and league tables
Internal factors & gender differences in achievement
What does Boaler argue about equal opportunites policies?
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
Internal factors & gender differences in achievement
What does Mitsos and Browne argue about GCSE and coursework?
They say girls spend more time one work, meet deadlines, and are more organised when doing coursework.
Internal factors & gender differences in achievement
What is a criticism of Mitosis and Browne’s argument about GCSE and Coursework?
Exams have a bigger influence than coursework on final grades
Internal factors & gender differences in achievement
How does positive role models in schools affect gender difference in achievement?
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
Internal factors & gender differences in achievement
What does Weiner argue about challenging stereotypes in the curriculum?
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.
Internal factors & gender differences in achievement
What does Swann argue about teacher attention?
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.
Internal factors & gender differences in achievement
What does Slee argue about selection and league tables?
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
Internal factors & gender differences in achievement
What are the liberal feminists view on girls achievement?
They celebrate progress and further progress is going to come
Internal factors & gender differences in achievement
What are radical feminists view of girls achievement?
They take a critical view and says the system is still patriachal. E.g. sexual harrassment
Identity class and differences in girls achievement
How does hyper-herterosexual feminine identities affect girls achievement?
Girls who invest time/money into appearance. E.g. £40 spent on appearance. This brings conflict w/ schools and are punished.
Identity class and differences in girls achievement
How does being loud affect girls achievement?
W/C are outspoken and assertive, therefore questioned by teachers and get punished for attitude/disrupting class
Identity class and differences in girls achievement
How does boyfriends affect girls achievement?
They get boyfriend and lose interest in university and settle down young to have kids
Identity class and differences in girls achievement
What does Archer argue about W/C girls dilemma affecting girls achievement?
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
Identity class and differences in girls achievement
What does Evan’s argue about ‘Successful’ working-class girls?
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
What are the factors of boys and achievement?
- Boys and literacy
- Globalisation and the decline of traditional mens jobs
- Feminisation of education
- Shortage primary school teachers
Boys achievement
How does boys and literacy affect achievement? (external)
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
Boys achievement
What does Mitsos and Browne argue about globalisation and decline of traditional mens jobs? (external)
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.
Boys achievement
What does Sewell argue about the feminisation of education? (Internal)
School has become feminised and doesnt nurture ‘masculine’ traits like leadership, assertiveness. Instead celebrates feminine qualities
Boys achievement
How does shortage of male primary school teachers affect boys achievement? (internal)
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
Boys achievement
What does Francis argue about laddish subcultures? (internal)
Francis argues boys are concerned about feminine labels, they do manual work because its seen to be masculine
What are the factors that affect the gender differences in subject choices?
- Gender role socialisation
- Gendered subject images
- Gendered identity and peer pressure
- Gendered career opportunities
Gender and subject choice
What does Norman argue about gender role socialisation?
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.
Gender and subject choice
What does Kelly argue about gendered subject images?
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
Gender and subject choice
What does Paechter argue about gendered identity and peer pressure?
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
Gender and subject choice
How does gendered career opportunites affect gender difference in subject choice?
Employment is gendered. Women as housewives, nannies. Men as lawyers, doctors. Therefore pupils pick subjects that are more aligned with their genders job.
Gender and subject choice
What does Fuller argue about gender, vocational choice and class?
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
What are the factors of pupils sexual and gender identities?
- Double standards
- Verbal abuse
- The male gaze
- Male peer groups
- Female peer groups
- Teacher and discipline
Pupils sexual and gender identitites
What does Lee argue about double standards?
When girls are sexual they’re seen as ‘slags’ but boys are prasied from the same thing. Giving girls negative labels but boys status.
Pupils sexual and gender identitites
What does Connell argue about verbal abuse?
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.
Pupils sexual and gender identitites
What does Mac and Ghaill argue about the male gaze?
Girls are seens as sexual objects and their appearance is judged. This is how boys prove their masculinity
Pupils sexual and gender identitites
What does Epstein and Willis argue about male peer groups?
- Male peer groups reinforces masculinity
- Shows boys in anti-school subculture label boys who want to do well as gay
Pupils sexual and gender identitites
What does Ringrose argue about female peer groups?
- 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)
Pupils sexual and gender identitites
What does Mac and Ghaill argue about discipline?
- Found male teachers told boys off for acting like girls
- Teachers ignore boys verbal abuse and blame the girls instead