Educational Achievement - 3.2 (Gender Differences) Flashcards
Explain Gender Patterns in Achievement between KS1-3
Girls constantly do better than boys, especially in English, but in Science and Maths the gap is lower.
Explain Gender Patterns in Achievement at GCSE
Girls are 10% ahead
Explain Gender Patterns in Achievement at AS/A Leve;
> Girls more likely to get top grades.
> Girls even do better in traditional boys subjects e.g. Physics and Maths
> More girls than boys go on to HE.
Explain Gender Patterns in Achievement at Vocational Courses
More Girls achieve distinctions, incl. in engineering and construction, where there’s small girl population
External Factors on Gender Differences in Achievement
> Impact of Feminism
Changes in the Family
Changes in Women’s Employment
Changing Ambitions
Ext Factors Girls Theorists
> McRobbie (Impact of Feminism)
> Mitsos and Browne (Changes in Women’s Employment)
> Sharpe (Interviews 70’s and 90’s) - Girls Changing Ambitions
> O’Connor (Teen Girls on Marriage and Kids) - Girls Changing Ambitions
> Francis (Girls Aspirations) - Girls Changing Ambitions
> Beck and Beck-Gernsheim (Individualisation) - Girls Changing Ambitions
What’s the impact of Feminism on Girls Education?
- Improved rights of women e.g. equal pay, outline rape in marriage etc, raising expectations, self-image & motivation of women.
- No longer strictly bound to domestic role.
- So more motivated to do well in Education.
Explain McRobbie’s Study of Girls Magazines outlining the Impact of Feminism on Girls Education
- Study of girls’ magazines in 1970s emphasised importance of marriage and not being “left on the shelf”
- But today there are many images of independent women.
Outline 3 Changes in the Family that have had an impact on Girls Education?
> Primary Socialisation
Increased Divorce Rates
More DEF and LPF headed by women
Explain the impact of Primary Socialisation of Girls in the Family and it’s impact on their education?
- Traditional ‘Female’ socialisation e.g. bedroom culture more suited to education than ‘Male’ socialisation.
- Through bedroom culture girls pick up quiet, submissive attitudes favoured in school e.g. ideal pupil.
Explain the impact of Increased Divorce Rates and it’s impact on their education?
- Show girls it’s unwise to rely on men for financial support, motivates them to well at school, so they can get good jobs and fund themselves.
Explain the impact of More DEF and LPF and it’s impact on their education?
- Give girls image of strong independent role model and DEF raises girls aspirations.
How do Feminists criticise the idea of Changes in the Family have an impact on Girls Achievement?
- Many still hold to traditional gender roles, where do triple shift.
Outline how Changes in Employment have had an impact on Girl’s Achievement?
- Women’s employment risen est 1950, due to the expansion of service sector, est 1975 pay gap has been halved.
- So encourages girls to see future in paid wrk incentivising them to get qualifications.
Explain Mitsos & Browne’s view on how Change in Employment has had an Impact on Girls Education?
- Growing Service Sector/ Economy created more ‘feminised’ career opportunities for women
- e.g. in Health Care, Hospitality, Teaching, Clerical, Childcare professions etc.
- So see their future as more > housewives having greater career aspirations and independence.
How does the Idea of the Glass Ceiling undermine Impact of Changes on Employment on Girls’ Education
Invisible barrier keeps them out of professional/managerial jobs.
Explain how Sue Sharpe’s Interviews between 70’s and 90’s show major shift in the way girls see their future in relation to Girls Changing Ambitions?
- 70s: Educational success was unfeminine being ambitious was unattractive.
- 90s: Girls’ ambitions changed, saw future as independent woman w/ career rather than dependent husbands.
Explain how O’Connor’s findings outline a Change in Girl’s Ambitions?
Study of 14-17yr girls found marriage and kids weren’t a big part of their life plans.
Explain how Francis’s findings outline a Change in Girl’s Ambitions?
Girls had high career aspirations, so need qualifications.
Explain how Beck and Beck-Gernsheim’s Idea of Individualisation outline a Change in Girl’s Ambitions?
- Trend towards individualisation.
- Independence pivotal in modern society to get recognition and status.
- In order to be independent, girls see need for good education.
- A career is part of their life projects.
A03 Criticisms of Ext Factors Girl Theorists
> Feminists (Changes in the Family)
Fuller & Reay (Girls Changing Ambitions)
Biggart (Girls Changing Ambitions)
Explain how Fuller and Reay criticise the Idea of Change in Girls Ambitions?
- WC girls w/ poor jobs prospects have stereotypical desires for marriage + children wanting to stay local & leaving school
- Going in traditional women’s jobs e.g childcare etc.
- As it’s attainable and offers a desirable status.
Explain how Biggart criticises the Idea of Change in Girls Ambitions?
- WC girls face insecure position in labour market and see motherhood as only option in their future, so see less point doing well at skl.
Internal Factors explaining Gender Achievement in School
> EOP > Role Models > GCSE and Coursework > Teacher Attention > Challenging Stereotypes > Selection & League Tables
Explain Impact of Feminist Ideas on EOP’s in relation to Internal Factors explaining Gender Achievement in Education?
- Feminist ideas now widespread in Education
- EOP’s promote gender equality, as policymakers believe B&G’s should have the same opportunities.
Outline the 2 schemes introduced and their impact in relation to EOP’s explaining Gender Achievement in School?
- Gov policies done this by introducing programs e.g. GIST & WISE
- Female Scientists have visited schools, acting as role models, encouraging Girls into Sci and Tech.
Outline the significance of National Curriculum being introduced in relation to EOP’s explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
National Curriculum levelled playing field as G&B’s have to study same subjects.
Int Factor Theorists for Girls Achievement
> Boaler (EOP’s)
> Gorard (Impact of Coursework)
> Mitsos and Browne (Coursework)
> Spender (Teacher Attention)
> French & French (Teacher Attention)
> Swann (Teacher Attention Impact on Girls)
> Francis (Teacher Attention Impact on Boys)
> Weiner (Removal of Gender Stereotypes)
> Jackson & Slee (Intro of League Table and Impact on G&B’s
Explain Boaler’s view on Impact of EOP’s explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
- EOPs key reason for changes in Girls achievement
- Barriers removed, so skl’s meritocratic, girls who work harder than boys do better.
Explain the influence of Positive Role Models in relation to Internal Factors explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
- Increase in NO Female Teachers and Heads, acts as role models for girls
- Motivating them to see they’re able to get positions of importance & power.
- So Girls work harder to achieve educationally.
- Presence of female teachers feminises learning environment, seeing skl as part of female gender domain, so see it as desirable female characteristic.
Explain Gorard’s View on GCSEs and Coursework in relation to Internal Factors explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
- Achievement gap was constant from 1979 - 1989 but when coursework was introduced gap widened, as it was major part of most subjects.
- So Boys underachievement cuz of intro of
coursework, not general failing of boys.
Explain Mitsos and Browne (M&B) View on GCSEs and Coursework in relation to Internal Factors explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
- Girls more successful in coursework as they’re better organised, spend more time on work, meet deadlines and concerned with presentation than boys putting them at advantage.
- Girls mature earlier and concentrate for longer.
- Also, GCSE has more oral exams - better for girls as they’ve got better language skills, due to bedroom culture
Explain Spender’s View on Teachers Attention in relation to Internal Factors explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
Teachers spend more time interacting with boys > girls. (Negative)
Explain Jane and Peter View on Teachers Attention relation to Internal Factors explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
- Boys do get more attention but it’s negative attention, as they attracted more cautions.
- Boys tend to dominate in whole-class discussions, but girls are more democratic.
- So teachers like girls more
Explain Swann on Teachers Attention relation to Internal Factors explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
- Boys dominate discussions, but girls prefer group work and better listening and cooperating, taking turns unlike boys.
- Girls favoured by teachers, leading to SFP, promoting girls self esteem and achievement.
Explain Francis’s View on Teachers Attention relation to Internal Factors explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
Boys got more attention, but disciplined harsher feeling picked on by teachers who had low expectations of them.
In relation to Stereotypes within the Curriculum how were Girls portrayed in 70’s and 80’s and what was the effect?
> In ’70-’80s girls were portrayed as housewives & scared of science reinforced by textbooks putting girls off science and maths.
Explain Weiner’s Findings on the Impact of the Challenge of Stereotypes est the 80’s in the Curriculum?
> Removal of gender stereotypes in learning materials, removed a barrier girls achievement.
> From 80’s big change w/ teachers and textbooks challenging stereotypes.
> Removing sexist images, presenting girls with more positive images of what they can do, thus raising their aspirations.
Explain Jackson and Slee’s findings on Selection and League Tables in relation to Internal Factors explaining Girls’ achievement in School?
- Intro of league tables benefits girls as they achieve higher so more attractive to schools.
- Boys achieve low and worse behaved, 4x more likely to be excluded, seen as liability students.
- Who’ll give skl rough image, deterring high achieving girls applying.
- So girls get places in popular school, creates SFP girls recruited better schools so will do better.
A03 Evaluation of Girls Int Factor Theorists
> Elwood (Mitsos & Browne and Gorard)
Lib Fem
Rad Fem
Criticisms of Coursework Disadvantaging Boys (Elwood)
Coursework does have influence but it’s not only factor as finals have more influence > Coursework on final grades.
Explain the Liberal Feminist view on Girls achievement?
- Celebrate progress in improving achievement
- Feel further progress will be made to develop EOP’s, encouraging positive role models, overcoming sexist attitudes/stereotypes.
Explain the Rad Feminist view on Girls achievement?
- Critical view, see girls achieving more, but system is still patriarchal due to sexual harassment of girls.
- Limits on girls’ subject choice, male teachers more likely to become heads of skls.
- Underrepresentation in many areas of curriculum
- Weiner sees history as a ‘woman-free zone’
Why is it wrong to assume all Girls are successful?
> Social Class differences also play a factor.
> Those on FSM had significantly lower achievement than those not on FSM
Girls Identity and Class Theorists
> Archer (SC, HHFI, Boyfriends, Being Loud, WC Girls Dilemma)
Evans and Skeggs (Successful WC Girls)
Outline Archer findings in his study of WC Girls in relation to SC?
> Found WC girls got SC from their peers, by adopting hyper-heterosexual feminine identities, having BF’s, and being loud.
> Putting them in conflict with skl stopping them getting educational & economical capital, repeating the cycle.
Outline Archer findings in his study of WC Girls in relation to HHFI?
> WC girls put lots of time, effort, money creating desirable identities w/ unisex sportswear,’ sexy’ clothes, make-up, hairstyles.
> Getting SC from peers
> Avoid being labelled a ‘tramp’ for wearing wrong brands.
