Gender

Question 1

Which gender does better in education?

Answer 1

Girls

Question 2

What are the external factors affecting gender achievement?

Answer 2

Impact of feminism
Changes in the family
Changes in women’s employment
Changing girls ambitions
Class, gender and ambition

Question 3

What impact has feminism had?

Answer 3

It has raised women’s expectations and self-esteem so they have bigger ambitions for a career.

McRobbie found women’s magazines in the 70’s emphasized marriage but in the 90’s they showed strong role models

Question 4

What did McRobbie find about the impact of feminism?

Answer 4

McRobbie found women’s magazines in the 70’s emphasized marriage but in the 90’s they showed strong role models

Question 5

How have changes in the family affected gender achievement?

Answer 5

An increase in divorce rate and lone parent families mean that girls have more role models of female bread winners. To achieve this independance themselves they must do well in school

Question 6

What impact have changes in employment had on gender achievement?

Answer 6

Equal pay and sex discrimination acts mean employment is more equal.
Better pay and opportunities give girls more incentive to do well in school

Question 7

What laws have helped to equalise employment for women?

Answer 7

1970 Equal Pay Act

1975 Sex Discrimination Act

Question 8

What impact do girl’s changing ambitions have on gender and achievement?

Answer 8

Sharpe found a shift where careers were now becoming priority over traditional goals.
Beck linked this to individualisation as careers give recognition.
Fuller found educational success was a key part of girl’s identity.

Question 9

What did Sharpe find about girl’s changing ambitions?

Answer 9

Between the 70s and the 90s girls ambitions shifted away from traditional goals to their careers.

Question 10

What did Beck and Beck- Gernsheim find about girl’s changing ambitions?

Answer 10

Linked it to individualisation as a career provides recognition and self-sufficiency. To do this, they recognise the importance of education.

Question 11

What did Fuller find about girl’s changing ambitions?

Answer 11

Fuller found educational success was a key part of girl’s identity.

Question 12

How are class, gender and ambition linked?

Answer 12

Working class girls still have gender-stereotyped aspirations for marriage and children, expecting to be in low-paying jobs as it’s seen as more attainable.
Biggart found that working class girls are more likely to face uncertainty in the labour market so there’s less point in achieving

Question 13

What did Biggart find about the link between gender, class and ambition?

Answer 13

Biggart found that working class girls are more likely to face uncertainty in the labour market so there’s less point in achieving

Question 14

What are the internal factors affecting gender and achievement?

Answer 14

Equal opportunities policies
Positive role models in school
GCSE and coursework
Teacher attention

Question 15

How have equal opportunities policies affected gender and achievement?

Answer 15

GIST and WISE give girls positive role models in male-dominated careers. They also get non-sexist careers advice.
Boaler: Girls previously had to work a lot harder to achieve educational success so now that the barriers have been removed, they over achieve.

Question 16

How does Boaler say that equal opportunities policies have affected gender and achievement?

Answer 16

Boaler: Girls previously had to work a lot harder to achieve educational success so now that the barriers have been removed, they over achieve.

Question 17

How have positive role models in schools affected gender and achievement?

Answer 17

There has been an increase in female teachers which show students that females can achieve positions of importance

Question 18

How has GCSEs and coursework affected gender and achievement?

Answer 18

Gorard: The gender gap was constant until 1989 when GCSEs and coursework were introduced
Mitsos and Browne: Girls are better at coursework as they are better organised and meeting deadlines
There is a greater use of oral exams which is good for girls as they have more developed language skills

Question 19

How does Gorard say coursework has affected gender and achievement?

Answer 19

Gorard: The gender gap was constant until 1989 when GCSEs and coursework were introduced