Gender and Educational Achievement - Subject Choice Flashcards
What subjects are;
(i) males more likely to pick
(ii) girls more likely to pick
(i) Science, technology
(ii) Arts, social sciences.
What did Skelton et al. (2007) say about science subjects?
- Seen as more difficult and of higher status than ‘soft’ subjects taken by girls.
How does early socialisation effect subject choice?
- Learn identity, and thus what subjects fit in to the learned identity.
In terms of early socialisation, what did Norman (1988) say?
- Girls and boys are dressed differently, and are encouraged to take part in different activities.
In terms of early socialisation, what did Byrne (1979) say?
- Teachers encourage boys to be tough and show initiative.
In terms of early socialisation;
(i) what did Lobban (1974) say?
(ii) who backed her up?
- Girls stereotyped in books with domestic roles.
- Best (1993)
According to Murphy and Elwood (1998) what type of texts do;
(i) boys prefer to read
(ii) girls prefer to read
And how does this affect subject choice?
(i) Fact and hobby books.
(ii) Stories
- Girls more interested in English, boys in maths, humanities.
Who came up with the term ‘gender domains’ and what does it mean?
- Browne + Ross (1991)
- they are shaped by early experiences
- tasks ‘relevant’ or associated with their gender.
Why does Kelly (1987) say science is seen as a boy’s subject?
- Teachers more likely to be men.
- Textbook examples draw on boys.
- Boys monopolise apparatus and dominate the laboratory.
Why does Colley (1998) say IT is seen as a boy’s subject?
- Machines = boys gender domain.
- Teaching style off-putting = less group work which girls prefer.
In terms of subject choice, why do same-sex school stand out?
- Had less stereotyped subject images as there was no other evident gender domain.
What did Colley notice about the subject music?
- Changed the content of its course, thus shifting the identity.
- More electronic and computer based.
- GCSE: 42% (2001), 48% (2014)
- A-level: 43% (2001), 59% (2014)
What did Skelton et al. (2007) say about peer pressure in relation to subject choice?
- Males and females drawn to subjects that they see as appropriate for their gender.
- Subjects ‘confirm’ their identity.
- Deviation from gender leads to disapproval.
What did Dewar (1990) and Paetcher (1998) notice about PE?
- Male students would call girls ‘lesbian’ or ‘butch’ if they were more interested in sport than boys.
What did Mitsos (1995) find about English?
- Unfavourable responses to English were voiced in the context of stereotypical male or female behaviour.
