Gender Differences In Achievement - Internal/External Factors

Question 1

According to official statistics, which gender consistently performs better in school?

Answer 1

Females.

72% got 5 or more A* -C GCSE’s in 2013, whereas; only 64% of boys did (Official statistics).

Question 2

In Key Stages 1 to 3, which subject do females do consistently better?

Answer 2

English.

• But the gender gap of maths and science is narrower.

Question 3

Is the gender gap narrower at GCSE or A-level?

Answer 3

A-level.

• Girls are more likely to sit, pass and get higher grades than boys, but the gap is still narrow.

Question 4

Why does the gender gap look ‘bad’ for boys?

Answer 4

Because they are compared to girls, however, exam results have improved for both sexes so they only look ‘bad’ when they are compared.

Question 5

What are the factors that have influenced girls’ improvement in achievement?

Answer 5

1) . Internal factors.

2) . External factors.

Question 6

What internal factors can explain girls’ achievement improving?

Answer 6

1. Equal opportunities policies.
2. Role models.
3. Coursework.
4. Stereotyping in learning material.
5. Teacher attention.
6. Selection and league tables.

Question 7

How has equal opportunities policies led to greater achievement in girls?

Answer 7

The feminist belief that girls and boys should have equality in education is widely accepted, and the introduction of policies has proved this equality.

Question 8

What policies have been introduced to increase equal opportunities for boys and girls?

Answer 8

• GIST and WISE

- National Curriculum = boys and girls largely study the same subjects.

Question 9

What does Boaler (1998) say about equal opportunity policies?

Answer 9

This is the main reason for girls’ improvement in achievement.

• Education is more meritocratic –> girls have more equal opportunities and so, will do better.

Question 10

How has the increase of female role models led to girls’ achievement increasing?

Answer 10

The increase of women in senior positions in schools have shown girls that they can achieve positions of importance.

• Schools have become more ‘feminised’ as a result, so girls accept success as a desirable feminine characteristic.

Question 11

What percentage of head teachers are female in secondary schools, in 1992 and 2012?

Answer 11

1992 = 22%.

2012 = 37%.

Shows the increase of females in senior positions in schools.

Question 12

What does Gorard (2005) find about the introduction of GCSE’s and coursework?

Answer 12

In 1989, the gender gap sharply increased (GCSE and coursework were introduced).

Question 13

What does Gorard conclude about the gender gap in achievement?

Answer 13

Its due to the different way the system assess pupils (e.g. coursework) not due to boys failing more.

Question 14

What do Mitsos and Browne (1998) conclude about girls and coursework?

Answer 14

They do better in coursework because they are better organised and take more time/care in their work.

• This is why they have achieved greater than boys since the introduction of coursework.

Question 15

How does Elwood (2005) criticise Gorard and, Mitsos and Browne?

Answer 15

Although coursework has some impact on results, exams have the most influence on final grades, so;

• It is unlikely coursework is the only reason for the gender gap.

Question 16

How has gender stereotyping in textbooks and learning materials changed since the 1970/80s?

Answer 16

1970/80s =

• Women mainly portrayed as housewives and mothers.
• Physics books showed them as afraid of science.
• Maths books showed boys as more inventive.

Now =

sexist material has been removed as teachers challenged this.

Question 17

How has the changing stereotypes in the curriculum led to girls’ achievement improving?

Answer 17

Removal of sexist attitudes in books has presented them more positively, allowing them to see what women can actually do.

Question 18

What topic does changing stereotypes in the curriculum link to?

Answer 18

Equal opportunity policies =

GIST and WISE allowed girls to do traditionally male subjects, showing them that they shouldn’t be ‘afraid’; of science.

Question 19

Who conducts studies into teachers’ attention?

Answer 19

1) . Spender (1983).
2) . French and French ( 1993).
3) . Francis (2001).
4) . Swann (1998).

Question 20

What did Spender find about teacher’s attention?

Answer 20

Teachers spent more time interacting with boys than girls.

Question 21

What did French and French find about teacher’s attention in schools?

Answer 21

Found boys and girls Received the same academic attention, but boys attracted more punishments for misbehaviour.

Question 22

What did Francis find about teacher’s attention in schools?

Answer 22

Although boys Received more attention:

• They were disciplined more.
• Felt that teachers were more harsh to them.
• Felt teachers had lower expectations of them.

Question 23

What did Swann find about teacher’s attention?

Answer 23

• Boys =

Dominate class discussion.

• Girls =

Prefer group work and are better at cooperating and listening –> so teachers responded more positively to girls.

Question 24

How does gender achievement affect selection and league tables?

Answer 24

• Girls =

Generally more successful so are attractive to schools.

• Boys =

Lower-achieving and more badly behaved, this will give the school a bad image.

Question 25

Which gender is more likely to get a place at a more successful school?

Answer 25

Girls =

This leads to them getting a better education and achieving more, and so on.

Question 26

Which type of feminist welcomes the progress of equal opportunity policies?

Answer 26

Liberal feminists.

Question 27

Which type of feminist is critical of equal opportunity policies?

Answer 27

Radical feminists =

Regardless, education is still patriarchal (e.g. sexual harassment of girls, head teachers are more likely to be men, etc).

Question 28

What are the external factors that have contributed to the improvement of girls’ achievement?

Answer 28

1) . Feminism.
2) . Girls’ changing perceptions and ambitions.
3) . Changes in the family.
4) . Changes in women’s employment.

Question 29

How has the influence of feminism impacted girls’ educational achievement?

Answer 29

Feminist movements for social policy changes (equality) has led to girls aspirations changing, believing they are able to do careers that aren’t traditional.

Question 30

Which sociologists study girls’ changing attitudes and ambitions to themselves?

Answer 30

1) . Sharpe (1994)
2) . Francis (2001).
3) . Beck and Beck-Gernsheim (2001).
4) . Fuller (2011).

Question 31

What did Sharpe find about girls’ changing attitudes since the 1970s?

Answer 31

She compared her studies of w/c girls in the 1970s and 1990s.

• 1970s =

Girls’ priorities were ‘love, marriage, husbands, children, jobs and careers’ - in that order (domestic future).

• 1990s =

Career future, not domestic - prefer a career before family.

Question 32

What did Francis find about girls changing ambitions affecting their achievement?

Answer 32

As they have higher aspirations they need educational qualifications =

So, they are more likely to try hard and focus in school to reach their goals.

Question 33

What did Beck and Beck-Gernsheim analyse about changing attitudes that have affected girls’ achievement?

Answer 33

Independence is valued more than ever, so for women to achieve a career, they need to try in school –> influence of feminism.

Question 34

What did Fuller find about girls’ perceptions and ambitions.

Answer 34

• Some girls = aim for professional career.

- Many w/c girls = aim for marriage –> traditional identity that offers status.

Question 35

What are the major changes in the family since the 1970s?

Answer 35

1) . Increased divorce rate.
2) . More lone-parent families.
3) . More cohabitation.
4) . Smaller families and more women staying single.

Question 36

How does the changes in the family link to education?

Answer 36

They are more opportunity to be economically independent, this motivates them to do well in education.

Question 37

How much has women in employment increased since the 1950s?

Answer 37

• 1950s = under a half of married women worked.
• Today = about 3/4 work.

Due to an expansion in the service sector, providing more opportunities.

Question 38

What changes in the law have improved the position of working women?

Answer 38

• Equal Pay Act (1970) and Sex Discrimination Act (1975) =

More employment rights for women.

• Pay gap has almost halved since 1975.

Question 39

How does the changes in women’s employment link to girls’ achievement?

Answer 39

They see their future in terms of paid work, and view this as an incentive for them to gain qualifications.

Question 40

Who explains why w/c girls underachieve?

Answer 40

Archer (2010).

Question 41

What does Archer argue?

Answer 41

W/C girls’ failure is due to a conflict between their feminine identity and the schools habitus, they could;

• Gain symbolic capital =

Conforming to a w/c feminine identity (they pride it).

• Gain educational capital =

Conforming to the schools m/c values of the ideal female pupil.

Question 42

Why do w/c girls construct ‘Nike identities’?

Answer 42

1). Hyper-heterosexual feminine identities (Nike identity) =

They construct ‘glamorous’ identities to earn symbolic capital, but have conflict with school.

• Schools commit symbolic violence –> defining their identity as worthless

Question 43

What are the other w/c girls’ identities that gain them symbolic capital?

Answer 43

1). Boyfriends =

Get in the way of schoolwork and lower girls’ aspirations.

2). Being ‘loud’ =

Outspoken, assertive identities –> teachers see this as aggressive.

Question 44

What are ‘ladettes’?

Answer 44

w/c girls adopt tomboyish identities, ‘Nike’ identity, being sporty, truanting and getting excluded.

Question 45

What did Evans (2009) find about ‘successful’ w/c girls?

Answer 45

w/c girls going to university =

• Lived at home due to; fear of the cost of living away and debt.
• This limited their choices of uni’s and courses, limiting their opportunities of having a economically powerful career.