Gender differences in education

Question 1

External - The impact of feminism (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 1

Feminist movement has challenged the traditional stereotype of a women’s role - mother and housewife.
- These changes are somewhat reflected in the media.
MCROBBIES - study of girls magazines - used to be women getting married - now independent women.

Girls attitudes have changed and this could explain improvement’s in education.

Question 2

External - Changes in family (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 2

• Increase in divorce rate
• Increase in cohabitation
• Increase in number of lone parent families.

Lead to changes in girls achievement as women are now leading lone parent families and being the breadwinner.

Question 3

External - Girls changing ambitions (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 3

SHARPE’S study:
1974 - girls had low aspirations, they believed educational success was unfeminine - they gave priority to ‘love, marriage, husbands etc.

1990’s - girls ambitions had changed - careers were number one and girls wanted to be independent.

Question 4

External - Changes in women’s employment (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 4

1970 equal pay act - makes it illegal to pay women less than men.
- Pay gaps have halved from 30% to 15%
- Women in employment has risen.
- Women are breaking through professional jobs.

Question 5

Internal - GCSE’S and coursework (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 5

Some sociologists argue that changes in the way pupils are assessed have favoured girls and disadvantaged boys.

STEPHAN GORAD - found that the gender gap in achievement was fairly constant and then increased.

Year GCSES’s were introduced. - Concludes that the gender gap in achievement is a product to the changed system rather than the general failing of boys.

Girls:
- Spend more time on coursework.
- Present it well.
- Meet deadlines
Help girls achieve better than boys.

Question 6

Internal - Teacher attention (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 6

JANE AND FRENCH -
- The way teachers interact with boys and girls differs.
- They analysed classroom interaction:
- Boys received more attention and prefer paid work.
- Girls are cooperative - boys are destructive.

Question 7

Internal - Selection and League tables (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 7

Marketisation policies have created more of a competitive climate in which schools see girls as desirable - better grades.
DAVID JACKSON - notes that the intro to league tables has improved opportunities for girls.

-High achieving girls are wanted by schools.
- Boys are not.
- creates a self fulfilling prophecy as girls are more likely to get recruited.

Question 8

Internal - Positive role models in school (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 8

Increase in the proportion of female teachers and heads.
These women in senior positions may act as role models for girls.
Allows girls to see what they can achieve and this makes them want to do well.

Question 9

Internal - Equal opportunities policies (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 9

Policies such as GIST (Girls into science and technology) and WISE (Women into science and engineering).
- encourage girls to pursue careers into these non traditional areas.
- The introduction of the national curriculum removed one source of gender inequality.
- Making boys and girls study most of the same subjects.

Question 10

Internal - Challenging stereotypes in the curriculum (Gender differences in achievement)

Answer 10

Some sociologists argue that the removal of gender stereotypes from textbooks, reading and other materials has removed a barrier to girls achievement.
- Portrayed girls as mainly housewife’s and mothers.
GABY WEINER- since the 1980’s teachers have challenged this.

Question 11

Girls achievement - Symbolic capital

Answer 11

According to feminists such as LOUISE ARCHER.
- one reason for these differences is the conflict between WC girls, feminine identities and ideas of the school.
- uses the concept of ‘symbolic capital’ to understand this conflict - refers to the status, recognition and sense of worth we are able to obtain from others.

Question 12

Girls achievement - ‘successful working class girls’

Answer 12

Although WC girls in general are likely to underachieve, some do succeed and go onto higher education.

SARAH EVANS - shows her study of 21 WC SF girls.
- Found that girls wanted to go to uni to increase their earning power.
- Not for themselves but to give back to their families.
- The girls motivation reflected their WC feminine identities
- often stayed at home for Uni due to economic necessity.

Question 13

Girls achievement - Boyfriends

Answer 13

While having a boyfriend brought Symbolic capital, it got in the way of schoolwork.
- Lowered girls aspirations
-Losing interest in Uni
- girls aspired to settle down, have children and work locally.

Question 14

Girls achievement - Hyper sexual feminine identities.

Answer 14

Many girls invested considerable time, effort and money in constructing ‘desirable’ and ‘glamourous’ feminine identities.
- Girls performance of this identity brought status from their female peer group and avoided them from being ridiculed.
- However it brought conflict with school - punished for wearing wrong clothing, jewellery and prevented them from engaging with education.
BOUDIEU - describes this as symbolic violence - defining their culture as worthless.

Question 15

Girls achievement - ‘Being loud’

Answer 15

Some working class girls adopted the ‘loud’ feminine identities
-Often led to them being outspoken, independent and assertive.
- Questioning teachers authority
- Failed to conform to schools stereotype of the ideal female pupil identity
- conflict with teachers.

Question 16

Boys achievement - Boys and literacy

Answer 16

According to DCSF the gender gap is mainly the result of boys poorer literacy and language skills.
- One reason for this may be parents spend less time reading to their sons.
- mothers don’t because they think its a feminine activity
- Boys leisure pursuits, do little to help develop their language and communication skills.
- Girls tend to have ‘bedroom culture’ centred on staying in and talking.

Question 17

Boys achievement - Feminisation of education

Answer 17

TONY SEWELL - claims that boys fall behind because education has become feminised.
- schools do not nurture ‘masculine’ traits such as competitiveness and leadership.
Instead they celebrate qualities more closely associated with girls.
- Coursework - catered to girls

Question 18

Boys achievement - Shortage of male primary school teachers

Answer 18

• The lack of male role models both at school and home is said to be the cause of boys underachievement.
• 14% of primary school teachers are male.
• Most boys surveyed said the presence of male teachers made them behave better and work harder.
• Female teachers are unable to control boys behaviour.

Question 19

Boys achievement - Globalisation and the decline of traditional men jobs

Answer 19

Significant decline in heavy industries, partly the result of the globalisation of the economy.
- Traditionally these sectors employ men.
MITSOS AND BROWNE - claim that this decline in male employment has lead to ‘identity crisis’
- Boys believe they have little prospect of getting a job - give up trying to get qualifications

Question 20

Gender and subject choice - Gender role socialisation

Answer 20

Gender role socialisation is the process of learning the behaviour expected.
- early socialisation shapes children’s gender identity.
FIONA NORMAN - notes from an early age boys and girls are dressed differently.
Boys are encouraged to be tough and show initiative.
Girls are expected to be quiet, helpful, clean and tidy,

Question 21

Gender and subject choice - Gender domains

Answer 21

BROWNE AND ROSS - argue that children’s beliefs about ‘gender domains’ are shaped by their early experience’s and expectations of adults.
- By gender domains they mean the task and activities that boys and girls see as territory.
- Children are more confident when engaging in tasks that they see as part of their own gender domain.

Question 22

Gender and subject choice - Gendered subject images

Answer 22

the gender image of a subject affect who wants to choice it.
KELLY- argues that science is seen as a boys subject.
- science teachers are usually men
- Textbooks mostly have men
- images will either show female or male pictures showing what subjects are female and male dominated

Question 23

Gender and subject choice - Gender identity and peer pressure

Answer 23

Subject choice can be influenced by peer pressure.
-Other boys and girls may apply pressure on an individual if they disapprove of their choice.
- boys tend to opt out of music and dance - doesn’t fall under their gender domain.
- CARRIE PAECHTER
Found that girls who are sporty have to cope with an image that contradicts the female stereotype

Question 24

Gender and subject choice- Same sex schooling

Answer 24

Pupils who attend single sex schools tend to hold less stereotyped subject images and make less traditional subject choice.
DIANA LEONARD - compared to pupils in mixed schools, girl schools were more likely to take maths and science.

Question 25

Pupil sexual and gender identities - Double standards

Answer 25

A double standard exists when we apply one set of moral standards to one group but different to another.
SUE LEES - identifies a double standard of sexual morality in which boys boast about their own sexual exploits.
-Call a girl a slag if she doesn’t have a steady bf.
- feminists see these double standards as an example of patriarchal ideology that justifies male power and devalues women.

Question 26

Pupil sexual and gender identities - the male gaze

Answer 26

There is also a visual aspect to the way pupils control each others identities.
MAC AND GHAIL- see the male gaze as a form of surveillance through which dominant heterosexual masculinity is reinforced and feminity devalued.
- Usually done through telling and retelling stories about their sexual conquests.

Question 27

Pupil sexual and gender identities - teachers and discipline

Answer 27

Research shows that teachers also play a part in reinforcing dominant definitions of gender identity

HAYWOOD, MAC AND GHAIL - found that male teachers told boys off for behaving like girls
-Teachers tended to ignore boys verbal abuse of girls and even blamed girls for attracting it.

Question 28

Pupil sexual and gender identities - Male peer groups

Answer 28

Male peer groups use verbal abuse to reinforce their definitions of masculinity.
Studies by EPSTEIN AND WILLIS show boys in anti school subcultures often accuse boys who do well as gay.