gender differences in education - external factors

Question 1

what are the external factors of gender differences in achievement?

Answer 1

• impact of feminism
• changes in the family
• changes in women’s employment
• girls changing ambitions

Question 2

how has impact of feminism caused gender differences in achievement?

Answer 2

since 1960s the feminist movement has challenged traditional stereotype of a women’s role as solely of mother, wife and inferior to men outside the home.
although feminists argue that full equality has not been achieved, the movement has success in improving women rights and opportunities through changes in law, which affects girls self image and ambitions with regard to careers - leads to improvements in educational achievement (more female role models)

Question 3

how has changes in family caused gender differences in achievement?

Answer 3

changes include:
- increase in divorce rate and cohabitation.
- increase in lone parent and smaller families.
- decrease in number of first marriages.
these changes affect girls attitudes towards education e.g increase in no. of female headed lone parent families may mean women take the breadwinner role - created a new role model for girls: the financially independent woman.
to achieve this women need well paid jobs, good qualifications, so encourages them to work hard and improve in education.

Question 4

how has changes in women’s employment affected gender differences in achievement?

Answer 4

1970 Equal Pay Act: makes it illegal to pay women less than men for work of same value.
encourages girls to see future in terms of paid work rather than being restricted to housewife role - greater opportunities for women in career, working women role models give encouragement to gain good qualifications and so improve in educational achievement.
there are also more part time opportunities for women to work while having children.
however, boys self esteem may be lowered by this.

Question 5

how has changing girls ambitions caused gender differences in achievement?

Answer 5

changed priorities - women are more focussed on independence rather than marriage.