Gender in Education Studies: Gender and subject choice

Question 1

Dewar (1990)

Answer 1

Male students would call girls ‘lesbian’ or ‘butch if interested in sports.

Question 2

Paechter (1998)

Answer 2

Found that because pupils see sport as mainly within the male gender domain.

Question 3

Fuller (gender, vocational choice and class)

Answer 3

working-class girls had ambitions to go into jobs such as child care or hair and beauty.

Question 4

Leonard

Answer 4

Girls in single-sex schools to take maths and science A levels.
Boys in boys schools were more likley to take English and languages.

Question 5

A Level Exam Candidates: Physics

Answer 5

21% F

Question 6

A Level Exam Candidates: Maths

Answer 6

39% F

Question 7

A Level Exam Candidate: Computing

Answer 7

7% F

Question 8

A Level Exam Candidate: French

Answer 8

69%

Question 9

A Level Exam Candidate: Sociology

Answer 9

75%

Question 10

A Level Exam Candidate: Drama

Answer 10

69%

Question 11

Norman

Answer 11

From an early age:

• boys are dressed differently
• given different toys
• encouraged to take part in different activities

Question 12

Murphy and Elwood

Answer 12

Gender stereotypes lead to different subject choices

Question 13

Byrne

Answer 13

Teachers encourage boys to be tough and show initiative and not be weak or behave like sissies.

Question 14

Colley

Answer 14

computer studies:

• It involves working with machines (part of the male gender domain
• The way it is taught off-putting to females
• Tasks tend to be abstract and teaching styles formal, with few opportunities for group work.

Question 15

Kelly

Answer 15

Science:

• Science teachers are more likely to be men.
• The examples teachers us often draw on boys’ rather than girls’ interests.
• Boys monopolise the apparatus and dominate the laboratory, acting as if it is ‘theirs’