Unit 3 - Section B: Education - THEORETICAL EXPLANATIONS - Feminism

Question 1

Kelly

Answer 1

Claimed science is packaged as a boys’ subject. Science textbooks have very few women portrayed - more relevant to boys interests e.g. Football - seen as a masculine subject. CRITIQUE: GIST = girls into technology/science. WISE = women into science/engineering - Kelly actually helped set these up as a result of her research.

Question 2

Colley

Answer 2

Subject choice: 1) Perception of gender roles = socialised into typical masculine/feminine identities. 2) Subject preferences = type of tasks and activities required in the subject. 3) Learning environment = influenced by whether or not the school is single or mixed sex.

Question 3

Skelton

Answer 3

Hidden curriculum is responsible for perpetuating gender differences in subject choice. National curriculum = core subjects that all students in state controlled schools follow. E.g. English, Maths, also learn white male history. Hidden curriculum = surrounding gender - girls discouraged to study certain subjects based on teacher’s attitudes that encourage/discourage choice.

Question 4

Heaton and Lawson

Answer 4

Hidden curriculum is a major source of gender socialisation and operates in 5 ways: 1) Books and textbooks - women portrayed as dependent on men, absence in science books. 2) Female students are made to feel uncomfortable - e.g. computing where boys ‘colonise’ the space. 3) Teacher’s expectations. 4) PATRIARCHAL CURRICULUM where boys sports are recognised more than girls’, subject choice is very gender-specific. 5) Lack of positive role models - more teachers are female than male, but more male senior management positions, few black female teachers.