Education: Gender Differences in Educational Achievement Flashcards
Which sociologist talks about Girls’ Changing Ambitions?
Briefly explain their ideas.
(External Factor)
- Sue Sharpe - conducted two studies; one in the 1970s, another in 1990s.
- 1st Study: Girls had low aspirations, educational success was seen as unfeminine. Priorities were love and marriage first before their career.
- 2nd Study: Priorities were careers and being able to support themselves rather than love and marriage.
How can we criticise Girls’ Changing Ambitions?
- Outdated,
- Ann Oakely argues that girls are still traditionally socialised. Girls are socialised into picking English/Arts based subjects and boys socialised into sport, engineering, Maths.
How did Feminism lead to the improvement of girls’ educational achievement?
(External Factor)
- Feminists have challenged traditional stereotypes of a women’s role and so are fighting for women’s rights.
- As a result, there are many policies and declining of stigma place in society such as the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and The Equal Pay Act 1970.
- Encouraging pupils by improving their self-image and ambitions.
How did equal opportunity policies lead to gender differences in educational achievement; significance?
(Internal Factor)
- Equal Opportunities Policies - GIST, WISE & Introduction of National Curriculum in 1988.
- Girls and boys study mostly the same subjects now.
- Encourage girls to pursue careers in non-traditional areas.
What would functionalists argue about equal opportunity poliicies?
- Meritocratic, girls who work harder than boys can achieve more.
How does negative labelling of boys lead to gender differences in educational achievement?
(Internal Factor)
- Becky Francis - Teachers have lower expectations of boys and are more likely to label them negatively (disruptive).
- Jackson- the negative labelling of boys leads to a self fulfilling prophecy and turns to anti school subcultures.
How does differences in coursework lead to gender differences in educational achievement?
Mitsos and Browne- coursework:
- Girls are more concentious and better organised than boys.
- Take more care with presentation and spend more time on work.
Criticism
- Elwood says exams have a much higher influence on final grade rather than coureswork
Burns and Bracey
- In secondary schools, girls generally work harder and are more motivated than boys. Girls spend more time on homework and put more effort into their work.
Debbie Epstein
- Debbie Epstein talked about working-class laddish subcultures;
working-class boys are likely to be harassed and subject to homophobic verbal abuses if they appear to be a ‘nerd’ - More of a threat to men’s masculinity than girls’ femininity.
- Working-class boys tend to reject schoolwork to avoid being called ‘gay’, valuing labour, and being tough in the working-class laddish subcultures associated with masculinity.
Criticism
- Only looks at WC boys. MC boys do not suffer from this and are still achieving at school.
How are there now positive role models for girls in schools?
- An increase in proportion of female teachers and heads.
- These women in senior positions act as role models for girls, showing that women can achieve positions of importance and give them goals to aim for.
How has education become feminised according to Tony Sewell?
- Tony Sewell claims that boys fall behind because education has become ‘feminised’.
- Schools do not nurture ‘masculine’ traits such as competitiveness and leadership.
- Instead feminine qualities such as being organised that are more associated with girls are emphasised
- For example, coursework is a major cause of gender differences in achievement.
- To solve this he says that coursework should be eliminated completely and replaced with final examinations and a greater emphasis on outdoor adventure in the curriculum.
How can this point be developed using the argument that there is now a shortage of male primary school teachers?
- Lack of male role models both at home e.g. lacking at her figure and in school e.g. lack of male primary school teachers are a cause of boy’s underachievement.
- Culture of primary school has become feminised as a result of being staffed by female teachers, who are unable to control boy’s behaviour.
- He argues that male teachers are better able to impose the strict discipline boys need in order to concentrate.
- To solve this, primary schools need more male teachers.
What is hyper-heterosexual feminine identity as referred to by Archer?
- Girls spend money on appearance and gain peer status for performing feminine identity such as socialising with boys over academic pursuits.
- Such behaviour can result in conflict with schools, which view a preoccupation with appearance as a distraction from learning.
- Girls who seek to gain symbolic capital may flout school rules on dress and grooming, which can lead to negative labels, such as being seen as incapable of academic success.
