Gender Differences In Education Flashcards
(32 cards)
Statistics proving gender differences at several stages in education
KS1 - 3 = girls do better especially on English where the gap is wide. In science + maths the gap is much narrower but girls still do better
GCSE = gender gap is around 10 percentage points
A level = girls are more likely to get higher grades but narrower than GCSE
Vocational courses = more girls get distinctions
4 external factors
Impact of feminism
Changes in the family
Changes in women’s employment
Girls changing ambitions
1) Impact of feminism
Feminism = social movement that strives for equal rights in all areas of life
Feminists argue we haven’t fully achieved equality but getting there through laws
Feminism has raised women’s expectations and self esteem
Impact of feminism pt. 2
Can see changes in media images and messages
McRobbies study of girl magazines
In 1970s they emphasised the importance of getting married
But now they show independent women
Changes encouraged by feminism might affect their ambitions and self image making them improve in education
2) Changes in the family
Since 1970s there’s been
An increase in divorce rate
Increase in cohabitation and decrease in number of first marriages
Increase in number of lone parent families
Have smaller families
Changes in the family pt. 2
These change girls attitudes like having a lone parent mother gives a good role model
To achieve well paid jobs need good qualifications
High divorce rate shows shouldn’t rely on husbands so they might want their own qualifications to make a living
3) changes in women’s employment
1970 Equal Pay Act
Since 1975 the pay gap halved from 30% - 15%
1975 Discrimination Act
In 42 years the proportion of women in employment has risen by 14%. The growth of flexible part time work gives them more opportunities
Some women are breaking through and going into high level professional and managerial jobs
Girls now see their future as paid work instead of housewife
Better career opportunities for them
More female role models giving incentive to get qualifications
4) Girls’ changing ambitions
Sharpe’s interviews with girls shows a change in the way girls see their future
In 1974 they had low aspirations and wanted to seek attractive to marriage. Wanted kids, jobs and viewed careers as the bottom
In 1990s girls had a career as a priority rather than depending on husbands income
Girls changing ambitions pt. 2
Beck links these changes to the trend of individualism where independence is valued more now
To get that independence need a good education
In Fuller’s study girls thought education success was a part of their identity
They thought they created their own future and believed in meritocracy
High aspirations need educational qualifications
Class differences in girls ambitions
Working class girls still have stereotypical aspirations and think they’re going to go into low paid work
Reay is junk this reflects the reality of their position. They have limited aspirations because of limited job opportunities available to them
But a couple identity is doable and offers status
E.g in Fuller’s study most w/c girls didn’t express an interest in staying on in school
6 internal factors
Equal opportunities policies Positive role models in schools GCSE and coursework Teacher attention Challenging stereotypes in the curriculum Selection and league tables
1) Equal opportunities policy
Policymakers are aware of gender issues so more sensitive
The idea of same opportunities is mainstream thinking which influences educational policies
Equal opportunities policy pt. 2
GIST
WISE (women in science and engineering)
Female scientists have visited schools
Intro of national curriculum makes girls and boys study same subjects unlike the past
Boaler thinks this is the main reason in change of achievement
Many barriers have been removed and it’s more meritocratic so girls who work harder achieve more
2) positive role models in school
Increase in female teachers and heads They’re in senior positions so act as role models and giving them non traditional goals
They’re more influential because to get there they have to have a successful education themselves
3) GCSE and coursework
Sociologists say changes in assessment methods favours girls and disadvantages boys
Gorard found the gender gap was constant from 1975-1989 but increased the year coursework was introduced
Mitsos and Browne support this view and say girls do better because they’re more organised, take care in the way it’s presented and meet deadlines
GCSE + coursework pt. 2
More use of oral exams benefit girls because they have better language skills
Early socialisation helps girls get the skills like being tidy and patient
Elwood argues that coursework has some influence but exams have more influence on final grades
4) Teacher attention
Teachers interact differently with boys and girls
French found boys got more attention but francis says they’re also disciplined more and teachers have lower expectations
Swann found boys dominate class discussions but girls like pair and group work So teachers respond better and girls they’re cooperative but boys are disruptive This leads to self fulfilling prophecy and promotes girls self esteem and raises their achievement levels
5) Challenging stereotypes in the curriculum
Removing stereotypes from textbooks and learning materials have removed the barrier to girls achievement
Research into 1970s - 80s found that women were portrayed as housewife’s and mothers,
physics books showed them as scared of science
Maths showed boys as inventive
Weiner argues since 1980s teachers have challenged those stereotypes
Sexist images have also been removed
This shows a positive image of what women can do
6) Selection and league tables
Marketisation has created competitive environment where girls are more desirable because they get better results
Jackson argues this has improved opportunities for high achieving girls because they’re seen as more attractive compared to low achieving boys
Creates self fulfilling prophecy
Slee argues boys are seen less attractive because they’re more likely to have behavioural problems and 4 times more likely to be excluded
Boys are seen as liability students, obstacles to improving league table scores. They give schools a rough image deterring high achieving from applying
Two views of girls achievements
Liberal feminists celebrate the progress made. More progress will be made through Equal opportunities policies and overcoming stereotypes
Similar to functionalist view and meritocracy
Radical feminists are more critical. System is still patriarchal E. Sexual harassment
Even though there are more female heads males are still more likely to become heads
Identity, class and girls achievement
Whilst girls achieve more on average some girls are still unsuccessful like social class differences
Only 40.6% of girls eligible for FSM achieved 5 GCSEs A-c whilst 67.5% of those that don’t get FSM did
Symbolic capital
= the status and recognition we’re able to get from others
Archer argues one thing that causes conflict is w/c girls feminine identities and the values and ethos of the school conflicting
W/c got their symbolic capital from peers meaning they had to go against school rules which prevented them from getting qualifications
Included: Hyper heterosexual feminine identities Boyfriends Being loud Working class dilemmas
Hyper heterosexual feminine identities
Lots of girls tried to look glamorous E.g one girl spend £40 she earned a week from babysitting on her appearance
If they dressed up nice they avoided by called a tramp by female peer group for wearing wrong brands
Put they were punished by school for wearing too much makeup wearing wrong clothing
Teachers thought this prevented them from engaging with education
So other girls thought they were incapable of educational success and didn’t respect them. Symbolic violence = defining their culture as worthless
Archer says the ideal female pupil excludes many w/c girls
Boyfriends
For symbolic capital
But got in the way of school work
Lowered their aspirations
They lost interest in uni and studying masculine subjects
They aspire to have feminine jobs and settle down
Some girls even get pregnant and have to drop out
