gender differences in education

equal pay act

makes it illegal for women to get payed less than men for work of equal value

sex discrimination act

outlaws discrimination at work

glass ceiling

invisible barrier that keeps women out of high level professional managerial jobs

McRobbie

study of girls magazines - in the 70s the magazines emphasised the importance of getting married and not being on the shelf whereas magazines nowadays contain images of independent women

name changes in the family since the 1970s

increase in divorce, cohabitation, lone parent families and having smaller families

sue sharpe

interviewed girls in 70s and the 90s and how there is a difference in how they see there future

sue Sharpe interview in the 70s findings

girls had low aspirations, they believed achieving highly in school was unfeminine and and unattractive

sue Sharpe interview in the 90s findings

girls ambitions had changed and wanted a career that would support themselves

fuller

agreed with sue Sharpe - believed girls saw educational success as their central aspect of their identities

name external factors for gender differences

changes in employment, impact of feminism, girls changing attitudes and changes in the family

name internal factors for gender differences

pupil identities, boys achievements, gender differences and subject choice

double standards

when we apply one set of moral standards to one group but a different set to another group

lees

identified double standards relating to sexual morality - boys boast about their own sexual exploits but call girls slags is they dont have a steady boyfriend or if the dress or talk differently

mac and ghaill

see the male gaze as a form of surveillance through which dominant heterosexual masculinity is reinforced and femininity is devalued - a way for boys to prove their masculinity to their friends

ringrose

did a small scale on 13-14 year old working class girls in wales

ringrose findings

being popular was crucial to the girls identity - as the girls made a transition from girls friendship culture to dating cuture

idealised feminine identity

showing loyalty to female peer groups

sexualised identity

involves competing for boys in the dating culture

boaler

sees the impact of equal opportunities policies as a key reason for changes in girls achievement - many of the barriers have been removed and schooling has become more meritocratic

jane and peter french

analysed classroom interactions, thy found that boys received more attention because they attracted more demands

Francis

found that boys got more attention but they were disciplined more harshly and felt picked on by teachers who tended to have lower expectations of them

Norman

believes that early socialisation shapes children’s gender identity - boys and girls are dressed differently, given different toys and encouraged to take part in different activities

byrne

believes that schools play large part in subject choice as boys are taught to tough and show initiative whereas girls are taught to be helpful, quiet and clean

kelly

argues that science is seen as a boys subject for multiple reasons and they are that science teachers are likely to be men and textbook examples are likely to be men

Colley

agrees with Kelly - thinks that computer studies is seen as masculine for 2 reasons and they are it involves working with machines (part of the make domain), the way it is taught is off putting to females

ciritcs of feminism

argue that policies to promote girls education are no longer needed - they believe that girls have it all and women are taking men’s jobs, they also believe that girls have succeeded at the expense of boys