Gender and Education. Explanations of gender differences in subject choice notes.

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Explanations of gender differences in subject choice.

  1. Early socialisation

Ann Oakley – gender role socialisation is the process of learning behaviour which is expected of males and females in society.  Fiona normal 1988 : they take part in different activities, dress differently etc. parents tend reward boys for being ACTIVE and girls for being passive/

Schools also play important role Eileen briyne 1979! Show boys how to behave tough and show initiative and not be weak or behave like sissies. Girls supposed to be quiet helpful clean tidy not rough or noisy.!

As a result of this different socialisation they develop different tastes in reading this results in different subject choices. Boys = science&maths... Girls=English!

Gender domains.

Naima Browne and carol ross (1991) childrens beliefs about gender domais shaped by early experiences and the expectations of adults!

Gender domains = tasks and activites that boys are girls see as male or female territory. Therefore relevant to their gender.! Fixing cars, looking after a child etc.

Children are confident in their own gender domain! Boys confident about cars girls confident about food nutrition!

Boys and girls also interpret tasks differently! Patricia Murphy 1991 set primary and lower secondary pupils open ended tasks e.g. design boats and vehicles and right adverts etc. boys designed it with weapons, little living accommodation whereas girls focused on social and domestic details

Boys designed sports cars and army vehicles wqhereas girls designed family cars!

Estate agent advert boys focused on masculine words such as garage space whereas girls focused on feminine space such as decor and kitchen design. This study shows girls and boys both interpret things differently even on thge same task. Girls = how people feel. Boys= how things are made to work. Explains why girls choose humanities and arts and boys choose sciences.

  1. Gendered subject images

Science = boys subject because..

Science teachers are likely to be men.

Examples in textbooks use boys interests.

In science lessons boys monopolise the apparatus and dominate the Laboratory acting as if its theirs. So is computer work as it involves working with machines. The way its taught is off putting to females. Tasks tend to be abstract and teaching styles formal. However same sex schools, less stereotyped subject images. Girls maths and science boys English = same sex schools!. Male dominated subjects to earn higher salaries.

  1. Peer pressure

Also influences by friends .. pressure applied if their friends disapprove of their choice! Girls that are sporty have to live with an image that contradicts their stereotype! Girls more likely to opt out of sport for this reason. American college students 1990 called girls lesbian or butch if they liked sports.

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Explains whys samesex schools has less pressure! (absence of boys).  Less pressure to conform to restrictive stereotypes of what subjects they can or cannot study.

  1. Gendered career opportunities.

Employment is highly gendered! Womens employment= clerical secretarial personal services and occupations such as cleaning by contrast only 1/6 male do these kind of jobs. For example boys understand that nursing is a womens career so they will be less likely to opt for a career in childcare and this will affect subject choices! Vocational courses therefore more gender specific as they are closer to students career plans.

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