Gender and Gender and Educational AttainmentEducational Attainment

Why did girls Why did girls underachieve in the past?underachieve in the past?

Reasons for underachievement in Reasons for underachievement in girlsgirls

Diferential AccessDiferential Access School curricula used to be School curricula used to be

divided along gender lines, divided along gender lines, with girls directed into home with girls directed into home economics and other economics and other “feminine” subjects.“feminine” subjects.

Boys would be directed into Boys would be directed into more “masculine” subjects more “masculine” subjects such as woodworksuch as woodwork

Can you relate this to the Can you relate this to the “Hidden Curriculum”?“Hidden Curriculum”?

How would feminists view the How would feminists view the way subjects were divided?way subjects were divided?

Patriarchal IdeologyPatriarchal Ideology To retain male power in To retain male power in

society, women were directed society, women were directed into domesticity.into domesticity.

Many Victorians believed that Many Victorians believed that it was unnatural for women to it was unnatural for women to compete with men.compete with men.

This attitude persisted until This attitude persisted until the raising of feminist the raising of feminist consciousness in the 1970’s.consciousness in the 1970’s.

J W B Douglas, researching in J W B Douglas, researching in the 1960’s found that families the 1960’s found that families still gave financial priority to still gave financial priority to their sons’ educationtheir sons’ education

Socialisation of Girls and BoysSocialisation of Girls and Boys In 1974, the feminist Ann In 1974, the feminist Ann

Oakley examined the social Oakley examined the social construction of gender roles in construction of gender roles in Western societies Western societies

She concluded that feminine She concluded that feminine behaviour was not innate but behaviour was not innate but is a result of primary is a result of primary socialisationsocialisation

When girls are only given When girls are only given dolls and soft toys to play dolls and soft toys to play with, this “CANALISES” them with, this “CANALISES” them into accepting domestic and into accepting domestic and caring rolescaring roles

Socialisation of Girls and BoysSocialisation of Girls and Boys Oakley states that because Oakley states that because

boys are given boys are given construction kits and construction kits and chemistry sets this gives chemistry sets this gives them the opportunity to them the opportunity to practice spatial and practice spatial and scientific reasoning.scientific reasoning.

This gives boys an This gives boys an advantage in schoolwork advantage in schoolwork and better preparation for and better preparation for subjects such as Maths and subjects such as Maths and Science Science

Socialisation of boys and girlsSocialisation of boys and girls Oakley also noticed the Oakley also noticed the

“manipulation” of children’s “manipulation” of children’s self-concepts through the way self-concepts through the way that parents dressed their that parents dressed their children and paid more children and paid more attention to girls’ appearance.attention to girls’ appearance.

Children were made Children were made continually aware of gender continually aware of gender differences through phrases differences through phrases such as “good girl” and such as “good girl” and “brave boy”.“brave boy”.

These differences are These differences are reinforced through media reinforced through media stereotyping and sexist stereotyping and sexist practices at nursery and practices at nursery and schoolschool

ActivityActivity

Look at the handout “Gendered Look at the handout “Gendered learning outside and inside school”learning outside and inside school”

What are the implications of Murphy What are the implications of Murphy and Elwood’s data and Oakley’s and Elwood’s data and Oakley’s research on subject choice at school research on subject choice at school and educational attainment?and educational attainment?

Write a short evaluation of this Write a short evaluation of this research (no more than one side) research (no more than one side)