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Internal Factors - Gender & Educational Achivement (Equal…
Internal Factors - Gender & Educational Achivement
Equal Opportunities Policies
Wise & Gist = Encourage girls in male dominated subjects, opened up employment opportunities for girls in 'male stream' careers.
Sociologists argue due to the Feminist Movement the Education System has become much more 'Gender Aware'.
Policies based on gender equality -Much more 'mainstream' & gender stereotyping is becoming less of a problem.
Encouraged use of ' Gender Neutral' language & advice in subject options, careers advice & resource development.
Education Reform Act 1988 - National Curriculum = Girls & boys study same core subjects (meritocracy).
Weiner 1995 - Teachers are challenging gender stereotypes e.g. sexist images removed from textbooks & there is a more positive female imagery in resources.
Positive Role Models
More women are taking up positions of high responsibility positions in education system e.g. Head Teachers.
P. Schools = 'Feminised' system which may instil notions of 'Gender Domain' in young Pupils from early age.
Females now have more positive role models within the education system which may help to explain their educational achievement.
GCSE & Coursework
Assessments may favour girls rather than boys.
Gorard 2005 - 'Gender Gap' in success rates increased in academic year of 1988/9, introduction of GCSE's which brought with it more coursework based assessments.
'Gender Gap' = 'Product of the Changed System of Assessment'.
Mitsos & Browne - 1988 (support Gorard) coursework suits girls because..
Spend more time on work than boys.
Take more care in presentation.
More organised.
Develop better speaking & listening skills (useful in oral exams).
Girls mature quicker than boys.
Teacher Attention, Stereotyping & Labelling
Dale Spender 1983 - Boys actually received more attention in the classroom.
Francis 2001 - Boys more likely to be disciplined than girls, therefore, attention is not always productive.
Swann 1998 - Boys dominate class discussions & girls more likely to work quietly.
Groddal 1994 - Boys more likely to attract teachers attention as they are more boisterous & disruptive.
Selection & League Tables
1988 Education Reform Act introduced 'Market Principles' into education.
Aim - instigate competition between schools in order to 'Raise Standards'.
Funding Formula & League Tables = Pressure on schools to perform in order to raise their league position to attract students = funding therefore, schools favour girls as they achieve better results (boys are 'liabilities').
Best schools can be more selective & recruit more girls therefore a SFP might kick in.
Feminists
Liberal Feminists - see these 'improvements' as a positive step in breaking down gender inequality, arguing it shows meritocracy is a reality.
Radical Feminists - More critical, see the education system as Patriarchal & suggest..
Sexual harassment of girls still continues.
Females subject choices are still restricted.
Male teachers still more likely to be heads of S schools.
History subjects ='Women free zones' according to Weiner 1993.
AO3
Jannette Elwood 2005 - Exams are more important than coursework & therefore, the argument that coursework has effected girls achievement is flawed.
Assumes that Labelling & Stereotypes always stick (too deterministic).
Females are still generally paid less than males in employment.
Lobban 1974 - Out of 179 stories used in P schools, females usually represented in traditional domestic roles.