Outline and assess
sociological
explanations for
changes in educational
attainment by females.
Introduction
In the past
girls have
academically
underachieved
and at present
girls are over
achieving.
The job market - Half of
women in employment
in 1960 – in 2006, risen
to three quarters
Female
expectations – see
their role as more
than
mother/housewife
Sharpe
Sharpe’s research in
the early 1990’s
noted that girls
priorities had
changed over a 20
year span.
They no longer saw
marriage and children
as a priority, rather it
was a career which
dominated their
thoughts.
Sharpe conducted the
survey in 1976 then in
1994
In 1976 girl main
priorities started with
LOVE and ended with
CAREERS.
In 1994 she found
priorities had completely
changed with JOBS and
CAREERS leading with
LOVE AND MARRIAGE
losing the top positions.
Spender
Teachers give boys
and girls different
types of attention.
Girls are praised for
appearance, good
behaviour and neat work.
These qualities
are view less
highly than the
creativity or
individuality of
boys.
Colley
Found still
gender
differences in
option choices
despite the N.C
She argues this
affects students
perceptions of
subjects.
Jackson
Investigated a growing
culture of ‘laddishness’
among girls (aggression,
loudness, language,
drinking)
She used
questionnaires
and interviews
with year 9
pupils.
Girls adopt this behaviour
as it makes them seem
cool, and if they don't do
well, they can pretend it is
because they don’t care.
She believes this stems from
the competition between schools
and the pressure of girls to
perform in examination
Radical Feminist Views
Radical feminists
dispute changes
Primary schools may be
more feminine but males
dominate top positions
Girls progress in education is
not replicated in the job market
– still a glass ceiling women
earn about 80% of what men
earn
Boys may develop anti
school subcultures but this
is nothing new and they
tend to be working class.
General Facts
Mothers tend to read to their
children so it is seemed as a
feminine activity.
Girls often get books
for Christmas and
birthdays.
There has been a big shift in
society (feminism) and this
means girls have bigger
ambitions for their future.
Evaluation
Women are still seen as
primary carers for children
(maternity leave is longer than
paternity leave) and so may
have to work part-time or give
up work after having children.
Crisis of masculinity
(New Man, metrosexual,
retrosexual): Men are
unsure of their roles in
society.
Mac an Ghaill
Some feminists
concerned that girls
are still
underachieving.
This debate may also be
influenced social class as
well as gender – m/c
girls out perform any
other group.
Gilborn and Mirza
Class is still the most important
factor influencing differential
educational achievement, thought to
have twice the effect of ethnicity –
and 5 times that of gender
Marxists would argue that it is
nothing to do with gender and is
much more to do with class and
the capitalist society.