Gender and education

The F-word: How bright-sidedness overshadows feminist talk in schools.

by Laura Pinto

Schools/Our Selves, 20 (5) (105), 47-58

Only connect: troubling oppositions in gender and mathematics

by Heather Mendick

Originally published in 2005 in the International Journal of Inclusive Education, 9(2), 161-180. (Reprinted in the online Philosophy of Mathematics Education journal)
In 2012 I read this in Jeanette Winterson's book 'Why be happy when you can be normal?' which expresses, more eloquently and succinctly, what I was trying to say in this paper:
"There is still a popular fantasy, long since disproved by both psychoanalysis and science, and never believed by any poet of mystic, that is possible to have a thought without a feeling. It isn't.
"When we are objective we are subjective too. When we are neutral we are involved. When we say 'I think' we don't leave our emotions outside the door. To tell something not to be emotional is to tell them to be dead."

This paper focuses on the ways in which many researchers working in the area of gender and mathematics make sense of... more This paper focuses on the ways in which many researchers working in the area of gender and mathematics make sense of their data. In particular, it is argued that their use of the oppositional framing, separation versus connection (and others, such as cognition versus affect and objective versus subjective), operates to fix difference, and so to fix gender and mathematics within a structure of binary thinking that ultimately serves to re/produce gender inequalities. The aim is to suggest a more productive approach to understanding the continued gendering of participation in mathematics. This approach is based in deconstructing these oppositional patterns. This theoretical approach is illustrated using readings of interviews with two young mathematics students, Analia and Phil, talking about their relationships with the subject. The paper ends by looking at what this unfixing of difference means for mathematics pedagogy.

Discourses of Women Scientists in Online Media: Towards New Gender Regimes

by Heather Mendick

Co-authored with Marie-Pierre Moreau and drawing on work funded by the UKRC

The under-representation of girls and women among those studying and working in science, engineering and technology... more The under-representation of girls and women among those studying and working in science, engineering and technology (SET) is a well-documented phenomenon. However, despite the widespread use of the internet in most Western societies, there is a dearth of research examining discourses of women scientists in online media. In this paper, we explore how the ‘gender regimes’ of online SET can be deemed transformative or, on the contrary, reproduce some of the most common clichés about men and women found in the wider ‘gender order’ (Connell, 1987). To do this, we explore in a systematic manner the construction of women and men in SET within 16 websites, with a particular focus on discourses of women in SET. We argue that the ‘gender regimes’ of these online SET spaces have failed to generate a more gender equal view of scientists. Yet, we also identify a variety of gender regimes across websites, both in terms of the numerical presence of women scientists and of the way they are represented, something which highlights the egalitarian potential of online media.

Constructions of mathematicians in popular culture and learners’ narratives: a study or mathematical and non-mathematical subjectivities

by Heather Mendick

This paper was co-authored with Marie-Pierre Moreau and Debbie Epstein. This paper was published in the Cambridge Journal of Education in 2010, volume 40, issue 1, pages 25-38. If your library subscribes then the hyperlink will take you to where you can access the paper. If not, then email me and I'll send you a copy.

In this paper, based on a project funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council considering how people... more In this paper, based on a project funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council considering how people position themselves in relation to popular representations of mathematics and mathematicians, we explore constructions of mathematicians in popular culture and the ways learners make meanings from these. Drawing on an analysis of popular cultural texts, we argue that popular discourses overwhelmingly construct mathematicians as white, heterosexual, middle-class men, yet also construct them as 'other' through systems of binary oppositions between those doing and those not doing mathematics. Turning to the analysis of a corpus of 27 focus groups with school and university students in England and Wales, we explore how such images are deployed by learners. We argue that while learners' views of mathematicians parallel in key ways popular discourses, they are not passively absorbing these as they are simultaneously aware of the clichd nature of popular cultural images.

Mathematical stories: why do more boys than girls choose to study mathematics at AS-level in England?

by Heather Mendick

This paper was published in 2005 in British Journal of Sociology of Education, 26(2), 225-241. The hyperlink will give you access to the paper if your library subscribes to the journal - otherwise the version that I've uploaded is virtually the same as the one that was published.

In this paper I address the question: How is it that people come to choose mathematics and in what ways is this... more In this paper I address the question: How is it that people come to choose mathematics and in what ways is this process gendered? I draw on the findings of a qualitative research study involving interviews with 43 young people all studying mathematics in post-compulsory education in England. Working within a post-structuralist framework, I argue that gender is a project and one that is achieved in interaction with others. Through a detailed reading of Toni and Claudia's stories I explore the tensions for young women who are engaging in mathematics, something that is discursively inscribed as masculine, while (understandably) being invested in producing themselves as female. I conclude by arguing that seeing 'doing mathematics' as 'doing masculinity' is a productive way of understanding why mathematics is so male dominated and by looking at the implications of this understanding for gender and mathematics reform work.

Schizoid subjectivities?: Re-theorising teen-girls’ sexual cultures in an era of ‘sexualisation’,

by Jessica Ringrose

Regulation and Rupture: Mapping Tween and Teenage Girls' Resistance to the Heterosexual Matrix

by Jessica Ringrose

Teacher Quality, Gender and Nationality in the UAE: A Crisis for Boys

by Natasha Ridge

While much attention within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been paid to the poor quality of school education, the... more While much attention within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been paid to the poor quality of school education, the discussion has yet to move beyond Western conceptions of issues related to teacher quality and student achievement. School inspections conducted in Dubai (KHDA 2009) found that government schools, and boys’ schools in particular, were the worst performing schools in the Emirate, a finding supported by the 2007 TIMSS results and by Ministry of Education (MOE) examination results for the UAE as a whole. However, despite rising concerns about the poor performance of boys, policy makers to date have failed to examine the quality of the expatriate, male teachers who are largely responsible for teaching them.
This paper looks at teacher quality within the UAE, casting it as a function of teacher background characteristics, school characteristics and institutional characteristics. The data used was gathered from teacher observations, student surveys and teacher questionnaires conducted in eight MOE secondary schools. The paper finds that there are deficiencies in the recruitment, training and ongoing management of male, expatriate teachers which may explain, at least in part, the poor performance and retention of boys.

The Hidden Gender Gap in Education in the UAE

by Natasha Ridge

An increasing number of global comparison studies rank countries on everything from carbon footprint to educational... more An increasing number of global comparison studies rank countries on everything from carbon footprint to educational performance to gender equality. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a focus on improving competitiveness has coupled with growing attention to gender issues to ensure that two reports published annually by the World Economic Forum (WEF) have received significant attention. While useful in many respects, global comparisons such as the WEF’s Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) and the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) fail to capture a growing gender gap in education that is adversely affecting males in the UAE.
This brief will examine current trends in gender and education in the UAE, as well as possible explanations for the male gender gap. It will outline why a gender gap which adversely affects males should be of concern to policy makers in the UAE and the region at large, highlighting some of the problems surrounding the use of global comparison reports. The brief concludes with recommendations on how to address the situation.

G.I. Joe meets Barbie, software engineer meets caregiver: Males and females in B.C.’s public schools and beyond

by Anny Schaefer

Executive summary: http://annyschaefer.net/publications/GI_JoeExSumm.htm

This research report is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, it draws together some of the information that... more This research report is not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, it draws together some of the information that currently exists on the status of male and female students in British Columbia—or Canada or another jurisdiction when B.C. data are not available—before and after completing or leaving the public school system. The primary purpose of this report is to provide accurate and timely data to inform public dialogue around the experiences of males and females in B.C.’s public-education system.

Following a discussion of perceptions of the issue in other jurisdictions, and certain conceptual issues, general demographics are presented for students (“Enrolment”) and teachers, administrative officers, and other educators (“Educators”). Graduation standings and drop-out rate have been combined into one section, “Secondary school completion.” Secondary school course enrolment by gender is no longer collected; the most recent data, as well as other indicators, are presented in “Course enrolment and achievement” to create a picture of gender issues related to course choices and achievement.

“Special needs and gender” summarizes special needs designations among male and female students. Post-secondary attendance and faculty enrolment at universities and colleges are both included in “Post-secondary indicators.” A section entitled “Health” includes information on sex education in the province as well as a number of other health issues. “Crime and violence” depicts differences in male and female criminal behaviour and victimization. Finally, “Economic and labour indicators” compares male and female social and economic status more broadly.

The report concludes with a summary and discussion of the findings.

The impact of inter-generational change on the attitudes of working-class South Asian Muslim parents on the education of their daughters

by Tahir Abbas

co-authored with Aisha Ijaz

This paper presents the findings of ethnographic research into inter-generational attitudinal change of parents... more This paper presents the findings of ethnographic research into inter-generational attitudinal change of parents towards the education of young British Muslim women. Based on in-depth interviews with parents of different generations, given social class and ethnicity, there is a universal belief in the importance of education for young Muslim women per se, with economic and cultural factors significant in shaping this sentiment. A range of important differences in attitudes towards Islamic schooling and mainstream education, and questions relating to marriage, however, were found. There are complex issues of identity and religion among Muslims in relation to educational issues, but there has been a move towards Islamisation among both generations; the first generations through a form of cultural traditionalism and the second generations through Islamic conservatism. Although this finding is based on a study of a relatively small and isolated working-class Muslim community in a declining post-industrial town in the West Midlands, it is argued that this Islamisation places both particular risks and opportunities in relation to young Muslim women in education in such isolated and disaffected communities which have a wider conceptual, theoretical and policy impact.

The impact of inter-generational change on the attitudes of working-class South Asian Muslim parents on the education of their daughters

by Tahir Abbas

co-authored with Aisha Ijaz

This paper presents the findings of ethnographic research into inter-generational attitudinal change of parents... more This paper presents the findings of ethnographic research into inter-generational attitudinal change of parents towards the education of young British Muslim women. Based on in-depth interviews with parents of different generations, given social class and ethnicity, there is a universal belief in the importance of education for young Muslim women per se, with economic and cultural factors significant in shaping this sentiment. A range of important differences in attitudes towards Islamic schooling and mainstream education, and questions relating to marriage, however, were found. There are complex issues of identity and religion among Muslims in relation to educational issues, but there has been a move towards Islamisation among both generations; the first generations through a form of cultural traditionalism and the second generations through Islamic conservatism. Although this finding is based on a study of a relatively small and isolated working-class Muslim community in a declining post-industrial town in the West Midlands, it is argued that this Islamisation places both particular risks and opportunities in relation to young Muslim women in education in such isolated and disaffected communities which have a wider conceptual, theoretical and policy impact.

Silenced gender: The construction of a male primary educator

by Celia Oyler

Teacher Education Program Bias Towards Male Pre-service Teachers

by Elvis Sanchez

A Research Proposal
Presented in Partial Fulfillment of
EDU 501 Research in Education
Lee University, Cleveland Tennessee

Sumsion (2005) stated that early childhood education persisted in being the most “gender-skewed” of all occupations.... more Sumsion (2005) stated that early childhood education persisted in being the most “gender-skewed” of all occupations. Apprehensions about the possible repercussions of this gender imbalance led to several international calls for the increase of male participation in early childhood education (Sumsion, 2005).According to Cunningham and Watson (2002) “a major barrier to men becoming early childhood teachers is the pervasive belief in our society and in our profession that men are less able to care for and educate young children than are women (Kennedy, 1991; Neugebauer, 1994). This belief can affect hiring decisions, teacher education programs, and career counseling” (p. 10). Consequently, the problem this paper will address is whether there is a bias in teacher education programs and whether their actions are detrimental to male enrollment in elementary education programs. The purpose of this study is to determine if teacher education programs are a specific factor deterring male teachers from pursuing elementary education. This study could help provide strategic information to help colleges “set the tone and create the expectation
that male teachers will be welcomed and supported in early childhood education settings” (Cunningham & Watson, 2002, p. 10). It can also help academic institutions shape their policies, visions, or mission statements to reflect that men are supported in the full range of academic majors offered in education programs, including elementary and early childhood education. At the very least, teacher education programs will hopefully check their attitudes by evaluating their beliefs and assumptions about men pre-service teachers. This could help colleges recognize the “[importance] for teacher educators to assess the culture and environment of their classes” (Cunningham & Watson, 2002, p. 13) and thus avoid deterring male enrollment in teacher education programs. Further, the discovery of any bias or deterring actions in teacher education programs can be used to make recommendations to enhance recruiting efforts by local colleges and universities.

Engaging with the Bailey Review: blogging, academia and authenticity

by Jamie Heckert

Co-authored with Feona Attwood, Meg Barker, Sara Bragg, Danielle Egan, Adrienne Evans, Laura Harvey, Gail Hawkes, Naomi Holford, Jan Macvarish, Amber Martin, Alan McKee, Sharif Mowlabocus, Susanna Paasonen, Emma Renold, Jessica Ringrose, Ludi Valentine, Anne Frances Watson and Liesbet van Zoonen. Published in Psychology & Sexuality, 2011.

This article reproduces and discusses a series of blog posts posted by academics in anticipation of the report on... more This article reproduces and discusses a series of blog posts posted by academics in anticipation of the report on commercialisation, sexualisation and childhood, ‘Letting Children Be Children’ by Reg Bailey for the UK Department of Education in June 2011. The article discusses the difficulty of ‘translating’ scholarly work for the public in a context where ‘impact’ is increasingly important and the challenges that academics face in finding new ways of speaking about sex in public.

Redefining Muslim Women: Aga Khan III’s Reforms for Women’s Education.

by Shenila Khoja-Moolji

Published in South Asia Graduate Research Journal. Volume 20. University of Texas at Austin.

In the history of Muslim India, the late nineteenth and early twentieth century formed a period that witnessed intense... more In the history of Muslim India, the late nineteenth and early twentieth century formed a period that witnessed intense public contestation over the role of women in society. Against that background, this article explores the writings and institutional initiatives of the forty-eighth Imam (spiritual leader) of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III, with reference to women’s education. It compares and contrasts his thinking with the foundational texts on women’s education written by four other prominent Muslim leaders of that time period: Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Nazir Ahmed, Mumtaz Ali and Ashraf Ali Thanawi. An analysis of the writings demonstrates that the Aga Khan’s approach was markedly different; while other leaders saw women’s roles primarily in the domestic sphere, as dependent daughters, wives or mothers, the Aga Khan recognized the dignity of women as individuals worthy in and of themselves and not simply due to the function that they performed in society. He, thus, not only advocated for women’s education to promote their socioeconomic well-being but also argued for it as a basic right that could promote inner happiness through intellectual growth. The article discusses a variety of factors that may have influenced the Aga Khan’s thoughts, including exposure to first-wave feminism, and concludes with the implications of his reforms for Ismaili women today.

Skolan och det engagerade föräldraskapet: Självstyrningens dynamik

by Lucas Gottzén

[School and involved parenthood: The dynamics of self-governing] In Bergman, H., Eriksson, M., & Klinth, R. (eds.) Föräldraskapets politik. Stockholm: Dialogos, 2011.

A role-model for whom? Case studies of two male primary school student teachers’ constructions of themselves as teachers of science.

by Anna Danielsson

Submitted for peer review
Contact me for a draft!

This paper investigates intersections of gender and the teaching and learning of science in case studies of two male... more This paper investigates intersections of gender and the teaching and learning of science in case studies of two male primary school student teachers, exploring how these student teachers negotiate identities as teachers of science. In exploring how primary school student teachers ‘do gender’ in their constitution of teacher identities, the project works from dual, but integrated, theoretical starting points. Firstly, the project is founded in a feminist post-structural understanding of gender as performative, something ‘done’ in a social context rather than an inherent characteristic of a person. Secondly, learning is, following situated learning theory, conceptualised as involving the constitution of an identity. Empirically, the paper draws on semi-structured interviews with two Swedish primary school student teachers specialising in science. The paper explores the two student teachers’ classed and gendered interpretations of (school) science, in particular how they use these interpretations a means for them as male teachers to fit into the femininly connotated primary teacher role. The findings are then used to discuss some implications for teacher education.

Spacing Herself: Women In Education

by Maria Tamboukou

Reprinted in Joyce Goodman and Jane Martin, eds. (2010) Women in Education: Major Themes (in press)

Of Other Spaces: Women's Colleges at the Turn of the Century

by Maria Tamboukou

This article explores the first British university-associated women's colleges at the turn of the nineteenth century.... more This article explores the first British university-associated women's colleges at the turn of the nineteenth century. Drawing on Foucault, the article looks into the dualistic opposition between private and public, as well as women's attempts to transcend this dichotomy. In theorising women's colleges as Foucauldian heterotopias, spaces in the interstices of power relations and dominant social structures, the author focuses on the interplay of contradicting discourses and strong power relations within these women's colleges. In this light, the author considers the ways women resisted, negotiated, but also compromised in their attempt to shape their lives and invent new ways of being in the world.