Diversity: from Stereotype to Discrimination The gender-inequality school

“A girl doesn’t need maths, does she!” The influence of schools on the interest of girls in technical subjects … a study by Bettina Jansen-Schulz Teaching staff highlighted the following performance related behaviour of girls and boys in the subjects computer science mathematics:

Boys dominate during computer science lessons Boys dominate during computer science lessons. They take over the computers and relegate girls to being “assistants”, bluff using technical jargon and label girls as “unfeminine” if they show an interest in computers.

Although the actual performance of girls and boys is the same, their perception of performance is quite different. Girls assess their performance quite realistically, whilst boys overestimate their performance. These differing self- assessments are a result of gender role stereotyping, whereby girls always assume that boys are better in scientific and technical subjects, despite this not actually being the case at all in practice.

Because girls regard themselves as inferior from the start they are less motivated to perform well in mathematics, science and technical subjects. Their self-confidence reduces and consequently their learning experience is diminished in these subject areas.

Both female and male students view boys as being more successful and capable in physics and mathematics, even when the objective overview of exam results does not support this conclusion.

The content of scientific subjects is not orientated towards the interests of girls in learning about explanations for natural phenomena, but it is rather more focussed on the technical “equipment interest” of boys, whereby this once again benefits boys due to their previous technical knowledge gained in the classroom.

Girls and boys are treated differently by physics teachers: boys are more likely to be supported and encouraged, also when carrying out practical experiments, whilst girls are “left alone” and are at best only able to assist with experiments. Thus the perceived stereotyped role that boys are more able in mathematics and science becomes reinforced even further.

The influence of teaching staff on gender-specific behaviour during lessons and on the self-assessment and self-confidence of students, as well as on the associated choice of further studies, field of study and career, is barely perceived by students and is also considerably underestimated by teaching staff themselves.

Academic success is viewed differently by boys and girls due to their own self- perception and estimation of their own capabilities. Students reduce their successes to internal abilities, thus allowing them to build up a stable feeling of self worth. Girls base their successes on coincidental components and external conditions such as luck, diligence and hard work, whereby these lead to an unreliable self-concept.

Girls are called upon by teachers less often during lessons (30%, boys 70%). If teachers are made aware of this and change their approach, the proportion can change to 40%-60% but then the boys immediately feel massively disadvantaged.

During the study boys displayed a tendency to question and negate the abilities of both girls and female teachers.

Due to the competitive and disruptive behaviour of boys on the one hand and the accommodating and cooperative behaviour of girls on the other hand boys and girls learn differently.

Exercise What consequences do you think “gender-biased” teaching in schools can have for the career-orientation of boys and girls? Can schools contribute to creating gender equality, thus making diversity easier to implement within organisations?