Study: Gender still determining school subjects

Gender stereotyping is still evident at second-level schools across the country, a new study has revealed.

The latest research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) found young women and men were taking different subjects within the second-level education system – with marked differences in the take-up of technological subjects.

The ESRI said it was concerned with the lack of females taking the subjects woodwork, or materials technology, metalwork and technical graphics.

Emer Smyth, one of the authors of the study ’Gender and Subject Choice: Take-up of Technological Subjects in Second-Level Education’, said: “We looked at three subjects traditionally considered to be male, we found there were a number of factors shaping gender differences, one was whether the girls had access to the subjects in the schools they attended.”

Access to the three technological subjects varied with larger schools including vocational and community schools providing access but they were rarely offered in girls’ schools.

Ms Smyth said: “A lot of girls’ schools aren’t offering the subjects, no girls’ schools provided metalwork, only two provided material technology and 10% technical graphics.”

However, even where girls were attending schools where technological subjects were offered they were much less likely to take them than male students.

The authors, Ms Smyth and Merike Darmody, found strong gender stereotyping was evident in students’ attitudes to the technological subjects despite recent changes to make them more accessible to the entire student population.

The study, which was commissioned by the Gender Equality Unit of the Department of Education and Science, found some girls were reluctant to take the subjects as they considered them dirty, noisy and aimed at working towards becoming a craft worker.

Others did not want to be the only girl in a class of boys taking a technological subject.

The researchers, who carried out interviews with school principles, teachers and students, found many students challenged stereotyped views and felt technological subjects were suited to everyone.

“Some schools are timetabling metalwork against home economics and this is reinforcing the gender stereotyping,” she said.

In schools where students are not given a chance to try out the subjects, the study found they were reliant on information from parents and friends in making their choices.

However, the research showed if people do not have up-to-date information on what the subjects involve this can lead to greater gender stereotyping.

Ms Smyth said the study highlighted that greater gender equity in subjects could be achieved by encouraging a wider range of schools to provide technological subjects an allowing students to try out their subjects before making a choice.

It also pointed towards the importance of discouraging stereotyping in subject timetabling and providing clear information to students and parents on subject contents.