Gijsbert Stoet (2015)
Abstract
It is common knowledge that boys fall behind in school performance, and UK policy makers have addressed
this issue in the past decade. In fact, they seem committed to narrowing gender gaps of any
kind. This paper asks whether actual progress has been made in reducing the degree to which boys
fall behind, and also whether gender differences in subject preference have changed in the period 2001
to 2013. Using an analysis of British secondary-education exam data and a comparison with data from
the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), it is concluded that no progress has
been made: Boys attained fewer top grades in nearly all school subjects. Further, boys and girls continue
to choose elective school subjects along traditional interest lines. The problem of boys falling
behind is obscured by the finding that grades of all children have risen considerably in this period. However, a comparison of Mathematics and English exam grades with PISA data suggests that this
rise is due to grade inflation, not real improvement. The paper closes with recommendations for solutions
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen