Girls' Career Choices as a Product of a Gendered School Curriculum: The Zimbabwean Example
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| Title: | Girls' Career Choices as a Product of a Gendered School Curriculum: The Zimbabwean Example |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Mutekwe, Edmore, Modiba, Maropeng |
| Source: | South African Journal of Education. Aug 2012 32(3):279-292. |
| Availability: | Education Association of South Africa. University of Pretoria, Centre for the Study of Resilience, Level 3, Groenkloof Student Centre, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, George Storrar Road and Lleyds Street, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. Tel: +27-12-420-5798; Fax: +27-12-420-5511; Web site: http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/index |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 14 |
| Publication Date: | 2012 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Career Choice, Gender Differences, Case Studies, Discourse Analysis, Foreign Countries, Qualitative Research, Focus Groups, Equal Education, Extracurricular Activities, Classroom Environment, Sex Role, Sex Stereotypes, Teacher Attitudes, Occupational Aspiration, Females, Secondary School Students, Hidden Curriculum, Gender Bias, Participant Observation |
| Geographic Terms: | Zimbabwe |
| ISSN: | 0256-0100 |
| Abstract: | The unequal distribution of boys and girls in certain subjects studied at school and its consequent unequal distribution of men and women in the occupational structure suggest some failure by schools and teachers to institute adequate measures to ensure learning equity. In this study we sought to unmask factors in the Zimbabwean school curriculum that orient girls into not only pursuing different subjects at school, but also following careers in fields traditionally stereotyped as feminine. The study was qualitative and utilized an exploratory case study as the design genre. Data were collected through classroom and extra-curricular observations and focus group discussion sessions (FGDS) with girl pupils. A sample size of 40 participants comprising 20 sixth form school girls and 20 teachers was used. These were purposively sampled from four schools. To analyse data we used simple discourse analyses. The main findings of this study were that gender role stereotypes and the patriarchal ideology communicated through the hidden curriculum reflected teachers' attitudes and influence that contributed to girls' career aspirations and choices. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Number of References: | 39 |
| Entry Date: | 2017 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1136271 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The unequal distribution of boys and girls in certain subjects studied at school and its consequent unequal distribution of men and women in the occupational structure suggest some failure by schools and teachers to institute adequate measures to ensure learning equity. In this study we sought to unmask factors in the Zimbabwean school curriculum that orient girls into not only pursuing different subjects at school, but also following careers in fields traditionally stereotyped as feminine. The study was qualitative and utilized an exploratory case study as the design genre. Data were collected through classroom and extra-curricular observations and focus group discussion sessions (FGDS) with girl pupils. A sample size of 40 participants comprising 20 sixth form school girls and 20 teachers was used. These were purposively sampled from four schools. To analyse data we used simple discourse analyses. The main findings of this study were that gender role stereotypes and the patriarchal ideology communicated through the hidden curriculum reflected teachers' attitudes and influence that contributed to girls' career aspirations and choices. |
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| ISSN: | 0256-0100 |
