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Managing Gender Difference Issues within the
Design and Technology Workshop |
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School: Winifred Holtby
School Technology College |
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Fellow: Natalie Griffiths |
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Email: nat.griffiths@lineone.net |
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Aims: |
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To research gender difference
studies to date and produce an easily
understandable report that identifies
the different ways boys and girls learn
and perform, and why. |
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To research the interaction between
boys, girls and the resources and machinery
they use within the Design and Technology
workshop to identify trends. |
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To devise solutions that can be applied
within the Design and Technology workshop
to overcome gender difference issues. |
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To produce a teacher information pack
that will disseminate findings –
DVD-Rom and paper format. |
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Progress: |
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1. The research
I have completed to date has been of great
interest to me, mainly due to my own background
of being a female in a traditionally male
environment throughout my education and career.
I have read books and papers relating to neurological,
psychological and biological studies and have
gathered a great deal of research. The area
that appears to have the most extensive and
relevant studies is that of psychological
differences relating to gender identity, gender
role behaviour and gender role stereotypes.
I feel that this area has the greatest influence
on teenagers today, particularly when considering
expectations and examples set by culture and
the media. Due to the quantity of information
available, and my own interest, I have opted
to complete further research in this area
so have postponed completion of the information
pack report. |
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2. To fulfil
this aim I had intended to obtain video footage
from a year 7 class for analysis prior to
the summer break. This would also allow me
to familiarise myself fully with equipment.
Winifred Holtby School Technology College
generously agreed to provide monies for purchase
of the equipment prior to September to enable
me to do this but, unfortunately, delivery
was delayed until early July. I also applied
for and was successful in a new appointment
at Cottingham High School. It was clear that
my filming of classes regarding strategies
would take place at this school so it made
sense to postpone initial filming until then.
The summer break was still used to familiarise
myself with equipment, the ability for early
purchase still being of great benefit. |
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My new appointment at Cottingham
High began well and staff were supportive
of my project. I identified classes suitable
for filming and prepared to complete this
task. However, following observation within
the faculty, it became clear that there were
many staffing issues that would make the filming
of classes inappropriate. Within the first
couple of weeks of my appointment it was also
confirmed that the school was to have an Ofsted
inspection WB 6/12. I wanted to make use of
the equipment so decided to film some of my
own classes for the purpose of analysis during
staff development sessions in preparation
for the inspection. This proved to be very
successful and I produced a DVD for staff
by request. Staff also volunteered to have
their classes filmed for analysis following
the sessions and the equipment will continue
to be used in this way. I have found this
unexpected off shoot from the project enlightening
and rewarding and feel that a full project
such as this could benefit many schools. |
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This use of equipment was very
useful but did not solve the problem of needing
evidence that there were issues that needed
resolving regarding gender difference and
Design and Technology. I made the decision
to devise a questionnaire in order to confirm
my expectations, those being that girls lack
more confidence in the workshop than boys.
I had witnessed this many times but was rather
concerned that the questionnaire may contradict
my expectations – the results of a questionnaire
answered by pupils could give very different
results to anonymous filming. Thankfully the
results did demonstrate that boys were more
confident in the use of workshop tools and
machinery than girls although some of the
pupil comments I did find surprising. Some
boys were just as concerned about the noise
and dust in a workshop as girls and I realised
that I must not forget that many boys also
lack confidence and could benefit from my
strategies just as much as some girls. I myself
had been thinking in stereotypes! Overall
the pupils responded well to the questionnaire
and were enthusiastic in helping me with my
studies. Discussion was also prompted which
both the pupils and myself enjoyed and found
beneficial. |
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As further evidence that there
is a difference in the ways that boys and
girls learn and, consequently, achieve in
Design and Technology I wrote letters to three
major exam boards requesting the National
results regarding boys and girls achievement
within Design and Technology. Unfortunately
I have not yet received replies and, due to
the hectic nature of last term, have not yet
made further contact. I plan to do this during
the spring term and use the information obtained
in my initial report. |
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3. The strategies I intend
to employ to involve addressing the following; |
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levels of interest in
DT activities (designing and making)
– boys tend to rush design in
order to get to making activities more
quickly. Designing needs to be made
more appealing to boys, possibly through
a greater use of practical and computer
modelling. |
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presentation of the curriculum and
projects by the teacher – many
teachers underestimate the impact they
have on pupils when they first introduce
a scheme of work. An enthusiastic and
considered non-gender stereotype approach
is needed. |
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distribution of teacher attention
– girl’s lack of confidence
is often over-compensated for by the
teacher. |
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use of equipment and machinery –
boys tend to dominate the use of machinery,
particularly the most dangerous. They
have a tendency to ‘hog’
the equipment and machinery available
within the classroom. This could be
easily overcome by the introduction
of a structured ‘chit’ system
to manage pupil’s use of equipment.
Frequent skills based activities and
health and safety demonstrations could
be consciously employed to increase
girl’s confidence. |
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the curriculum materials presented
to the pupils – materials need
to be of a form that appeals to both
boys and girls. |
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use of workshop space – boys
can tend to dominate the workshop. |
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quality of interaction between boys
and girls during practical sessions
– pupils choose to sit in friendship
groups which automatically creates a
gender difference within the classroom.
Teachers often reinforce this unintentionally
by referring to groups of pupils as
‘lads’ and ‘girls’.
A simple seating plan could overcome
this, especially where a teacher has
an in depth knowledge of pupil personalities. |
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attitudes towards the quality of the
physical environment – all pupils,
but particularly girls, may respond
better to a workshop environment that
is well lit, has low noise and dust,
modern machinery and stimulating display. |
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My suggestions to overcome
these issues are based on research completed
during previous studies and personal experience.
The video footage to be recorded and analysed
during the spring term should verify these
issues, the strategies can then be verified
and put in place for further filming and analysis
during the summer term. Conclusions can then
be drawn and the pack completed. |
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4. Completion
of my information pack, now to include a DVD-Rom
rather than CD-Rom, is still planned for the
end of the summer break 2005, despite my new
appointment and Ofsted preparation. These
unanticipated occurrences have, however, affected
my original intention of producing a website
to support my studies. I had underestimated
the time it would take to view, edit and present
video footage so am unsure as to whether I
will have the time to also produce a website
of high quality within my timescale. |
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Anticipated Information Pack
Contents; |
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Written Information |
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Introduction to the project and Gatsby |
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Do boys and girls learn differently
in Design and Technology? (Reference
to video footage, exam board results) |
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Why? The Facts in Short (neurological,
biological and psychological theories) |
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How can we overcome this in the Design
and Technology workshop? (Reference
to video footage, copies of exemplar
materials, questionnaires, etc.) |
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DVD |
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Introduction to DVD (by pupils?) |
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Research verifying issues that need
addressing (video footage of class with
voice over) |
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Research demonstrating application
of strategies (video footage of class
with voice over) |
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Electronic copies of documentation/materials |
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Project Planning: |
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| Planned
Activities |
Initial
Completion Date |
Issues
/ actual progress |
Amended completion
date |
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familiarisation with equipment
• pilot filming to verify gender
issues |
July
‘04 |
•
delay in equipment delivery, familiarisation
took place during summer break
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new appointment Sept – decision
made to postpone pilot filming, all
filming to be undertaken in the same
school – pilot filming replaced
by questionnaire and staff development
footage
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Sept
’04
(familiarisation)
Dec ’04
(questionnaire)
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| • academic research
• preliminary report
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Sept
‘04 |
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research undertaken during summer hols,
decision to obtain further research
regarding psychological issues |
April
’05
(report completion) |
• production
teacher info (research findings), distribution
to colleagues to assess readability
and quality
• primary filming
of pupils (without strategies in place)
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Dec
‘04 |
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staffing issues prevented filming, equipment
used for development purposes prior
to Ofsted
• time restricted
considerably by new appointment and
Ofsted preparation
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June
’05
(production and distribution of teacher
info)
Feb ’05 (primary filming)
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• secondary filming
of pupils (with strategies in place)
• preliminary report re findings,
distribution to colleagues for feedback
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April
‘05 |
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information pack format/contents already
considered (Dec’04) |
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| • establish teacher
pack appearance and format, distribute
to colleagues to assess ease of use
and quality |
June
‘05 |
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website development may be omitted due
to time needed for DVD viewing, editing
and production |
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| • production
of complete teacher pack and development
of website |
Sept
‘05 |
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