School subject changes trip up boys

An education researcher claims boys are not achieving because some school subjects were "reconstructed overnight" to favour girls.

Dr Paul Baker, rector at Waitaki Boys High School, Oamaru, presented the results of his research at the Challenging Boys conference yesterday.

He said he was asked to advise the Government on problems around boys' under-achievement, but became frustrated with a lack of action from the Ministry of Education.

His research showed that:

* In 1994 technical drawing became graphics and the gap went from an average of 0.6 per cent more boys passing to 10 per cent more girls passing.

* In 1998 workshop technology became design technology and the gap went from an average of 12 to 17 per cent.

Dr Baker said that as well as the curriculum, teaching and assessment were geared towards girls.

Success in assessment, particularly under the National Certificate of Educational Achievement, required understanding and meticulously meeting complex written instructions.

"It favours girls because of their superior language and organisational skills and ability to understand and deliver what others expect of them."

Dr Baker said there had been a shift from structured information-dense learning activities to open-ended, experiential, reflective activities.

"In subjects like technology and physical education boys want to 'make things' and 'do things'.

"They do not want to plan, write about their plan, keep a log or engage in post-modern deconstruction analysis."

Dr Baker also said there had been a huge drop in the number of male teachers.

In 1956, men made up 42 per cent of primary teachers and 59 per cent of secondary teachers. Today the comparative figures were 18 per cent and 42 per cent.

There was no evidence of a direct connection between teacher gender and student achievement, "but it has been suggested that more women led to a subliminal equation of education with femininity".

"Changes to the way we construct, teach and assess subjects did not cause the gender gap, but they are now contributing to it," he said.

Education Minister Steve Maharey said it was a "hard argument to advance" that the curriculum favoured girls.

Historically, it had been accused of favouring boys.

But there were elements that needed looking at to make sure boys were reaching their potential.

He said the issue of boys' performance was being taken "very seriously".

However, boys were not "failing" and overall performance was improving. "The gap is evident because girls are improving as well," he said.

The issue was complex and difficult to narrow down to gender when other factors were at play, such as wealth and ethnicity.

"The most important thing we are doing is ensuring we have the approach to teaching that relates to individual students' needs."