ERIC Number: ED503282
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Dec
Pages: 148
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 0-8509-2845-1
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Boys' Underachievement in Education. An Exploration in Selected Commonwealth Countries
Jha, Jyotsna, Kelleher, Fatimah
Commonwealth of Learning, Triennial Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (15th, Edinburgh, Scotland, Oct 27-30, 2003) and (16th, Capetown, South Africa, Dec 10-14, 2006)
Gender disparity in education has usually been experienced as disadvantaging girls. Although this continues to be the case in many places, the phenomenon of boys' underachievement--both in terms of participation and performance--has also become an issue in a number of countries. This book reviews the research on boys' underachievement and presents the arguments that have been put forward to understand its causes. The authors also present new studies from Australia, Jamaica, Lesotho and Samoa; and they use both the research and the evidence from the case studies to explore the causes and policy implications of this trend--the first time a truly cross-regional approach has been applied to the issue. Dr. Tony Sewell conducted the studies in the selected Commonwealth countries. This research was part of the 15th triennial Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (15CCEM, 2003) agenda and reports to 16CCEM (2006) on how open and distance learning methodologies can alleviate the problem of boys' education in circumstances where under-achievement is evident. This book will interest all education policy makers and analysts concerned to ensure gender equality in school education. (The monograph is divided into two parts. Part I, Cross-Country Analysis, includes: (1) Introduction and Background; (2) What the Existing Literature Says; and (3) Varying Dimensions and Lessons Emerging from Selected Commonwealth Countries. Part II, The Case Studies, include: (4) Australia: Socialisation and Socio-Economics; (5) Jamaica: Alienation and High Drop-out Rates; (6) Lesotho: A Case of Under-Participation; and (7) Samoa: A Major Challenge to the Education System. List of Acronyms and Abbreviations, Foreword (Ann Keeling and Sir John Daniel), Bibliography and Author information is also included. Contains 19 footnotes, 3 figures and 21 tables.)
Descriptors: Distance Education, Underachievement, Foreign Countries, Case Studies, Males, Gender Differences, Equal Education, Student Participation, Public Policy, Open Education, Computer Uses in Education, Educational Policy, Cross Cultural Studies, Socioeconomic Influences, Dropout Rate, Masculinity, Feminism, Role Models, Single Sex Schools, Coeducation, Teacher Expectations of Students, Gender Bias
Commonwealth of Learning. 1055 West Hastings Suite 1200, Vancouver BC V6E 2E9, Canada. Tel: 604-775-8200; Fax: 604-775-8210; e-mail: info@col.org; Web site: http://www.col.org
Publication Type: Books; Reports - Evaluative; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Commonwealth of Learning
Identifiers - Location: Australia; Jamaica; Lesotho; Samoa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A