Meritocracy could be construed to be flawed, as it is basing Australia to be a classless society that rewards its citizens for their abilities and talents. Kimball (1995) relates working concepts of meritocracy are closely linked to science. Science is believed to be true and objective, a more ‘meritorious’ type of knowledge that accurate people, methodologies and ideas. Science automatically assumes that science is elevated above other forms of knowledge which becomes apparent in scientists one way method of communication, and that there is nothing to be gained by a non scientific person (Kimball, 1995, p.141).
Science undergraduate courses are gender biased, gender socilaised and gender stereotyped. Academic success at tertiary level may …show more content…
There is a bias towards women whether conscious or not, of women perceived as not having tech skills or financial savvy. Pervasive attitudes towards maths are damaged beyond repair by the time girls get to high school and it is underestimated how small the differences atre, but are critical to understand. The power of stereotypes are not an illusion or a figment of a vivid imagination. Despite many attempts to find the differences, there is no definitive difference cognitively between the sexes. Male superiority in maths related subjects is often taken as fact, in conversations between teachers, school careers counsellors and parents.It is attitude and training that affects success between women and men in science and mathematical subjects not that women have less aptitude or are less intelligent than men or that there is a large quantifiable difference between the sexes (Barnett& Rivers 2005, …show more content…
215). Kahle studied studies of teachers who are successful in encouraging girls suggests that it is the way that teachers practice science education in their classrooms that makes a difference which then in turn acts positively on girls career choices (Kahle 2012, p.260). Science classes because of the inequal attention given to boys over girls even if a teacher is aware of his,her bias still results in boys receiving more of the teacher’s attention even if the teacher is aware of the personal bias. Kelly postulates that maintaining gender differences may not be primarily due to teacher interactions but due to the behaviour of the children themselves. If sex role sterotyped boys do not have the opportunity to see girls continually in a science context, learning cooperatively and sharing science resources equally, accepting girls achievement and enjoyment in maths and science then effective collaboration between the sexes may be impossible (Kahle 2012,
Science undergraduate courses are gender biased, gender socilaised and gender stereotyped. Academic success at tertiary level may …show more content…
There is a bias towards women whether conscious or not, of women perceived as not having tech skills or financial savvy. Pervasive attitudes towards maths are damaged beyond repair by the time girls get to high school and it is underestimated how small the differences atre, but are critical to understand. The power of stereotypes are not an illusion or a figment of a vivid imagination. Despite many attempts to find the differences, there is no definitive difference cognitively between the sexes. Male superiority in maths related subjects is often taken as fact, in conversations between teachers, school careers counsellors and parents.It is attitude and training that affects success between women and men in science and mathematical subjects not that women have less aptitude or are less intelligent than men or that there is a large quantifiable difference between the sexes (Barnett& Rivers 2005, …show more content…
215). Kahle studied studies of teachers who are successful in encouraging girls suggests that it is the way that teachers practice science education in their classrooms that makes a difference which then in turn acts positively on girls career choices (Kahle 2012, p.260). Science classes because of the inequal attention given to boys over girls even if a teacher is aware of his,her bias still results in boys receiving more of the teacher’s attention even if the teacher is aware of the personal bias. Kelly postulates that maintaining gender differences may not be primarily due to teacher interactions but due to the behaviour of the children themselves. If sex role sterotyped boys do not have the opportunity to see girls continually in a science context, learning cooperatively and sharing science resources equally, accepting girls achievement and enjoyment in maths and science then effective collaboration between the sexes may be impossible (Kahle 2012,