Sheelagh Drudy

Gender balance/gender bias: the teaching profession and the impact of feminisation

The teaching of young children has long been dominated by women. This global phenomenon is firmly rooted in issues relating to economic development, urbanisation, the position of women in society, cultural definitions of masculinity and the value of children and childcare. There have been expressions of concern by the media, by government ministers, and others, in a number of countries about the level of feminisation of the teaching profession. This paper focuses on this important issue. It reviews current research and critically analyses international patterns of gender variations in the teaching profession and considers why they occur. It gives particular consideration to a number of key questions that have arisen in debates on feminisation: Do boys need male teachers in order to achieve better? Do boys need male teachers as role models? Are female teachers less competent than male teachers? Does feminisation result in a reduction in the professional status of teaching?

Developing an inclusive system in a rapidly changing European society

This paper uses Ireland – one of Europe’s most rapidly changing societies – as a case study and examines progress towards an inclusive education system. It explores policy and progress on developing an inclusive system under a number of key headings: social class, ethnicity, gender and disability. On the basis of analysis of official statistics and of research evidence from a study of the inclusion of children with disabilities and special educational needs, this paper assesses whether the impact of recent state policy and legislative change has significantly increased the degree of inclusion in the education system under the four headings. There is a particular focus on the area of disability. The particular questions explored in this paper are whether the unprecedented changes which have taken place in Ireland since the mid‐1990s have resulted in a more inclusive system, an increase in equality, and an increase in inclusive practices in schools. On the basis of the available evidence, the results appear to be mixed.

Gender differences in entrance patterns and awards in initial teacher education

This paper explores a number of themes relating to gender and teaching. The existing balance of women and men in the teaching profession in Ireland and internationally is examined; patterns at entry to initial teacher education in Ireland are outlined; gender differences in final awards are presented; finally, sociological questions raised by these trends are discussed. The international figures on teaching presented imply that the feminisation of teaching is a historical and economic process as much as it is a social, psychological or educational one. What is clear from the analysis of the feminisation of teaching presented here is that prior educational achievement by young men plays a significant role in their patterns of entry into initial teacher education. The lower levels of achievement by men also extend to the levels of award taken in their initial teacher education courses. However, higher educational achievement by women in undergraduate university courses is not confined to initial teacher education but is to be found in almost all disciplinary areas.

The Classification of Social Class in Sociological Research

The problem of the classification of social class has long been a thorny one in sociological research. This is particularly so where there is any attempt to make empirical research reflect theoretical debates. In particular, the use of census classifications and social class scales has been fraught with difficulties. Is there, then, any sense, or indeed any circumstances, in which such classifications can be used as an indication of class in an empirical investigation? Indeed, how much difference does it make what scales are used? These problems are the central preoccupation of this paper. The discussion begins with a brief review of the theoretical approaches to the topic of class to be found in sociological theory. Then a number of commonly used occupational classifications are outlined. Finally, the results of a case study of school-leavers, and their occupational choices, are used to illustrate the use of four scales derived from different theoretical perspectives.

Developments in the Sociology of Education in Ireland 1966–1991

According to the author, in this article of twenty-five years of Irish sociology of education he had chosen to take as a point of departure the publication in the Republic of the OECD report on the Irish educational system, Investment in Education, in 1966. This was a landmark in Irish education, and from the point of view of Irish sociology there are some ironies in this. It was the first comprehensive analysis of the educational system in the Republic. It highlighted many of the problems and deficiencies within the system and was the forerunner and the inspiration of many of the great changes, which were to take place during the following years. As regards analytical weakness, it is obviously difficult to generalize about a large number of studies. There are variations. What is very clear about Irish sociology is its very strong empirical tradition. While there is nothing wrong with empiricism in it, indeed any body of knowledge would be impoverished without it, there is clearly room in Irish sociology of education for greater grappling with theoretical issues and for the more widespread use of ethnographic techniques of investigation. There is also a need at this point; the author argues, for a re-examination of the influence of agencies external to the state on educational developments, in particular the influence of agencies of the European Community.