Asst. Prof. Gandhi Shikshan Bhavan‟s, Smt. Surajba College of Education, Juhu (North) Mumbai-400049 e-mail: [email protected]
INTRODUCTION
The term Gender is often confused with the term sex. HoweverThey are different concepts. Sex is a biological concept, determined on the basis of individual‘s primary sex characteristics whereas Gender refers to the meanings, values, and characteristics that people assign to different sexes.1 Gender roles are based on the different expectations that people have for males and females based on their sex and based on each society‘s values and beliefs about gender. These roles are the determinedon the basis of the connections between individuals and their environmentsand they give individuals cues about what sort of behaviour is believed to be appropriate for what sex. Hence, Gender is referred to as a social construction.
Conventionally societies have believed that women are more nurturing than men. Therefore, the traditional view of the feminine gender role prescribes that women should behave in ways that are nurturing. One way that a woman might absorb in the traditional feminine gender role would be to nurture her family by working full-time within the home rather than taking employment outside of the home. Men, on the other hand, are accepted by traditional views of gender roles to be leaders. The traditional view of the masculine gender role, therefore, suggests that men should be the heads of their households by providing financial backing for the family and making important family decisions. A traditional gender role orientation emphasizes differences between men and women and assumes that each sex has a natural affinity to particular behaviors. Those who maintain a traditional gender role orientation are likely to be influenced by the rules and rituals of the generations that came before them, by their parents and grandparents.
Need and Significance of the Study
In the course of gender socialization, sincebirth,children learn gender stereotypes and roles from their parents and environment. In a traditional view, males learn to manipulate their
UGC Approved Sr. No. 49366
Special Issue Of The Lords Universal College of Education Mar-Apr, 2018, Vol- 7/46 Page 56
physical and social environment through physical strength or dexterity, while girls learn to present themselves as objects to be viewed. These traditional views and observations from the family and the society around create a belief system in the students about particular ways of behaviour and assume that teachers and nurses are women, and thatpilots, doctors, and engineers are men. Besides this, women are also kept out of decision making in family which is learnt by students and this continues.
We live in a 21st Century where education is an agent of social change. Even though the influence of family is on children, it is the duty of teachers to see that if the students have wrong and biased beliefs brought gender roles they need to be eliminated from the minds of the students so that we have a society which gives equal opportunities to girls and accept them in the various gender roles which have been dominated by the boys. Thus author wished to find out if certain programmes are conducted in the school to create awareness about the gender roles in order to eliminate traditional views from the minds of the students. Hence a study was conducted to see the effect of the planned programmes related to belief system about gender roles on the students attitude towards gender beliefs of the students of std 8th of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan School.
A number of studies have been conducted on gender role and mainly these studies were surveys and reporting of facts observed through the survey. The study undertaken was experimental with the view of changing the mindset related to gender roles among the students.
The aim of this research work was to develop lessons for students of Std 8th related to
gender roles and test their effect on the belief about of the students towards the same. Following objectives were considered for the study:
1. To prepare lessons with reference to belief about gender roles in students 2. To study the effect of the lessons on the belief about gender roles in students
The Null hypothesis stating that there is no significant difference in the belief of students under study towards gender roles as reflected in their pre- test and post- test scores of the opinionnarre administered before and after the treatment.
Methodology of the study:
Investigator used the Quasi-experimental research design with single group pre and post test design to study the effect of the developed lessons on the belief system of the students towards gender roles. Target group comprising of 50 students of Std. VIII of Dr. Sarvapalli
UGC Approved Sr. No. 49366
Special Issue Of The Lords Universal College of Education Mar-Apr, 2018, Vol- 7/46 Page 57
Radha Krishnan School situated in Malad area was selected by using incidental sampling technique as the investigator had to conduct a study in a stipulated time and collect the data. Self-develop edopinionairre consisted of 24 statements on which the students had to respond as per their belief about the gender roles and occupations undertaken by the girls and boys before and after the treatment.
Five days long programme was conducted using interactive strategies like dramatization, debate and discussion. Students were shown the video clips on women achievers who went against the stereotyping and traditionally assigned roles of a woman and made their mark in the field that were believed to be men‘s forte on the basis of determined characteristics like strength, decision making capacities etc.
Students debated on the issues related to set gender roles. Acts on how roles are fixed in the human system since birth in the minds of children through formal and informal education consciously or sub-consciously that transforms into the belief formation about the typical gender roles. Students being at the age of exploring and experimenting on the traditional values and teachings were mentally prepared to change their perceptions and outlook towards this issue as well. The follow-up discussion proved very meaningful for them to get clarity on different doubts they already had in mind.
This resulted in rejecting of the null hypothesis that was tested using t test on means of the scores obtained from pre and post-tests which is reflected in the following table and its description below it.
Table 1
The calculated ‗t‘ was found to be significant at 0.01 level. Hence the null hypothesis was not accepted that implies the traditionally set beliefs can be changed through proper training. The lessons and discussions in the class had brought about a change in the belief of the students related to gender roles. Students accepted that if a nation has to progress, it is very essential for women and girls to be empowered and they should be involved in decision making and should be given a chance to join or take up professions that they like. Girls
Group N Mean Σ σm df t
Pre-test 51 15 2.3
0.32 100 10.4**
UGC Approved Sr. No. 49366
Special Issue Of The Lords Universal College of Education Mar-Apr, 2018, Vol- 7/46 Page 58
should be encouraged to excel and take up subjects like science and mathematics so that they join challenging professions and also be a part of the progress of the country.
The present research project focused more on showcasing the possibility of developing positive outlook towards the human roles of behavior and thinking by eliminating pre- conceived notions about the code of conduct determined since ages due to the belief and estimation of the characteristics and potential difference between male and female capacities. Conclusion
The traditional belief of the students related gender role can thus be removed by conducting lessons and discussing with the students by asking the students to think critically on the belief they have and whether such beliefs are right if a country has to progress. Today‘s students are future citizens and teachers are agents of social change and influence the life of hundreds of students and thus only imparting the knowledge from the text books is not alone a teachers job. Inculcating the right kind of values and attitudes in the students is also very essential. Thus teachers have to take up this task and conduct lessons on social issues and develop future citizens who are responsible as individuals with the positive mental set and belief system.
REFERENCES
http://www.encyclopedias4.com/encyclopedia-of-human-ecology/677-gender-roles-and-society.html https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=1576078523
Best,JW,Kahn,J.V, Research in Education, Prentice Hall of India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi (1995) Koul,L ,Methodology of educational research ,Vikas Publishing house Pvt Ltd, New Delhi (1997) Internet Links:
http://www.statisticshowto.com/convenience-sampling/
https://study.com/academy/lesson/gender-roles-in-society-definition-lesson-quiz.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_gender
UGC Approved Sr. No. 49366
Special Issue Of The Lords Universal College of Education Mar-Apr, 2018, Vol- 7/46 Page 59
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