Handbook for Achieving Gender Equity Through Education | 
 enlarge | Creators: Susan Klein, Carol Anne Dwyer, Lynn Fox, Dolores Grayson, Cheris Kramarae, Diane Pollard, Barbara Richardson
Publisher: Lawrence Erlbaum
Category: Book
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Sales Rank: 336849
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2
Pages: 768
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Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.8
Dimensions (in): 10.8 x 8.4 x 1.3
ISBN: 0805854541
Dewey Decimal Number: 379.26
EAN: 9780805854541
ASIN: 0805854541
Publication Date: May 22, 2007
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Product Description
First published in 1985, the Handbook for Achieving Gender Equity Through Education quickly established itself as the essential reference work concerning gender equity in education. This new, expanded edition provides a 20-year retrospective of the field, one that has the great advantage of documenting U.S. national data on the gains and losses in the efforts to advance gender equality through policies such as Title IX, the landmark federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education, equity programs and research. Since there is so much misleading information about gender equity and education, this handbook will be essential for anyone who wants accurate, research-based information on controversial gender equity issues: journalists, policy makers, teachers, Title IX coordinators, equity trainers, women's and gender study faculty, students, and parents.
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 A Handbook for All Seasons December 21, 2007
Lois-ellin Datta
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The first edition of this Handbook (then titled Handbook for Achieving Sex Equity in Education) appeared in 1985. The Handbook was among the landmarks in examining the extent, the roots, and the possible remedies for inequities. It stood at the time rather like The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, prominent by virtue of uniqueness and scope of the endeavor, by virtue of the quality of the materials, and by virtue of the close connection sought between policy and practice. For a free digital version of this classic, see http://feminist.org/education/handbook.asp
The context for the 2007 edition is different. In part because of the success of the 1985 Handbook, the 2007 edition arrives in a world with greater attention to gender equity in education, with some areas where gaps are closing or have closed, with more research available, with other excellent books whose contents and intent somewhat overlap, and with standards for educational research emphasizing strong inference and empirically-based knowledge. It also arrives in a world where for over a decade funds for research focused on gender equity as well as gender equity initiatives have lost ground in purchasing power and where once-stronger federal emphasis on educational equity has dwindled.
How, in this context, can the value of the 2007 Handbook be judged? As I studied my copy, I looked in particular for (1) balanced attention to progress made and unfinished business, (2) adequate consideration of diversity and disaggregation in the analyses, (3) attention to research quality, and (4) value beyond the sum of its parts.
My conclusion? The Handbook, while issue could be taken here or there, is probably the single best source today for those wanting a comprehensive assessment of where we have been, where we are now, where we might need to go, and how to get there with regard to gender equity in education. Let me begin, however, with a few places where issue might be taken. These are (1) more systematic attention to assessment of the quality of research and evaluation in this field and how to improve it, (2) a more consistent voice across the chapters on gender equity in contrast to the status of girls and women, and (3) in some chapters, greater recognition of the debates within this field. That is, some, indeed many or most chapters, show exemplary attention to these three issues but better still, if all had.
The strengths far outweigh the limitations.
First, all of the chapters include discussion of the present status with regard to gender equity of the specific topic of the chapter as well as discussion of changes in these indicators over a fairly long period. Progress is spotlighted, and unfinished business highlighted. An example is gender equity in educational leadership where teaching, particularly at the elementary and secondary schools, is predominantly female today, while principals particularly at secondary levels are predominantly male This chapter provides a great deal of carefully presented data over time showing the size of the gaps and trends, thoughtful examination of research on root causes, and policy recommendations. Another chapter focuses on gender equity in foreign and second language learning, finding, as in the preceeding communication skills chapter, a gender gap favoring girls/women which leaves boys/men disadvantaged for languages where data were available. This chapter again describes trend s, gives data on the size of the gap, examines evidence on reasons for the gap, and offers recommendations relevant both to men and to women, for whom study abroad may be challenging.
Second, most chapters admirably demonstrate detailed subgroup analyses and disaggregation. Almost every chapter could be a model of how to get beneath simple male/female comparisons, examining these comparisons for different ethnic groups, economic groups, or other meaningful sub-groups. In statistical terms, the chapter authors check out two, three, and even four-way interactions before drawing conclusions about main effects. Great care is taken to look for explanatory research and to incorporate disaggregation in the recommendations. The exception in a thick book of 31 chapters was a chapter on the arts and dance, where I felt the starting point was feminist critiques of the curriculum. An explicit focus on encouraging more gender equitable participation and valuing of the arts and dance would have reached different conclusions.
Third, almost all the chapters had sections discussing research quality in an effort to cast the net widely but accept only studies of reasonable research quality. The chapters did rely more on dissertations than some meta-analytic or review-of-the-literature researchers prefer, in contrast to including only material published in refereed journals. This is a tough choice when data are scarce. One felt care was taken to look at all the research cited with an appropriate and often highly knowledgeable eye. The authors are researchers and this shows in their effort to sort out more and less trustworthy findings. Often, there just isn't much evaluation or research available. The extent and depth of the methodological discussion varies, however, chapter by chapter and there isn't an overall chapter on issues of research and evaluation quality. Research issues were briefly discussed in the introduction and, as noted, in many of the chapters.
Fourth, the individual chapters are in general first-rate and many are probably the best single source for such relevant topics as the role of government in advancing gender equity and gender equity in educational content (the chapters on social studies, communications, and science, for example). These alone make the Handbook an important resource for research and practice. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts because of a firm editorial hand assuring every chapter discusses policy recommendations and a superb overall summary and recommendations chapter bringing these together. This chapter in itself could be a framework for task forces at various governmental levels and foundations concerned with the unfinished business of gender equity, as well as a framework for graduate seminars in gender equity and policy.
The book further may help assess our priorities. Many chapters conclude that gender gaps are closing, that differences within gender groups often are wider than differences between them, and that in indicators used to assess equality, ethnicity/race is a considerably more striking and continuing point of inequality. The multiple whammy of gender, ethnic, economic and disability is addressed, laudably, in many chapters. But the Handbook documents, celebrates, and makes clear progress since 1985 but it also makes clear what the unfinished business is: for instance, boys continue to lag in language arts and communication skills; high school graduation and college enrollment rates may be equal, but not participation in AP math/science/engineering courses or attainment of Ph.D.s in these fields; and CEO salaries are still more the domain of men than of women, although the trends show this gap too is closing in areas such as college presidencies.
Having such data collected and readily available to hand can make the good difference in discussing priorities and policies. The Handbook does an outstanding service in providing a generally comprehensive, well-structured, and credible source of thought, word, and inspiration to new deeds in finishing the business of reaching fuller gender equity in education.
Lois-ellin Datta, Ph.D.
Datta Analysis
 An accurate presentation of current gender equity research September 11, 2007
Pat Barlow (Pennsylvania)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
While this book is certainly representative of the current state of gender equity research, it suffers from the same flaw - a "zero sum" approach. This handbook fits well into the current "backlash" trend that has characterized the gender equity community over the last several years.
Given the context out of which it was created, it is not surprising that a review of this book shows that coverage of male gender equity issues is noticeably lacking.
First, there is no substantive coverage of the gender gaps in the language arts. In fact, this handbook devotes nearly the same number of pages to "visual arts and dance" (22 pages) as it does to "communication skills." (24 pages) Of particular note, there is no discussion of the role that the current "girls club" model of secondary language art instruction has on enrollment in elective language arts classes.
Second, there is no mention of the three most important areas of gender discrimination in the public school system today - teacher assigned grades, the availability of extra-curricular activities, and school disciplinary rates . As many parents have realized, the best way to evaluate a school's commitment to gender equity is to attend the academic awards ceremony at the end of the school year, or to read the honor roll if it is still published in the local newspaper. If there are more girls than boys mentioned, then it is obvious that the school is not educating its male students. Likewise, if there are more female students involved in school activities (student government, athletics, band, newspaper, yearbook, etc.) than male students, then it is obvious that the school does not provide sufficient extra-curricular activities for boys. Finally, if more male students are suspended or expelled than female students, then it is obvious that the development and enforcement of school rules is biased against boys. The one common factor in all of these areas is that the gender equity community (and by extension this handbook) has refused to even acknowledge that these areas of concern exist.
Finally, at several points this handbook bemoans the fact that gender equity research is not taken seriously by the "general public." The reason for this is clear - gender equity research is not grounded in reality. As described in the previous paragraph, members of the community are well aware of the true state of gender equity in public schools. People are also aware of the outcomes of education - simply compare the gender gap in life expectancy (mortality rate), or the incarceration rate.
In summary, this book is rooted in the "zero-sum" model of gender equity. Fortunately, parents, teachers and administrators have generally rejected this approach. It is for this reason that most of the current work in addressing areas such as the language arts gender gap is taking place at the "grass roots" level of the educational system. This is also the reason why this handbook has little to no value for parents and teachers working in the real world.
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