Gender Constructions and Legitimacy among University Students

TY - CHAP

T1 - Gender Constructions and Legitimacy among University Students

AU - Christensen, Gerd

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - During a case study of students’ project groups at university level, I identified complex patterns of inclusion and exclusion processes going on among the students. First, there are the processes that relate to the other student’s skills. Here, I found that the students are very observant of each other in programs where a significant part of the learning processes are handled through group work. Through non-transparent processes and inexplicit criteria the students evaluated their fellow students. The students, who for some reason were categorized as stupid, lazy, dominant or anti-social had serious difficulties in being accepted in a group and thus to complete their education. Second, I found that the negative categories were attributed to the students due to their gender. In Denmark we are very concerned of eliminating inequality and creating equal possibilities according to race, social background and gender. Thus, we tend to believe that gender play no role at all for the possibilities of university students to complete their education at a high level. Contrary to this assumption, my studies show that students used gender stereotypies to select and limit fellow students.

AB - During a case study of students’ project groups at university level, I identified complex patterns of inclusion and exclusion processes going on among the students. First, there are the processes that relate to the other student’s skills. Here, I found that the students are very observant of each other in programs where a significant part of the learning processes are handled through group work. Through non-transparent processes and inexplicit criteria the students evaluated their fellow students. The students, who for some reason were categorized as stupid, lazy, dominant or anti-social had serious difficulties in being accepted in a group and thus to complete their education. Second, I found that the negative categories were attributed to the students due to their gender. In Denmark we are very concerned of eliminating inequality and creating equal possibilities according to race, social background and gender. Thus, we tend to believe that gender play no role at all for the possibilities of university students to complete their education at a high level. Contrary to this assumption, my studies show that students used gender stereotypies to select and limit fellow students.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Social constructionism, gender, university students, problem based learning, group work

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 978-0-9965599-0-4

VL - 1

SP - 163

EP - 173

BT - Global Journal of Education

PB - University of Riverside

CY - California

ER -