Gender, ethnicity and education: Should we be worried about young men and, if so, which ones?

As part of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology funded ‘missing men’ project, the Institute of Policy Studies ran a workshop on March 30, 2011 that considered aspects of gender, ethnicity and education. The workshop brought together researchers, policy makers, unions, practitioners and other stakeholders.

The focus was on school, school to tertiary transitions and performance in some tertiary settings. It was held under Chatham House rule to ensure free and frank discussion.

The workshop was informed by the following presentations and papers

• Michael Johnston and Vernon Mogol (NZQA) Assessing boys: Is there an optimal approach?

• Ralf Engler (Ministry of Education) School’s out – what’s next? Post-secondary activities of young school leavers: differences by gender, ethnic group and level of school achievement

• Carol Mutch (ERO) Supporting boys’ achievement: What ERO sees that works

• James Chapman and William Tunmer (Massey University) Gender, ethnicity and literacy performance among young adults: When more seems to result in less
Download the paper here

• Sheree Gibb (Otago University) Gender differences in educational achievement: findings from the Christchurch Health and Development Study

• Joseph Driessen (Education Answers) The self-perpetuating cycle of male underachievement: Understanding leading to Action

• Michael Irwin (Massey University) Listening to Boys’ Voices In the education Gender Gap debate (download commentary here)

• Alison Derbyshire (Saint Kentigern College) A view from the classroom: What teachers want

• Paul Baker (Waitaki Boys’ High) Boys: present and future