Interest in Home Economics and CDT: Sex-Related Differences in 12-year-old Pupils

Abstract

First year comprehensive school girls and boys were given opportunities to express their interest and motives involved in attitudes towards home economics and craft, design, technology. Although girls' interest was higher than boys' for home economics (cookery) and needlecraft and boys' interest greater for woodwork and metalwork; the girls' level of interest was similar for both woodwork and needlecraft. The practical activities which started and finished the year with interest at the lowest level and shared significant falls throughout the year were metalwork for girls and needlecraft for boys. For design work, high ability boys and low ability girls expressed less need for teacher aid and although boys were more strongly interested than girls in additional technology lessons, high ability girls expressed greater technology interest than low ability girls. The pupils' reasons for their preferences are analysed and the results are discussed with reference to curriculum planning.