Women's Roles in Education

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a look at how the roles of women in higher education have progressed since the 19th century. The paper explains that, although the educational choices and opportunities for women have expanded greatly since then, there still is a societal attitude underlying many classrooms where men are expected to play the dominant role in classroom discussions and research, especially in the math and science fields. As such, the paper analyzes the importance of women in advancing opportunities for women.

From the Paper:

"Since American women first gained access to higher education in the nineteenth century, educational choices and opportunities for women have expanded greatly. Especially after World War II, women have broken new ground in this country by entering fields that were formerly closed to them. Today, there are few fields that can truly be called male-dominated. However, this is not to say that women have yet achieved equality in education. They have not. There continues to be a societal attitude underlying many classrooms in which men are expected to play the dominant role in classroom discussions and research. Furthermore, at co-educational colleges, male faculty continues to earn higher salaries than female faculty. Because of these circumstances, all-female universities continue to play an important role in the education of women."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Harwarth, I.; Maline, M.; DeBra, E. (1997) Women's Colleges in the United States: History, Issues, and Challenges. Washington D.C.: Department of Education
• Heyboer, K. "Rally aims to save Douglass College's Identity." Star Ledger, March 3, 2006. http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1141366555314260.xml&coll=1
• National Center for Education Statistics. (2005) "Trends in education equity of girls & women: 2004." http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/equity/Section11.asp
• Tyler May, E. (1994) Pushing the Limits: American Women 1940-1961. New York: Oxford.

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• Essay # 87609 : "Inequality in Education"

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