Representation of Gender in Pakistani Comedy Dramas

Media in its various forms has become a significant part of everyday social life. It influences both how we see ourselves and the world around us to some extent. At different screens of media, images of men and women are presented in different ways and with different characteristics. Studies have been conducted at large regarding representation of gender in movies and television drama serials. This paper was meant to be an addition to this vast canvas of research through analysis of gender representation in the comedy dramas of Pakistan. According to West and Zimmerman’s theory of ‘doing gender’, gender is performed by the people in their everyday actions and interactions. Keeping in view the concept of doing gender this study analyzed roles of males and females and tried to find out how different characters maintain their gender identities in comedy dramas. Results suggested that the characters were, at many places, observed to be acting contrary to the roles associated to their genders by the society. They did or performed gender to maintain their identities.

Exploring Grade Ten Students’ Conceptual Understanding and Alternative Conceptions About Photosynthesis: Comparisons Across School System and Gender

Photosynthesis is an important yet a complex concept of school biology. Literature has identified numerous alternative conceptions of students about this aspect of Biology. Keeping in mind the importance of this aspect of life sciences this study aimed to examine grade 10 students’ conceptual understanding and alternative conceptions about photosynthesis with a view to compare it across school system and gender in the city of Gilgit. The study employed cross sectional survey design. A 20-item Conceptual Understanding about Photosynthesis (CUP) test was adopted for the study. The test encompassed six major aspects of photosynthesis (i.e. physiology, energy, biochemical, autotrophy, photosynthesis and respiration, ecology). CUP test was directly administered to randomly selected 204 grade 10 students from public (n =101) and private (n =103) schools of Gilgit. The selected sample represented male (n =102) and female (n = 102) students. Results of the study revealed that students’ overall conceptual understanding about photosynthesis was 53% of the total score (20). However, students’ performance in three aspects of photosynthesis (i.e. ecology, autotrophy, biochemical reaction) was higher than the overall score. Conversely, the students found rest of the three aspects (i.e. energy, photosynthesis and respiration, and physiology) relatively difficult. Furthermore, students from private schools outperformed their counterparts in public schools in overall conceptual understanding about photosynthesis (p<0.001) as well as in the aspects of biochemical (p<0.001), photosynthesis and respiration (p<0.001), and ecology (p<0.001). Moreover, score favored male students in the two aspects including energy (p<0.05) as well as photosynthesis and respiration (p<0.01). Results of the study would have implications for practice, policy and further research.