Gender differences in mathematics achievement: an investigation of gender differences by item difficulty interactions

This paper presents findings from research exploring gender by item difficulty interaction on mathematics test scores in Cyprus. Data steamed from 2 longitudinal studies with 4 different age groups of primary school students. The hypothesis that boys tended to outperform girls on the hardest items and girls tended to outperform boys on the easiest items was generally supported for each year group. The effect of social class was also examined. For each social class, there was a correlation between the item difficulty differences estimated on girls and boys separately and the difficulty of the item estimated on the whole sample. It is claimed that in understanding gender differences in mathematics, item difficulty should be treated as an independent variable. Suggestions for further studies are provided, and implications for the development of assessment policy in mathematics are drawn.     

Gendered study choice: a literature review. A review of theory and research into the unequal representation of male and female students in mathematics,science, and technology

This article presents an overview of the recent literature on gendered patterns of academic choice in mathematics, science, and technology. It distinguishes in this literature micro-level, macro-level, and institutional explanations. Micro-level explanations focus primarily on psychological constructs, that is, variables at the level of the individual students. Macro-level explanations focus primarily on socioeconomic conditions and cultural understandings of gender roles. Institutional explanations focus on design characteristics of (national) education systems. After a presentation of these perspectives and of recent research progress that has been made, the authors critically discuss the lacunae that still exist in explaining cross-national variety, and provide suggestions for designing future research in this field.     

Student gender stereotypes: contrasting the perceived maleness and femaleness of mathematics and language

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the gender stereotypes endorsed by elementary and high school students regarding mathematics and language. We developed a questionnaire allowing students to rate mathematics and language as either male or female domains and administered it to a sample of 984 elementary and high school French‐speaking Canadian students (Grades 6, 8, and 10). Results showed that, with the exception of Grade 6 boys, students did not believe that mathematics was a male domain, or even conceived of mathematics as a predominantly female domain, suggesting that the traditional stereotype favouring boys in mathematics might have changed over the past few years. Moreover, language was clearly viewed as a female domain. Overall, our findings suggest that boys seem to be in need of encouragement in school, especially regarding language, where the advantage given to girls is particularly salient.     

Exploring student beliefs and understanding in elementary science and mathematics

This study had the goal of investigating the association among elementary students' (N = 276) science and math beliefs and the relationship between those beliefs and teachers' ratings of mathematical and science understanding. Results of structural path analysis indicate that in science, intellectual risk‐taking (IRT; the willingness to share tentative ideas, ask questions, attempting to do, and learn new things) was positively related to teachers' ratings of science understanding, while creative self‐efficacy (CSE) beliefs (i.e., students' confidence in their ability to generate ideas and solutions in science) were indirectly related (working through IRT). Results also indicate that students' scientific certainty beliefs (i.e., the belief that science knowledge is stable, fixed, and represented by correct answers) were negatively related to teachers' ratings of science understanding. With respect to math, results indicate that students' CSE beliefs were positively related to teachers' ratings of math understanding; whereas students' mathematical source beliefs (i.e., believing that math knowledge originates from external sources) were negatively related. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 942–960, 2012     

Sex equity in mathematics and science education: Research-policy links

Despite the accumulation of a large body of research concerning effective sex equity practices in math and science, the lack of change in educational procedures suggests the need to reexamine the role of research in policy and program planning. This paper reviews the current research on sex equity in mathematics and science education, focusing on research in the categories of educator-student interaction, instructional context, and macrolevel demographics. Existing applications of current research to mathematics and science education programs are examined at regional, state, district, and individual school levels. Recommendations for future directions in policy and research are made, emphasizing the gaps in knowledge on each side. The paper ends with specific suggestions for strengthening the links between research and policy in the area of sex equity.     

Beliefs and gender differences: A new model for research in mathematics education

The major focus of this study is to propose a new research model, namely the Modified CGI gender model, for the study of gender differences in mathematics. This model is developed based on Fennema, Carpenter, and Peterson’s (1989) CGI model. To examine the validity of this new model, this study also examines the gender differences in teacher and student beliefs about mathematics and compares gender differences between teacher and student beliefs about the importance and difficulty of certain mathematics topics. Using the British Columbia Mathematics Assessment data, the study conducted a series of ANOVA. The findings of this study indicate that the new model appears to be a useful tool to describe gender differences in mathematics and to guide research in this area. The conclusions drawn from the data analysis show that male and female teachers differed significantly in their beliefs about Numbers and Operations. Male teachers perceived this topic to be more important than female teachers. Second, gender differences have been largely found in student beliefs about the difficulty of the selected topics. Finally, gender differences found in teacher beliefs are similar to the gender differences in student beliefs about the importance and difficulty of mathematics topics.     

Ameliorating gender differences in attitudes about science: A cross-national study

The outcomes of two studies reported here indicate that the teacher inservice workshops, combined with activity-based science lessons, affected students' attitudes and perceptions about electricity. Australian and U.S. studies produced different patterns explored and explained in the paper.This material is based upon research supported by the National Science Foundation under grant MDR-88-50570 in the United States and supported by a grant from the Special Projects Program of the Commonwealth Schools Commission in the Education of GirlsDD section of Projects of National Significance in Australia. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the Commonwealth Schools Commission.     

Relationship between affect and achievement in science and mathematics in Malaysia and Singapore

Background : The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) assesses the quality of the teaching and learning of science and mathematics among Grades 4 and 8 students across participating countries.

Purpose : This study explored the relationship between positive affect towards science and mathematics and achievement in science and mathematics among Malaysian and Singaporean Grade 8 students.

Sample : In total, 4466 Malaysia students and 4599 Singaporean students from Grade 8 who participated in TIMSS 2007 were involved in this study.

Design and method : Students’ achievement scores on eight items in the survey instrument that were reported in TIMSS 2007 were used as the dependent variable in the analysis. Students’ scores on four items in the TIMSS 2007 survey instrument pertaining to students’ affect towards science and mathematics together with students’ gender, language spoken at home and parental education were used as the independent variables.

Results : Positive affect towards science and mathematics indicated statistically significant predictive effects on achievement in the two subjects for both Malaysian and Singaporean Grade 8 students. There were statistically significant predictive effects on mathematics achievement for the students’ gender, language spoken at home and parental education for both Malaysian and Singaporean students, with R ² = 0.18 and 0.21, respectively. However, only parental education showed statistically significant predictive effects on science achievement for both countries. For Singapore, language spoken at home also demonstrated statistically significant predictive effects on science achievement, whereas gender did not. For Malaysia, neither gender nor language spoken at home had statistically significant predictive effects on science achievement.

Conclusions : It is important for educators to consider implementing self-concept enhancement intervention programmes by incorporating ‘affect’ components of academic self-concept in order to develop students’ talents and promote academic excellence in science and mathematics.     

Knowledge dissemination and use in science and mathematics education: A literature review

A synthesis of the literature on knowledge dissemination and use in education, notably in science and mathematics, is presented. Perspectives have changed in the ways in which knowledge and products are seen to reach potential users. From the top-down, linear models, we have come closer to bottom-up approaches and to the crucial role of linking agents. At present, the most influential approach is a constructivist one, whereby research and other kinds of specialized knowledge is exchanged between researchers and professionals in a mutually constructed social context. While there is still debate over the best predictors of successful knowledge use, the scope of the field has been considerably enlarged by including users' perspectives. To some extent then, specialists in this field are now working in a new paradigm.Prepared for the Directorate of Education and Human Resources, Division of Research, Evaluation and Dissemination, National Science Foundation by The Network, May 1993.     

Using technology in assessing integrated science and mathematics learning

Drawing from current models, research, and science and mathematics education reform documents, this article first defines and/or delimits three broad domains of education: integrated school science and mathematics, assessment, and technology. Based upon this three-tiered discussion, a list of characteristics is then distilled to guide in the development of assessment for integrated school science and mathematics using technology. Two integrated school science and mathematics activities are provided to illustrate the alignment of instruction and assessment and the systematic integration of technology into both.The writing of this paper was supported by The National Center for Science Teaching and Learning under grant R117Q00062 from the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agency.     

Gender differences in the Australian undergraduate STEM student experience: a systematic review

ABSTRACT

In Australia, the number of female graduates in some science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is as low as 15%. Previous reviews exploring the issues affecting female undergraduate STEM students are primarily based in North America and there is yet to be an Australian focused review. This review identifies the factors contributing to the gendered experience of Australian undergraduate STEM students. A systematic review was conducted in November – December 2018 using ERIC, PsycInfo, ProQuest and Scopus databases. From this review, 36 papers that focus on gender differences and university STEM students in Australia were identified. The Australian research suggests the most prominent issue for female STEM students is their lower self-efficacy. Gendered preferences for learning, gendered motivations to pursue STEM degrees, the masculine culture of these fields and gender differences in science identity were also themes identified through the review. This review indicates some gaps in the Australian literature, namely that identity, and other emotional factors, are understudied in the Australian context and an avenue for future research. The findings suggest that science educators should be aware of the gendered experiences of their students to ensure female persistence in university STEM degrees.     

Chapter 5 Gender differences in mathematics problem solving and science: A longitudinal analysis

This study describes gender differences in achievement in the academic areas of mathematics problem solving and science. Standardized achievement test scores for a sample of 3002 students who were tested in each of ten consecutive years, grades 3 through 12, were used to assess the differences in mathematics while matched data for grades 9 through 12 were available in science. Selected percentiles (90th, 75th, 50th, 25th, 10th) were estimated for both Female and male score distributions for each area. The results indicate fairly consistent patterns of differences. Males generally performed better at the upper percentile levels of the score distributions in mathematics problem solving and science, while females closed the gap and, in some instances, outperformed males at the lower percentile levels.     

天津学生数学学习的性别差异——来自PISA的结果

数学学习的性别差异一直是人们关心的问题。PISA 2012测评结果显示,虽然天津男生与女生数学学习成绩不存在差异,但男女生数学学习的驱动力、动机和自我信念还是有明显差异。与男生相比,女生学习的坚持性、问题解决的开发性、对自身解决数学问题能力的自信更差,而数学焦虑更强,更倾向于将数学学习失败的责任归咎于自身以外的因素。     

Gender achievement and social,political and economic equality: a European perspective

Differences in gender equality based on social, political and economic factors is cited, by some writers, as a contributory factor in the differentially greater achievement of boys in STEM subjects through the concept of gender stratification. Gender differences, especially in mathematics, have been linked directly to gender parity in wider society. Such a link is predicted by gender stratification via both the gender similarities and gender stratification hypotheses. However analysis by others appearsto support the hypothesis that the gender gap is smaller, in mathematics, when the society has a higher equality index. However, more recently, evidence, based on PISA outcomes from 2000 to 2009, reports that there is little or no correlation between the gender gap and wider equality. This paper takes up this analysis using PISA data from the 2012 round, for both science and mathematics, and the Global Gender Gap Index in a European context. The results cast doubts on any link between national gender equality and achievement in science or mathematics.     

Linking early science and mathematics attitudes to long-term science,technology, engineering,and mathematics career attainment: latent class analysis with proximal and distal outcomes

There is a need to identify students' early attitudes toward mathematics and science to better support their long-term persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. Seventh graders from a nationally representative sample (N = 2,861) were classified based on their responses to questions about their attitudes toward mathematics and science using latent class analysis. Four distinct groups of students that differed in terms of their attitudes were identified. There were relationships between attitudinal group membership, demographic characteristics, mathematics and science achievement, and STEM career attainment. Females and underrepresented minorities were more likely to be in the positive attitude group. However, despite these early positive attitudes, females and underrepresented minorities were less likely to be employed in a STEM career some 20 years later. Information about student interests organized in this manner can be used to better target specific interventions to support and encourage persistence in STEM careers.     

言语交际中的性别差异

本文从语用学的视角出发,对言语交际这一动态环节中语言的性别差异进行了研究,通过分析男女两性在言语交际中对合作原则、礼貌原则等语用原则的遵守与违反,文章发现了性别语言在语用学方面所存在的差异,在此基础上,文章探究了语言性别差异形成的原因和在男女两性间实现成功的言语交际的途径。     

Motivation in high school science students: A comparison of gender differences in life,physical, and earth science classes

The aims of this study were to examine self‐efficacy and other motivation variables among high school science students (n = 502); to determine the degree to which each of the four hypothesized sources of self‐efficacy makes an independent contribution to students' science self‐efficacy beliefs; to examine possible differences between life, physical, and Earth science classes; and to investigate patterns of gender differences that may vary among the fields of science. In Earth science classes, girls earned higher grades and reported stronger science self‐efficacy. In life science classes, girls earned higher grades but did not report stronger self‐efficacy, and did report higher science anxiety. In physical science, there were no gender differences in grades or self‐efficacy, but girls again reported higher levels of science anxiety. For boys across science fields, science self‐efficacy significantly predicted course grades and mastery experiences was the only significant predictor of self‐efficacy. For girls, self‐efficacy was also the strongest predictor of science grade across fields. Mastery experiences significantly predicted self‐efficacy in Earth science for girls, but social persuasions, vicarious experiences, and physiological states were better predictors of science self‐efficacy in life and physical science classes. Results support (Bandura, A., 1997) hypothesized sources of self‐efficacy, previous research findings on self‐efficacy in the domain of science, and validate the suggestion made by Lau and Roeser (2002) to disaggregate data by science field. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 955–970, 2008     

The effect of phonological processing on mathematics performance in elementary school varies for boys and girls: Fixed-effects longitudinal analysis

Investigations into the relations between phonological processing and math performance have yielded contradictory results. These contradictions might be related to small sample sizes and/or cross-sectional designs of previous studies that limited the possibility of generalizing the findings obtained. The first goal of this study was to estimate the effect of phonological processing on number recognition and math performance during the first year of schooling, controlling for reading achievement. The second goal was to examine whether this effect varied for boys and girls. To achieve these goals, we used a large sample of first-graders (N = 3296, 49% were girls) in Russia and applied fixed effects longitudinal analysis. Participants were assessed twice, at the beginning and at the end of the first grade (mean age was 7.3 years at Time 1). The item response theory scaling procedure was used to estimate individual scores for math performance, number recognition, phonological processing and reading performance. The results revealed that phonological processing had effects on number recognition and math performance. This effect was more salient for number recognition than for math performance, probably due to the greater involvement of the retrieval strategy in number recognition tasks. The results also demonstrated that the effect of phonological processing on number recognition was stronger for girls than for boys.     

The Impact of Child Care on Gender Role Development and Gender Stereotypes

Research has shown that gender role development is socially constructed and learned from birth. In this study, the impact of child care and the interactions that take place there are examined, with a focus on gender behavior and stereotypes. Observation data and analysis are presented. Themes representing gender stereotypes and the breaking of gender barriers are examined, and the role that caregivers can play in the fostering of gender-fair behaviors is discussed.     

西方数学学习性别差异研究述评

数学学习性别差异是西方教育理论研究的热点问题之一.这一课题的研究在国际上已取得很多重要成果,这些研究结论不尽相同,甚至对立,如:男生比女生在数学学习方面占优势;男女生在数学学习方面各有优势;男女生在数学学习方面无显著差异等.有的学者从男女先天的智力和生理特征的角度解释造成差异的原因;有的学者从自我信念体系、社会文化及学校因素、教师观念、家长观念解释造成差异的原因.为了平衡数学学习中的性别差异,我们应树立性别平等意识、实施单一性别教育,开展"因性施教"的教学方式.