THE DIFFERENCES IN SCORES AND SELF-EFFICACY BY STUDENT GENDER IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

Typically, mathematics and science are seen as linked together, where both subjects involve numbers, critical thinking, and problem solving. Our study aims to develop a better understanding of the connections between student’s achievement scores in mathematics and science, student gender, and self-efficacy. We used the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2007 eighth grade data to answer our research questions and were able to demonstrate that when controlling for self-efficacy, there is a statistically significant difference in the achievement scores between males and females by subject, where females score higher Algebra, but males score higher in the other mathematics subjects. Likewise, we were also able to demonstrate that there is a statistically significant difference in the achievement scores in Earth Science, Physics, and Biology, between males and females where males score higher in science subjects. In both mathematics and science examinations, we controlled for self-efficacy where in mathematics females hold lower self-efficacy then males and in science there is no difference between females and males in terms of self-efficacy. We conjecture that mathematics and science classrooms that consider self-efficacy may impact student’s achievement scores by subject, which can ultimately impact career choices in mathematics- and science-based fields.     

PREDICTING MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT: THE INFLUENCE OF PRIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTITUDES

Achievement in mathematics is inextricably linked to future career opportunities, and therefore, understanding those factors that influence achievement is important. This study sought to examine the relationships among attitude towards mathematics, ability and mathematical achievement. This examination was also supported by a focus on gender effects. By drawing on a sample of Australian secondary school students, it was demonstrated through the results of a multivariate analysis of variance that females were more likely to hold positive attitudes towards mathematics. In addition, the predictive capacity of prior achievement and attitudes towards mathematics on a nationally recognised secondary school mathematics examination was shown to be large (R ²  =  0.692). However, when these predictors were controlled, the influence of gender was non-significant. Moreover, a structural equation model was developed from the same measures and subsequent testing indicated that the model offered a reasonable fit of the data. The positing and testing of this model signifies growth in the Australian research literature by showing the contribution that ability (as measured by standardised test results in numeracy and literacy) and attitude towards mathematics play in explaining mathematical achievement in secondary school. The implications of these results for teachers, parents and other researchers are then considered.     

THE POWER OF LEARNING GOAL ORIENTATION IN PREDICTING STUDENT MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT

The teaching and learning of mathematics in schools has drawn tremendous attention since the education reform in Taiwan. In addition to assessing cognitive abilities, Taiwan Assessment of Student Achievement in Mathematics (TASA-MAT) collects background information to help depict average student achievement in schools in an educational context. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between student achievement in mathematics and student background characteristics. The data for this study was derived from the sample for the 2005 TASA-MAT Sixth-Grade Main Survey in Taiwan. The average age of the sixth-grade students in Taiwan is 11 years old, as was the sample for the 2005 TASA-MAT. Student socioeconomic status (SES) and student learning-goal orientation were specified as predictor variables of student performance in mathematics. The results indicate that the better performance in mathematics tended to be associated with a higher SES and stronger mastery goal orientation. The SES factor accounted for 4.98% of the variance, and student learning-goal orientation accounted for an additional 10.61% of the variance. The major implication obtained from this study was that goal orientation was much more significant than SES in predicting student performance in mathematics. In addition, the Rasch model treatment of the ordinal response-category data is a novel approach to scoring the goal-orientation items, with the corresponding results in this study being satisfactory.     

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN STUDENT MOTIVATION AND SELF-REGULATION IN SCIENCE LEARNING: A MULTI-GROUP STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING ANALYSIS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of students?? motivational beliefs (learning goal orientation, task value and self-efficacy) in science learning on students?? self-regulation in the science classroom. The study also examines the moderating effect of gender on the proposed relationships. Data were collected from 719 boys and 641 girls across grades 8, 9 and 10 in 5 public schools in Perth, Western Australia. Results from structural equation modeling analysis indicated that all 3 motivational constructs were strong predictors of students?? self-regulation in science learning. The multi-group analysis to examine gender differences revealed that the influence of task value on self-regulation was statistically significant for boys only. The findings present possible opportunities for educators to plan, and to put into practice, effective intervention strategies aimed at increasing students?? self-regulation in science learning. The core feature would be to target and develop students?? motivational beliefs of learning goal orientation and self-efficacy in science learning. Additionally, for boys, the intervention strategies would be to elevate boys?? perspectives of science task value.     

SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN AUSTRALIA: THE ROLE OF SCHOOL SOCIOECONOMIC COMPOSITION IN EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND EFFECTIVENESS

In this study, we systematically unpack relationships among student socioeconomic status (SES), science and mathematics achievement, and student interest in science in the context of varying school socioeconomic composition. Using the most recent Programme for International Student Assessment dataset for Australia, we found that increases in school SES are consistently associated with substantial increases in science and mathematics performance. This pattern of association held for all groups regardless of their individual SES. However, our findings also show that students’ interest in science was not associated with varying school SES, and only marginally and inconsistently associated with individual SES. We discuss policy implications and strategies for mitigating the influence of school socioeconomic composition on science and mathematics performance, and for the achievement of more equitable and effective educational outcomes generally.     

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ACHIEVEMENT IN A LARGE,NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

The purpose of this study was to investigate developmental gender differences in academic achievement areas, with the primary focus on writing, using the child and adolescent portion (ages 6–21 years) of the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement—Second Edition, Brief Form, norming sample (N = 1,574). Path analytic models with gender, parent education, age, age², and gender‐by‐age moderation as predictors of reading, writing, and math were used to test for gender differences and for the influence of development on these differences. A small but consistent advantage was identified for females in reading. No gender differences were detected in math. The most important results of the present study pertain to a gender gap in writing in favor of females that increased as a function of age. Male students are at greater risk for writing failure than are females.     

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MATHEMATICAL ACHIEVEMENT RELATED TO THE RATIO OF GIRLS TO BOYS IN SCHOOL CLASSES

The relationship between mathematical achievement and the ratio of boys to girls in school classes was investigated in a sample of third-grade Norwegian elementary school students (440 girls and 480 boys). Belonging to classes with a numerical majority of boys or girls did not affect the achievement of either of the sexes. The results from the study do not support the single-sexing of mathematics teaching.     

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TAIWANESE ADOLESCENTS' MATHEMATICS ATTITUDES AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS TOWARD VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVES

This study explored gender differences in the relationship between young people's mathematics attitudes and their perceptions toward virtual manipulatives. Seven hundred eighty junior high school adolescents who participated in the problem-solving activity using virtual manipulatives were selected for examination. The study found the male adolescents' views on motivation and enjoyment of mathematics could explain many aspects of their perceptions toward virtual manipulatives. The female adolescents' views on the importance of mathematics and freedom from fear of mathematics could explain many aspects of their perceptions toward virtual manipulatives. However, motivation, enjoyment, and importance of mathematics were more prominent than freedom from fear of mathematics in predicting male adolescents' perceptions toward virtual manipulatives, and freedom from fear and importance of mathematics were more prominent than enjoyment and motivation of mathematics in predicting female adolescents' perceptions toward virtual manipulatives. Two implications can be drawn from this study. First, teachers could provide males with appealing problem contexts not only to be used to remove the fear of mathematics, but also to be used for enjoyment and as motivation to see the importance of mathematics. Then male students could be encouraged to have more confirmed positive perceptions toward virtual manipulatives when engaging in the activities of computer-based mathematics. Second, teachers could provide females with interesting teaching activities, not only to be used for motivation and the enjoyment of mathematics, but also to be used to remove the fear of mathematics and for experiencing the importance of mathematics. Then female students could have positive perceptions toward virtual manipulatives when technology was integrated into the classroom to enhance learning and to support effective mathematics teaching.     

EQUITY IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE OUTCOMES: CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH AND LOW ACHIEVEMENT ON PISA 2006 IN IRELAND

Equity in education is a key concern internationally; however, it is rare that this issue is examined separately for low- and high-achieving students and concurrently across different subject domains. This study examines student and school background characteristics associated with low and high achievement in mathematics and science on the Programme for International Student Assessment. Based on the results of a multilevel multinomial model of achievement for each domain, findings indicate that a greater number of the variables examined are associated with low rather than high achievement. At student level, home language, intention to leave school early, socioeconomic status, grade level, cultural capital, and books in the home are significantly associated with achievement in mathematics and science. At school level, only school average socioeconomic status is statistically significant in the models. Significant gender differences are found in the distribution of high and low achievers, which vary across the domains. In mathematics, females are more likely to be low achievers while males are more likely to be high achievers. In science, gender interacts with early school-leaving intent whereas males intending to leave school early are more likely to be in the low-achieving group than females intending to leave early. Conclusions emphasise the need for targeting resources aimed at promoting equity in outcomes at student level as well as at school level. Future work may extend the current analyses by incorporating domain-specific variables or examining cross-country differences.     

USING INTERNATIONAL STUDY SERIES AND META-ANALYTIC RESEARCH SYNTHESES TO SCOPE PEDAGOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AIMED AT IMPROVING STUDENT ATTITUDE AND ACHIEVEMENT IN SCHOOL MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

Taking lower-secondary schooling within the English educational system as an example, this paper illustrates the contribution of two bodies of international scholarship to the scoping of research-based pedagogical development aimed at improving student attitude and achievement in science and mathematics. After sketching the English context of systemic reform, the paper uses findings from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) series to illuminate changes in performance, analysed within a framework of cross-system and between-subject comparison. Contrary to the optimistic picture from national assessment, the TIMSS findings suggest that systemic reform has produced fundamental gains only in student achievement in mathematics, and serious declines in student attitude towards both mathematics and science. Prompted by more favourable patterns elsewhere, the paper then triangulates the findings of recent meta-analytic research syntheses to identify promising lines of pedagogical development. Despite important differences in the conceptual frameworks and analytic methods of these syntheses, reasonably robust conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of four teaching components: domain-specific inquiry for student achievement in both subjects, student attitude in science, and learning processes in mathematics; cooperative group work for learning and attitude in science; contextual orientation for achievement in science; and active teaching for achievement in mathematics. Equally, discrepancies between findings or insufficiencies of evidence highlight a number of impacts particularly deserving deeper analysis or further investigation: cooperative group work on achievement outcomes, differing forms of learning assessment on both attitude and achievement outcomes, contextual orientation on outcomes in mathematics, and active teaching on outcomes in science.     

SOCIAL AND PARENTAL SUPPORT AS MODERATORS OF THE EFFECTS OF HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING ON PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN YOUTH

The aim of this study was to explore homophobic bullying in Portugal, including its forms, prevalence, and consequences, and to verify whether parental and social support moderated the effects of homophobic bullying for victims. An online questionnaire was completed by 211 female and male students, aged 12 to 20 years. Results showed that psychological violence prevailed, male students were more often victims than female students were, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents were victims more often than their heterosexual peers were. The emotional impact on victims was higher when social support was low, including suicidal ideation and school difficulties. Furthermore, a main effect of parental support was found for emotional and behavioral distress indices experienced by adolescents.     

THE EFFECTS OF COGNITIVE CONFLICT MANAGEMENT ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT

Three teaching methods were compared in this study, namely a Cognitive Conflict Management Module (CCM) that is infused into Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education (CASE), (Module A) CASE without CCM (Module B) and a conventional teaching method. This study employed a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design using non-equivalent control groups. The design involved 130 participants from Form 2 (Grade 7) in a Malaysian secondary school. The cognitive level of all participants was classified as non-formal operational on the pre-test and were allocated to one of the four intact groups: experimental group 1, EP1 experienced Module A, experimental group, and EP2 experienced Module B, while the others were divided between two control groups. The impact of the three teaching methods on the level of cognitive development and science achievement were observed after a 20-week intervention. Data were analysed using multivariate analysis of variance/multivariate analysis of covariance, analysis of covariance and a paired-samples t test. It is hoped that this study can contribute to knowledge in the field of cognitive intervention and cognitive conflict strategy. The findings show that a high dose of cognitive intervention in CASE activities within a short period has an effect on the levels of students’ cognitive development, standard science achievement and constructive cognitive conflict.     

RATIONAL NUMBER AND PROPORTIONAL REASONING: USING INTENSIVE QUANTITIES TO PROMOTE ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE

Student mastery of rational number and proportional reasoning is a recognized challenge, yet supporting mastery is central within mathematics and science. This paper focuses on a 4-lesson teaching programme which was designed to foster mastery in the context of intensive quantities. Intensive quantities such as density, speed and temperature depend upon proportional relations, require rational number for their representation and are relevant to science. Two versions of the teaching programme were developed, one using ratio representation and the other using fractions. Implementation with 535 children aged 9–11 years revealed that both versions promoted mastery of fractions, whilst the ratio version also supported proportional reasoning. It is suggested that the ratio version provides useful foundations for teaching, even with children who, as with the present sample, have no previous experience of ratios themselves.     

基于短信息业务的学生成绩查询系统

手机SMS(Short Message Service)的普及,使得各种基于GSM网络的短信息系统不断涌现。本论文针对基于C/S构架的短信办公信息系统的可行设计,对短信息的工作模式、编码方式的选择、PDU包协议格式以及短信息的编码和解码等关键技术进行了分析,提出构建基于短信息业务的学生成绩查询系统的方案。     

RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE IN THE USA: OVERVIEW OF THE ADMISSION PROCESS

The admission procedures for identifying and selecting students in special residential schools of mathematics and science in the United States were studied through interviews with school officials and examination of the schools’ literature on admissions. The selection criteria included tests of verbal and mathematical aptitudes, home school grade‐point averages, ratings of behavioral characteristics, and interviews. The selection stages included recruitment, application file development, file reviews, interviews, and selection decision making.     

ANALYSIS OF STUDENT UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE CONCEPTS INCLUDING MATHEMATICAL REPRESENTATIONS: pH VALUES AND THE RELATIVE DIFFERENCES OF pH VALUES

In general, mathematical representations such as formulae, numbers, and graphs are the inseparable components in science used to better describe or explain scientific phenomena or knowledge. Regardless of their necessity and benefit, science seems to be difficult for some students, as a result of the mathematical representations and problem solving used in scientific inquiry. In this regard, several studies have attributed students’ decreasing interest in science to the presence of these mathematical representations. In order to better understand student learning difficulties caused by mathematical components, the current study investigates student understanding of a familiar science concept and its mathematical component (pH value and logarithms). Student responses to a questionnaire and a follow-up interview were examined in detail. “Measure” and “concentration” were key criteria for students’ understanding of pH values. In addition, only a few students understood logarithms on a meaningful level. According to students’ understanding of scientific phenomena and mathematical structures, five different student models and the critical features of each type were identified. Further analysis revealed the existence of three domains that characterize these five types: object, operation, and function. By suggesting the importance of understanding scientific phenomena as a “function,” the current study reveals what needs to be taught and emphasized in order to help students obtain a level of scientific meaning that is appropriate for their grade.