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Psychology of Math Learning
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- VAK Learning Modalities (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic) Fri, 2011-03-11 08:14
- Gender Differences Wed, 2011-03-09 04:12
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Gender Differences
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This is a forum to discuss resources about gender differences in learning math.
Here is some data contributed by Maria Droujkova:
Moreover, a study conducted by Kawakami, Steele, Cifa, Phills, and Dovidio [13] (2008) they examined attitudes towards math and behavior during math examinations. The study examined the effect of extensive training in teaching women to approach math. The results showed that women that were trained to approach rather than avoid math showed a positive implicit attitude towards math. These findings were only consistent with women low in initial identification with math. This study was replicated with women either encouraged to approach math or received neutral training. Results were consistent and demonstrated that women taught to approach math had an implicit positive attitude and completed more math problems than women taught to approach math in a neutral manner.
Another difference in mathematic abilities often explored in research concerns gender disparities. There has been research examining gender difference in performance on standardized tests across various countries. Beller and Gafni’s have shown that children at approximately nine years of age do not show consistent gender difference in relation to math skills. However, in 17 out of the 20 countries examined in this study, 13 year old boys tended to score higher than girls. Moreover, mathematics is often labeled as a masculine ability; as a result, girls often have low confidence in their math capabilities.[citation needed] These gender stereotypes can reinforce low confidence in girls and can cause math anxiety as research has shown that performance on standardized math tests is affected by one’s confidence. As a result, educators have been trying and should continue to try to abolish this stereotype by fostering confidence in math in all students in order to avoid math anxiety.[9].
An interesting modern phenomena: "Math does not suck" and other books "for girls" by an actress (I think). Katherine says she would not touch them because she's allergic. It's just something that provokes discussions on forums. Do you want to tell girls to solve problems about overpriced lipstick?
I want to share with you an experience with gender difference in my country Syria:
Once I made a presentation to my son friends during a summer activities center to show them how much maths are around us in our real life.
I had the boys and the girls separately because the room was too small to have them all at once.
I made the same presentation with the same slides that I wanted attractive for these kids from 9-11 years for boys and from 9-13 years for girls.
Most of the girls complained that they don't understand maths, and even if they do well home, they don't succeed their exams. but girls listened to me and discussed a lot till the end of my slide show
Boys were clearly more comfortable answering my little questions but they couldn't stand hearing me till the end of the show.
It was a presentation to attract these kids to mathematics and science and it learned me a lot that I could not see with undergraduates that I usually teach, I know that we have less girls than boys in engineering studies, but usually those who choose these studies don't differ a lot from their fellow boys.
Here are my scores on the gender ID test:
You scored 60 out of 100 masculine points, 72.807 out of 100 feminine points, and 65.833 out of 100 androgynous (neutral) points.
Here are my scores on the gender ID test:
I scored 62.5 out of 100 masculine points, 66.6 out of 100 feminine points, and 68.3out of 100 neutral points.
But as said before gender difference is diminishing but I think it will never disappear.
I believe modern life is rather forcing women to lose a part of their feminity because they need to be more independent and autonomus.
My score was: 58.772 out of 100 masculine points, 72.549 out of 100 feminine points, and 50.877 out of 100 androgynous (neutral) points.
On other tests I scored higher on the masculine end. But then, as a mathematician, I very seldom use the terms "Always" and "Never" as they are mathematically improbable.
I personally think gender differences in math are more "nuture" than "nature". I mother drilled me on math from an early age. She said you couldn't be a good wife and mother unless you are first a mathematician, then a chemist. For a while, my younger daughter was on food stamps for a while before her husband became a military officer. She said you had to have a degree in math to use the food stamps effectively. For instance, they might pay for 20 oz of cereal and the boxes come in 8, 12, and 24 ounce packages. (Made up example.)
My husband has a granddaughter who was brilliant as a small child, but her parents wouldn't let her play with "masculine" toys and discouraged her from any scientific or mathematical endeavors in school. She is in her 20's now and is a waitress with no ambition and no future. (I don't mean to demean waitresses. They can be very good. That is how Suze Orman got her start. It is all individual.)
CAN NOT GET ON TO ILLUMINATE. ERROR SAYS MEETING IS OVER.