Quantitative Analysis:

1
Girls Outperform Boys in Cooperation, Transfer,
and Citizenship The GlobalEd Project
Scott W. Brown, Andri Ioannou, Mark A. Boyer,
Anat Niv-Solomon, Laura Janik, Wesley Renfro, and
Donalyn Maneggia University of Connecticut
Abstract
Method
Results

• Quantitative Analysis
• To investigate whether the population means of
  the dependent variables (Cooperation,
  Competitiveness, Transfer, and Citizenship) were
  different for boys and girls we conducted a
  one-way MANOVA. Statistically significant
  differences were found between boys and girls on
  the dependent measures (Wilkss ? .83, F(3,65)
  3.5, p .013, multivariate h2 .175).
• Follow-up independent-samples t-tests showed that
  girls scored significantly higher than boys on
  scales of Cooperation (t(67) 2.38 p .020
  Cohens d .58), Transfer (t(78) 3.02 p
  .003 Cohens d .67), and Citizenship (t(78)
  3.16 p .002 Cohens d .70) with moderate
  effect sizes.
• Means and Standard Deviations on the
  Dependent Variables for Gender

• Participants
• A total of 120 students participated in the
  GlobalEd simulation, during the Fall 2007.
  Approximately 70 -84 students- provided
  completed consent forms. The population consisted
  of high school students, in grades 9-12, from 11
  schools across the United States.
• Ethnicity predominantly White but diverse
  population (23 were students of color)
• Gender 51 of males and 48 of females

GlobalEd is a web-based simulation of
international relations for high school students
conducted over a five week period with the goal
of developing a treaty. Analyses of reliable
subscales for 84 high school students indicated
significantly higher scores for girls over boys
on post -assessments of cooperation, transfer,
and citizenship. Such patterns of responses by
girls are contrary to a vast amount of data in
the digital divide and leadership literature,
showing that girls are one of the groups left
behind. Qualitative analyses of student responses
revealed positive learning patterns related to
negotiation skills, real-life diplomacy, and
content knowledge.

• About the Simulation
• Countries represented Japan, Iran, USA, Mexico,
  South Africa, Brazil, Russia, Germany, China, UK,
  and India
• 1697 total messages sent (not counting messages
  from graduate students simulation coordinators).
• International Economics was the issue with the
  most messages exchanged (496 messages, 29).

http//www.globaled.uconn.edu/
Introduction
Information and communications technologies (ICT)
are appropriate tools for promoting knowledge
transfer, human engagement and information
sharing. Thus, they create new opportunities to
reduce social and economic inequality. However,
at the same time our global society faces a huge
disparity on access to technology, both within
and among countries, known as the digital divide.
The gender digital divide is an issue because
there continues to be an increase in the gap
between men and women. Todays children are the
next generation of international leaders, so it
is important to know how they will deal with the
issues of learning, globalization, cooperation,
and citizenship. This study examines the impact
of a problem-based learning (PBL) environment,
the GlobalEd Project, on high school students.
The GlobalEd Project studies decision-making
and problem-solving skills through a five-week
web-based simulation on international
negotiations. Classes of high school students are
assigned to play the role of different countries
negotiating treaties involving current world
issues. During the simulation, students interact
through synchronous live chat conferences and
asynchronous email correspondences. Each country
strives to make agreements or treaties with other
countries in the simulation.