Teachers Beliefs on Gender Differences in Mathematics Education

1
Teachers Beliefs on Gender Differences in
Mathematics Education

• Sraboni Ghosh
• North Georgia College and State University

2
Research Questions

• This research attempted to answer two questions
• i)  What specific beliefs do high school teachers
  hold about the relationship of gender to the
  teaching and learning of mathematics?
• ii)  What is the consistency between stated
  beliefs about gender and instructional practices
  and classroom interactions?

3
Research Design

• Participants
• 5 high school mathematics teachers
• Method
• Teacher survey
• Teacher interviews
• Classroom observations
• Videotapes of instruction

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Findings from the ObservationsAverage number of
interactions per class period
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Mr. Browns Beliefs- Consistent

• There was no gender difference in his student
  performance
• Girls in the lowerlevel courses worked harder
  than boys
• There was no dramatic difference in boys and
  girls academic potential
• Girls in his classes took criticism more
  personally
• He was gentler confronting a girl compared to a
  boy
• Boys were generally more competitive in the
  low-ability courses
• In the higher-level course, girls were as
  competitive as the boys were
• Mathematics was more difficult for girls compared
  to boys in higher-level courses

6
Mr. Browns Beliefs- Inconsistent

• Girls in the lowerlevel courses had more success
  than boys had
• Girls usually used all their abilities, but boys
  did not
• Girls in lower level courses were not as good as
  boys were in computation
• Boys and girls perceived mathematics differently
  in his classes Lib Arts
• Boys learnt mathematics differently than girls
  did Lib Arts
• He modified his instructional strategies
  according to the students learning needs Lib
  Arts
• Girls showed little persistence if math exercise
  became difficult -Lib Arts

7
Ms. Greens Beliefs- Consistent

• Girls were more emotional than boys were
• Girls put on more efforts than boys did
• There was no gender difference in student
  performance
• Students academic potential was
  ability-dependent, not gender-dependent
• She had more personable interactions with the
  girls compared to the boys
• Boys were more competitive with other students
• Girls were competitive with their own-self
• Boys did not use all their abilities in lower
  level classes

8
Ms. Greens Beliefs- Inconsistent

• There was no difference in boys and girls
  mathematics learning style
• Girls showed little persistence if math exercise
  became difficult
• Mathematics was more difficult for girls compared
  to boys in higher level classes

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Conclusions

• Teachers held some gender differentiated beliefs
  about their students
• Some of the gender related beliefs were not
  consistent with their instructional practices and
  classroom interactions
• Reflections on their own teaching practices
  played a role on the consistency of teachers
  beliefs and practice

10
Implications

• Teacher Educators
• Use of reflective thinking to promote gender
  equity
• Future Researchers
• Examine teachers gender-related beliefs in
  Science and English education
• Examine gender differences in parents
  attribution toward student failure in mathematics