MEI 7: Seventh Conference on Research in Mathematics Education in Ireland
Published October 11, 2019 | Version v1
Conference paper Open

HIGH ACHIEVING STUDENTS IN LEAVING CERTIFICATE MATHEMATICS: WHY HAS THE GENDER GAP WIDENED?

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Technological University Dublin
  • 2. University College Dublin

Description

Research has identified a gender gap in the mathematical attainment of post-primary students around the world, favouring male students. In Ireland, following a review of the outcomes of a high-stakes examination taken by students at the end of post-primary schooling over an 18- year period, a similar such gap has been identified here and is widening. Data are presented to show that this gender gap widened with the introduction of a revised post-primary mathematics curriculum, colloquially known as Project Maths. This paper explores potential reasons behind the widening gap. Problem solving appears to be the pivotal issue and spatial ability may be a contributory factor. Addressing students’ spatial ability is explored as way to address the gender gap and enable students to reach their full mathematical potential.

Files

Roche_A.pdf

Files (346.8 kB)

Name Size Download all
md5:334afc768b41608094977c3d244a74c5
346.8 kB Preview Download

Additional details

References

  • Boonen, A. J. H., van Wesel, F., Jolles, J., & van der Schoot, M. (2014). The role of visual representation type, spatial ability, and reading comprehension in word problem solving: An item-level analysis in elementary school children. International Journal of Educational Research, 68, 15-26.
  • Casey, M. B., Nuttall, R., Pezaris, E., & Benbow, C. P. (1995). The influence of spatial ability on gender differences in mathematics college entrance test scores across diverse samples. Developmental Psychology, 31(4), 697.
  • Cheng, Y. L., & Mix, K. S. (2014). Spatial training improves children's mathematics ability. Journal of Cognition and Development, 15(1), 2-11.
  • Clerkin, A., Perkins, R. and Chubb, E. (2019). Inside the post-primary classroom: Mathematics and science teaching in Second Year. Dublin: Educational Research Centre.
  • Clerkin, A., Perkins, R., & Cunningham, R. (2016). TIMSS 2015 in Ireland: Mathematics and science in primary and post-primary schools. Dublin: Educational Research Centre.
  • Duffy, G. (2017). Spatial thinking in the engineering curriculum: an investigation of the relationship between problem solving and spatial skills among engineering students. Doctoral thesis, DIT.
  • Erturan, S. and B. Jansen. (2015). An investigation of boys' and girls' emotional experience of math, their math performance, and the relation between these variables. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 30(4), 421-435.
  • Ferguson, A., Maloney, E., Fugelsang, J. and Risko, E. (2015). On the relation between math and spatial ability: The case of math anxiety. Learning and Individual Differences 39: 1- 12.
  • Flaherty, M. (2005). Gender differences in mental rotation ability in three cultures: Ireland, Ecuador and Japan. Psychologia, 48(1), 31-38.
  • Franceschini, G., Galli, S., Chiesi, F. & Primi, C. (2014). Implicit Gender–math Stereotype and Women's Susceptibility to Stereotype Threat and Stereotype Lift. Learning and Individual Differences 32: 273-277.
  • Fryer, R. & Levitt, S. (2010). An Empirical Analysis of the Gender Gap in Mathematics. American Economic Journal 2 (2): 210-240.
  • Ganley, C. & Lubienski, S. (2016). Current Research on Gender Differences in Math. Retrieved March 19, 2019 https://www.nctm.org/Publications/Teaching-Children- Mathematics/Blog/Current-Research-on-Gender-Differences-in-Math/.
  • Ganley, C. & Vasilyeva, M. (2014). The Role of Anxiety and Working Memory in Gender Differences in Mathematics. Journal of Educational Psychology 106 (1): 105-120.
  • Good, C., Aronson, J., & Harder, J. (2008). Problems in the Pipeline: Stereotype Threat and Women's Achievement in High-Level Math Courses. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology 29 (1): 17-28.
  • Gunderson, E. A., Ramirez, G., Beilock, S. L., & Levine, S. C. (2013). Teachers' spatial Anxiety relates to 1st and 2nd graders' spatial learning. Mind, Brain, and Education, 7(3), 196-199.
  • Harding, R. (2018) What's The Main Reason For The Gender Gap In STEM Careers?. Retrieved March 18, 2019 https://www.rte.ie/eile/brainstorm/2018/0904/991483-whats- the-main-reason-for-the-gender-gap-in-stem-careers/.
  • Hegarty, M. (2018). Ability and Sex Differences in Spatial Thinking: What does the Mental Rotation Test really Measure? Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 25 (3): 1212-1219.
  • Hill, A., Laird, A. & Robinson, J. (2014). Gender differences in working memory networks: A BrainMap meta-analysis. Biological Psychology, 102, 18-29.
  • Hyde, J., Lindberg, S, Linn, M., Ellis, A. & Williams, C. (2008). Diversity. Gender Similarities Characterize Math Performance. Science (New York) 321 (5888): 494.
  • Kenney-Benson, G., Pomerantz, E., Ryan, A. & Patrick H. (2006). Sex Differences in Math Performance. Developmental Psychology 42 (1): 11-26.
  • Kozhevnikov, M., Motes, M., & Hegarty, M. (2007). Spatial visualization in physics problem solving. Cognitive Science, 31(4), 549-579.
  • Levine, S., Foley, A., Lourenco, S., Ehrlich, S. and Ratliff K. (2016). Sex Differences in Spatial Cognition: Advancing the Conversation. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science 7 (2): 127.
  • Linn, M. & Petersen, A. (1985). Emergence and Characterization of Sex Differences in Spatial Ability: A Meta-Analysis. Child Development 56 (6): 1479.
  • Lowrie, T., Logan, T., & Ramful, A. (2016). Spatial Reasoning Influences Students' Performance on Mathematics Tasks. Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia.
  • Ma, W., Husain, M., & Bays, P. (2014). Changing concepts of working memory. Nature Neuroscience, 17(3), 347-356.
  • McGrath, B. (2016). A Report on Science, technology, Engineering and mathematics (STEM) Education. Retrieved from March 18, 2019 https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Education-Reports/STEM-Education-in-the- Irish-School-System.pdf.
  • Moè, A. (2016). Does Experience with Spatial School Subjects Favour Girls' Mental Rotation Performance? Learning and Individual Differences 47: 11-16.
  • Mullis, I., Martin, M., Foy, P., & Hooper, M. (2016). TIMSS Advanced 2015 International Results in Advanced Mathematics and Physics. Retrieved March 19, 2019 http://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2015/international-results/advanced/
  • NCCA (2013). Leaving Certificate Mathematics Syllabus. Retrieved from March 19, 2019 https://curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/f6f2e822-2b0c-461e-bcd4- dfcde6decc0c/SCSEC25_Maths_syllabus_examination-2015_English.pdf.
  • National Research Council. (2006). Learning to think spatially. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press.
  • Newcombe, N. S. (2013). Seeing relationships: Using spatial thinking to teach science, mathematics, and social studies. American Educator, 37(1), 26.
  • Ní Ríordáin, M. & Hannigan, A. (2011). Who teaches our students mathematics at post- primary education in Ireland? Irish Educational Studies, 30 (3):289-304.
  • Niederle, M. & Vesterlund, L. (2010). Explaining the Gender Gap in Math Test Scores: The Role of Competition. The Journal of Economic Perspectives 24 (2): 129-144.
  • Nollenberger, N., Rodríguez-Planas, N. & Sevilla, A. (2016). The Math Gender Gap: The Role of Culture. The American Economic Review 106 (5): 257-261.
  • Nosek, B. & Smyth, F. (2011). Implicit Social Cognitions Predict Sex Differences in Math Engagement and Achievement. American Educational Research Journal 48 (5) 1125- 1156.
  • Nosek, B., Frederick, L. Sriram, N. Nicole Lindner, M., Thierry Devos, Alfonso Ayala, Yoav Bar-Anan, et al. (2009). National Differences in Gender-Science Stereotypes Predict National Sex Differences in Science and Math Achievement. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106 (26): 10593-10597.
  • Ontario. (2014). Paying attention to spatial reasoning: Support document for paing attention to mathematics education K-12. Retrieved June 15, 2019, http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/lnspayingattention.pdf.
  • Perkins, R & Shiel, S. (2016). A Teacher's Guide to PISA Mathematics and Problem Solving: Findings from PISA 2012. Dublin: Educational Research Centre.
  • Perkins, R., Shiel, G., Merriman, B., Cosgrove, J., & Moran, G. (2013). Learning for life: The achievements of 15-year-olds in Ireland on mathematics, reading literacy and science in PISA 2012. Dublin: Educational Research Centre.
  • Reilly, D., & Neumann, D. (2013). Gender-role differences in spatial ability: A meta-analytic review. Sex Roles, 68(9-10), 521-535.
  • Reilly, D., Neumann, D. L., & Andrews, G. (2017). Gender differences in spatial ability: Implications for STEM education and approaches to reducing the gender gap for parents and educators. In Visual-spatial ability in STEM education (pp. 195-224). Springer.
  • Robinson, J. & Lubienski, S. (2011). The Development of Gender Achievement Gaps in Mathematics and Reading during Elementary and Middle School: Examining Direct Cognitive Assessments and Teacher Ratings. American Educational Research Journal 48 (2): 268-302.
  • State Examinations Commission. (SEC). (2019). State Examination Statistics. Retrieved March 19, 2019 https://www.examinations.ie/statistics/
  • Selin, E. & Brenda, J. (2015). An Investigation of Boys' and Girls' Emotional Experience of Math, their Math Performance, and the Relation between these Variables. European Journal of Psychology of Education 30 (4): 421-435.
  • Shiel, G. & Kelleher, K. (2017). An Evaluation of the Impact of Project Maths on the performance of students in Junior Cycle Mathematics. Dublin: Educational Research Centre/NCCA.
  • Stigler, J. W., & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching gap: Best ideas from the world's teachers for improving education in the classroom. Free Press.
  • TIMSS. (2015). Achievement in Advanced Mathematics Cognitive Domains By Gender. Retrieved March 10, 2019 http://timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2015/international- results/advanced/timss-advanced-2015/mathematics/achievement-in-content-and- cognitive-domains/achievement-in-cognitive-domains-by-gender/.
  • Tzuriel, D. & Egozi, G. (2010). Gender Differences in Spatial Ability of Young Children: The Effects of Training and Processing Strategies. Child Development 81 (5): 1417-1430.
  • Uttal, D., Meadow, N., Tipton, E. & Hand, L. (2013). The Malleability of Spatial Skills: A Meta-Analysis of Training Studies. Psychological Bulletin139 (2): 352-402.