An Exploration of Gender Differences in Seventh-Grade Single-Sex Mathematics Classrooms in a Co-Educational Public School

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Rohn, D. (2014). An Exploration of Gender Differences in Seventh-Grade Single-Sex Mathematics Classrooms in a Co-Educational Public School. Unc Charlotte Electronic Theses And Dissertations.
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Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to examine the learning experiences of students enrolled in an all-girls and all-boys math class. Forty-nine (22 boys and 27 girls) seventh-grade students from a rural co-educational public middle school in the southeastern United States participated in the study. Seven different types of data were collected: student interviews, teacher's reflective journal, post-lesson surveys, students' reflective journals, classroom observations, student attitude surveys, and student work samples. The classroom interactions were analyzed focusing on how the two different pedagogical approaches of cooperative and competitive learning contexts shape the cognitive, psychological, and social aspects of students learning mathematics in the two single-sex classes. There were five major findings that emerged: gender differences in group cohesion, gender differences in types of motivation, different patterns of engagement, inclusion and exclusion of a group member, and stress management in individual competitions. These findings also demonstrated the emergence of gender differences in competitive groups yet not in cooperative groups. This study concludes with implications for practice, implications for research, implications for teacher education and professional development.

Details
Author

Rohn, Debra

Title

An Exploration of Gender Differences in Seventh-Grade Single-Sex Mathematics Classrooms in a Co-Educational Public School

Physical Description

1 online resource (184 pages) : PDF

Date

2014

Degree Granting Institution

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to examine the learning experiences of students enrolled in an all-girls and all-boys math class. Forty-nine (22 boys and 27 girls) seventh-grade students from a rural co-educational public middle school in the southeastern United States participated in the study. Seven different types of data were collected: student interviews, teacher's reflective journal, post-lesson surveys, students' reflective journals, classroom observations, student attitude surveys, and student work samples. The classroom interactions were analyzed focusing on how the two different pedagogical approaches of cooperative and competitive learning contexts shape the cognitive, psychological, and social aspects of students learning mathematics in the two single-sex classes. There were five major findings that emerged: gender differences in group cohesion, gender differences in types of motivation, different patterns of engagement, inclusion and exclusion of a group member, and stress management in individual competitions. These findings also demonstrated the emergence of gender differences in competitive groups yet not in cooperative groups. This study concludes with implications for practice, implications for research, implications for teacher education and professional development.

Genre

doctoral dissertations

Subjects--Topics

Mathematics--Study and teaching

Degree

Ph.D.

Keywords

Competitive Learning
Cooperative Learning
Feminist Theory
Gender
Problem Solving
Single-Sex Classrooms

Subject Area

Curriculum & Instruction

Advisor(s)

Lim, Jae Hoon
Chae, Jeong-Lim

Committee Members

Cifarelli, Victor
Scheid, Teresa

Degree Note

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2014.

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Rights Holder Information

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Identifier

Rohn_uncc_0694D_10620

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:581