Gender and mathematics

1. Gender and mathematics Markku S. Hannula University of Turku Department of Teacher Education markku.hannula@zpg.fi

2. What is gender equity? • Equity is the principle of providing equal oportunities regardless of gender • Entrance examinations • No gender quota or bonuses • Practice of schooling • Equal treatment regardless of gender • Equal opportunities • Equity of outcome

3. Equity of Educational Outcome • Learning results • Knowledge, skills, disposition • Selection to further education • Entering profession and making a career • Is there equity in mathematics?

4. Empirical results from comprehensive school • Self-confidence of the highest achieving (mathematics mark 10) girls and boys.

5. Empirical results from upper secondary school • Female students (compared to male students) (general/advanced syllabus) • were less confident (η2= 0.40 / 0.60) • perceived teacher quality lower (η2= 0.22 / 0.10) • percieved mathematics more difficult (η2= 0.12 / 0.40) • gender and group interaction effect for enjoyment in advanced syllabus (stronger for female) • η2= 0.062

6. Radical feministview of education • Patriarchical society oppresses women • Education renews the structures that oppress women • Feminist education aims at empowering women to act regardless the oppressive social structures

7. Radical feministview of education • Patriarchical society oppresses women • Education renews the structures that oppress women • Feminist education aims at empowering women to act regardless the oppressive social structures • What can this mean in mathematics education

8. Towards equity • End gender discrimination • Is there discrimination? • Is there a discriminative hidden curriculum?

9. Gender has an influence on the teaching students receive • The teacher interaction with boys and girls is different • More contacts with boys • Tolerating more from the boys • ’Taught helplessness’ • May even influence exam grading • Bias is based on teacher beliefs (unconscious) • Have you observed this in school/university

10. Mathematics teahcers gender beliefs • (Soro, 2002; Sumpter 2009; Forgasz & Leder) • Geder equity is not a problem • Equity is self-evident • Mathematics has no gender • Students are treated as individuals • Boys are talented but lazy • Girls are hard working and diligent

11. The paradox of gender neutrality • When mathematics teachers try to be gender neutral, they create a discriminative hidden curriculum

12. Towards equity • End discrimination • Train girls

13. There are differences between sexes • (Although they are mainly similar) • Innate/brought up/ cultural • Girls cultures – boys cultures • Different hobbies • Different values • Different role models • Differences generated/ amplified / conserved by school

14. Girls Languages Standard algorithms in mathematics Collaboration, altruism Pro-humanism Boys Confident in mathematics Own strategies in mathematics Competitive Pro-technology After comprehensive school

15. Female better in Producing synonyms Verbal fluency Computation Anagrams Men better in Verbal analogies Mathematical problem solving Mental rotations and spatial imagery Time-space -imagery Cognitive sex differences (Halpern, 1992)

16. Training girls • Patch kognitive shortcomings • E.g. spatial imagery • Offer support courses in mathematics, physics, computer science... • Boost girls self-confidence • Provide role models • ”Girls into technology”

17. Are women not suited for mathematics ?

18. Towards equity • End discrimination • Train girls • Develope teaching methods

19. Gender sensitive teaching • Becoming aware of own patterns of interaction and changing it • Are you subconsciously a schauvinist? • Teacher gender is not essential, a man can be a feminist

20. Methods that suit girls • Collaboration, interaction • More than groupwork • Teaching from heart to heart • The significance of learning • Values, understanding • Esthetics, creativity Elämyksiä, • In-depth studying, project work • Suit also boys • Partial gender segregation • If there is need for ”girls’ space” • Have you found methods that suit you?

21. Towards equity • End discrimination • Train girls • Develope teaching methods • Develope content

22. Importance of context • Context has shown to play a significant role for girls’ performance in mathematics • Mix explosives or dough • Cut fabric or metal plate

23. Feminist view to content • Highlight the human aspects • Functioning of human body • Applications in everyday life, consumer perspective • Social significance • Vivid experiences, esthetics, creativity

24. Feminist view to content • Highlight the human aspects • Functioning of human body • Applications in everyday life, consumer perspective • Social significance • Vivid experiences, esthetics, creativity • Do you feel that you have had the opportunity to focus on what you find most interesting?

25. Hidden curriculum? • Mathematics and science as tools of power? • Science – nature • Science – human • Science – woman • What could be a feminist perspective to mathematics?

26. Multiple femininities • Svariation within each sex is greater than between sexes • Everyone is not like you • Gender sensitivity does not imply stereotyping!