The Interaction of Gender and Pedagogy on Learning Motivations in a Secondary PBL Mathematics Classroom

Shelia Mcgee Ingram,Vicki-Lynn Holmes,Yooyeun Hwang

doi:10.22158/sshsr.v1n2p103

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactive effects of gender, learning motivations, and pedagogy (Project-Based Learning [PBL] and conventional) on secondary mathematics learning. In order to measure their academic achievement and learning motivations, 165 secondary students were given a state standardized mathematics test and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Study results indicated that pedagogy and gender had no impact on academic achievement. Pedagogy played a stronger role in rehearsal, peer learning, and task value. Gender played a stronger role in test anxiety, organization, help seeking, and control of learning. PBL students seemed to value and actively engage in the mathematics more than did the conventional students.

Highlights

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach that employs inquiry-based, real-world problem-solving explorations with cooperative learning techniques (Brown, Lawless, & Boyer, 2013)
The research question for this study is what is the three way interactive effect of pedagogy, gender, and motivation on secondary students’ mathematics learning? we were interested in how cognitive and motivational factors manifested between genders within the two mathematics pedagogical learning environments
2.1 Participants As we sought to understand the interactive effects of pedagogy and gender on learning and motivations among secondary-mathematics students, we looked at primary data from two pedagogically different high schools (i.e., Project-Based Learning (PBL) and conventional high school)

Summary

Introduction

Project Based Learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach that employs inquiry-based, real-world problem-solving explorations with cooperative learning techniques (Brown, Lawless, & Boyer, 2013). Research shows that both pedagogical approaches (PBL and conventional) can facilitate mathematical-content learning; differences emerge when looking at learning motivational characteristics. Students in the PBL environment have qualitatively different motivations for learning (e.g., higher intrinsic motivation, higher self-efficacy, or less anxiety) (Han, Capraro, & Capraro, 2014; Holmes & Hwang, in press; Rotgans & Schmidt, 2012). Not many studies have compared how males and females fare within the conventional and PBL mathematics environments

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