Differences In Mathematics Achievement Research Articles

The impact of problem-based learning on motivation and mathematics outcome for sixth-grade students

Numerous studies have demonstrated that the implementation of problem-based learning (PBL) can enhance student motivation and learning outcomes. However, the integration of contextual media in these instructional activities remains limited. This research aims to investigate the impact of using PBL with contextual media on student outcomes, compare the differences in mathematics achievement between students taught through PBL with contextual media and those taught through conventional methods, and assess variations in student motivation between these two instructional approaches. A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group was employed in this study. The participants consisted of 60 sixth-grade students, divided into an experimental group (taught using PBL with contextual media) and a control group (taught using conventional methods). Data were collected through learning motivation questionnaires and objective mathematics tests, with data analysis conducted using normalized gain scores (N-Gain) and t-tests. The results indicated significant improvements in student outcomes when taught using PBL with contextual media. Additionally, there was a marked difference in mathematics achievement between the experimental and control groups, as well as differences in student motivation between the two instructional methods. These findings suggest that implementing PBL with contextual media presents a promising strategy for enhancing both student motivation and mathematics learning outcomes.

문제 만들기를 활용한 수업이 고등학생의 수학 학업성취도와 학습태도 및 흥미에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study was to find ways to improve mathematics achievement, learning attitudes, and interests in mathematics learning after designing and applying a problem-making classes suitable for the first year high school mathematics subject. Methods The study was conducted on 60 students in two classes in the first grade of 00 high school located in 00 Metropolitan City where the researcher works. Based on the midterm exam results of the second semester of the first grade, two classes were selected, and one class was divided into a experiment group and the other class was divided into a control group, and 13 classes were conducted for about two months from October 12 to December 14, 2021. The research group (30 students) was in the class using a problem-making classes and the control group (30 students) was in the class based on traditional textbooks. Results Through these studies, the following results were obtained. First, it can be seen that students who participated in the problem-making classes were more effective in mathematics achievement than those who did not. Second, it was found that the experiment group applying the problem-making classes had a significant difference in terms of learning attitudes and had a positive effect in terms of interests. Conclusions In conclusion, the experiment group taught after applying the problem-making classes had significant differences in mathematics achievement, learning attitudes, and interests in mathematics learning.

Examining Group Differences in Mathematics Achievement: Explanatory Item Response Model Application

Students take many different exams throughout their educational lives. In these exams, various individual and item characteristics can affect the responses of individuals to the items. In this study, it was aimed to examine the effects of person and item predictors on the mathematics common exam results of 365 9th grade students with explanatory item response models. Gender and school type as person variables and cognitive domain, content domain and booklet type as item variables were added to the models due to their widespread inclusion in the literature. When the predicted item parameters were examined, it was seen that the smallest parameter values were obtained for all items with the Rasch model. When the model data fit values of four different models were examined, it was concluded that the latent regression and latent regression linear logistic test models showed better fit than the Rasch model. By adding person and item predictors to the model, the parameters obtained for each variable group were compared, and differences were observed between the groups for school type, cognitive domain, and content domain variables. It was concluded that the item parameters did not differ for the variables of gender and booklet type. It is thought that it would be beneficial to use these models more widely in studies to be conducted in the field of education and psychology, since they provide more detailed information about the reasons for the differences in the estimated parameters.

Differences in Grade 4 Mathematics Performance of Students in Poverty Between Charter and Traditional Elementary Schools: A Multiyear Texas Analysis

In this statewide, multiyear analysis, the extent to which differences were present in mathematics achievement of Grade 4 students in poverty by school type (i.e., traditional or charter) was determined. Specifically examined was the relationship of performance to the three State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Mathematics Performance Indicators in the 2015-2016 through the 2017-2018 school years. Statistical analyses revealed the presence of statistically significant differences in mathematics achievement as a function of school type. Grade 4 students in poverty who were enrolled in traditional schools met or exceeded the percent of students enrolled in charter schools who met the performance standards (i.e., Approaches Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, and Masters Grade Level) in all but one year with one standard. Students in poverty enrolled in charter schools met the 2015-2016 Masters Grade Level performance standard at a higher percent then students in poverty enrolled in traditional schools.

An assessment of core mathematics performance of selected single-sex schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana

This cross-sectional study was designed to compare gender difference in mathematics achievement in four selected single-sex senior high schools in Ghana. Results of 18,781 students from the selected schools were analyzed based on the final examinations, West African senior school certificate examination (WASSCE) data for 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018-year groups. In 2010, there was no examination; thus, the data analyzed excluded that of 2010. The results are graded from grade A1 to F9 so to ensure clarity in the results, grades were coded from 1 to 9. The grades were coded to correspond with the codes, ranging from the highest grade (A1) to the lowest (F9). The findings indicated that girls performed better than boys and the independent sampling t-test also showed there was a significant difference in the performance of girls and boys. This indicates that there is no equality in core mathematics performance of boys and girls. Teachers of mathematics are encouraged to identify underlying factors that account for the disparity in performance and also to ensure that students of both gender exhibit excellent performance in mathematics.

능력별 소집단 협동학습이 수학 학업성취도와 흥미도 및 수학적 태도에 미치는 효과

Objectives The purpose of this study was to find ways for students to improve their overall mathematics achievement, interest, and mathematical attitude toward math learning through small group cooperative learning by ability. Methods The study was conducted on 58 students in 2 classes in the 2nd grade of 00 Humanities High School. OO High School is located in OO Metropolitan City. Two classes were selected based on the results of the midterm exam in the first semester of the first grade. Class 1 was divided into an experimental group and another class 1 was divided into a comparative group. From April 29 to July 9, 2022, 13 classes were conducted for about 2 months. The experimental group (33 students) was a class that was taught by cooperative learning of small groups by ability, and the comparative group (33 students) was a class that was taught based on traditional textbooks centered on explanatory expressions. Results Through this study, the following results were obtained. First, in this study, learning contents for each unit were set and activity papers were used for small group cooperative learning by ability. By applying this to the class, it was possible to improve mathematics achievement, interest, and mathematical attitude. Second, classes using small group cooperative learning by ability were more effective in mathematics achievement, interest, and mathematical attitude compared to traditional textbook-oriented classes centered on narrative for top, middle, and bottom students. Third, in classes using small group cooperative learning by ability, they were also interested in lower-level students excluded from general mathematics classes, and actively participated and improved the level of mathematics achievement. Conclusions In conclusion, the experimental group that used small group cooperative learning by ability had significant differences in mathematics achievement, interest, and mathematical attitude than the comparative group.

Sex Differences and Similarities in Relations Between Mathematics Achievement, Attitudes, and Anxiety: A Seventh-to-Ninth Grade Longitudinal Study.

There are consistent correlations between mathematics achievement, attitudes, and anxiety, but the longitudinal relations among these constructs are not well understood nor are sex differences in these relations. To address this gap, mathematics achievement, attitudes, and anxiety were longitudinally assessed for 342 (169 boys) adolescents from 7th to 9th grade, inclusive, and Latent Growth Curve Models were used to assess the relations among these traits and developmental change in them. Spatial abilities (7th, 8th grade) and trait anxiety (8th, 9th grade) were also assessed and used for control for sex differences in these traits. Overall, boys had stronger spatial abilities and more positive mathematics attitudes and were less anxious than girls, but there were no sex differences in mathematics achievement. Across grades, mathematics achievement improved, attitudes became less positive, and anxiety increased for both boys and girls. Higher than average cross-grade growth in mathematics achievement mitigated boys' developmental declines in mathematics attitudes and increases in anxiety. Girls with strong spatial abilities had lower mathematics anxiety, but girls overall maintained higher mathematics anxiety and less positive mathematics attitudes relative to boys, even when they showed strong cross-grade gains in mathematics achievement. The study demonstrated that longitudinal gains in mathematics are associated with cross-grade changes in attitudes and anxiety but with several different developmental patterns for boys and girls.

Gender Differences in Mathematics Achievement: The Case of a Business School in Spain

Previous research on the gender gap in mathematics indicates that, in the case of Spain, the gap is stable and has even increased during the last years both in primary and secondary education. The objective of this paper is to analyze whether this gender gap remains by changing the academic level and the way of measuring performance. A sample of 2,713 undergraduate management students (1,478 female and 1,235 male) has been analyzed. The results show that the mathematical level in university entrance is significantly higher in male students, confirming the existence of the aforementioned gap. Nevertheless, throughout the first year of university studies, it has been observed that in most degrees there are no differences between male and female students in terms of their achievement in mathematics. In fact, in those cases in which differences do exist, they occur in the opposite direction, with female students achieving better performance.

The effect of teaching conceptual knowledge on students’ achievement, anxiety about, and attitude toward mathematics

This study investigates how teaching for conceptual understanding alongside procedural knowledge affects students’ achievement in, anxiety about, and attitude toward mathematics. Purposive sampling was used to select 200 secondary school students from Erbil-Iraq. An experimental approach was applied to evaluate the sample study. In the experimental group, conceptual teaching was the focus. In the control group, conventional teaching was used. Pre- and post-tests for an achievement test, mathematics attitude scale, and abbreviated math anxiety scale were applied to both groups to reveal the effect of conceptual knowledge on students’ achievement, attitudes, and anxiety, respectively. Repeated measure ANOVA was used to analysis the data. The results show that there is a statistically significant difference in mathematics achievement between the two groups (<i>p</i><.001). Students’ attitudes toward mathematics in treatment group developed positively. Nevertheless, teaching mathematics conceptually reduced anxiety among female students more effectively than it did among male ones.

Early neural markers for individual difference in mathematical achievement determined from rational number processing

The neural markers for individual differences in mathematical achievement have been studied extensively using magnetic resonance imaging; however, high temporal resolution electrophysiological evidence for individual differences in mathematical achievement require further elucidation. This study evaluated the event-related potential (ERP) when 48 college students with high or low mathematical achievement (HA vs. LA) matched non-symbolic and symbolic rational numbers. Behavioral results indicated that HA students had better performance in the discretized non-symbolic matching, although the two groups showed similar performances in the continuous matching. ERP data revealed that even before non-symbolic stimulus presentation, HA students had greater Bereitschaftspotential (BP) amplitudes over posterior central electrodes. After the presentation of non-symbolic numbers, HA students had larger N1 amplitudes at 160 ms post-stimulus, over left-lateralized parieto-occipital electrodes. After the presentation of symbolic numbers, HA students displayed more profound P1 amplitudes at 100 ms post-stimulus, over left parietal electrodes. Furthermore, larger BP and N1 amplitudes were associated with the shorter reaction times, and larger P1 amplitudes corresponded to lower error rates. The BP effect could indicate preparation processing, and early left-lateralized N1 and P1 effects could reflect the non-symbolic and symbolic number processing along the dorsal neural pathways. These results suggest that the left-lateralized P1 and N1 components elicited by matching non-symbolic and symbolic rational numbers can be considered as neurocognitive markers for individual differences in mathematical achievement.

Assessing gender difference in mathematics achievement

Gender differences in math-related professional achievements have been identified as a worldwide problem. Academic achievement assessments, however, have repeatedly revealed gender similarities. The observed gender similarity might be due to biased assessments that heavily rely on reading skills, which favors girls. The current study analyzed 29 international and within-country datasets representing a total of 9,471,692 students from 1,456 regions through four typical, large-scale student academic achievement assessments. The results showed a gender difference in mathematics achievements of greater than 0.76 (Cohen's d), favoring boys for each dataset after controlling for general reading achievements. The gender difference in mathematics achievements favoring boys exceeded 0.35 in each region, with a mean of 0.70 for 79 countries or jurisdictions in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2018) after controlling for general reading achievements. Dataset- and region-level gender differences are robust, suggesting that there is a clear gender difference in mathematics achievements that previous analyses have not identified due to the effect of reading achievements differences.

Polne razlike na matematičkim takmičenjima u Republici Srbiji

Global research has indicated that there are differences in mathematics achievement among students relative to their gender. The differences have decreased in the last couple of decades, but they have not completely disappeared. Mathematics competitions play an important role in increasing students' motivation, interest, and self-confidence, as well as in identifying and supporting mathematically gifted students. For this reason, the question is whether and to what extent there are differences in achievement at mathematics competitions relative to gender. The aim of this paper is to analyse the continuity of interest and students' achievement, and to investigate the trends at regional mathematics competitions relative to gender in the 2014-2023 period. The research sample consists of 53490 primary school students, from fourth to eighth grade. Quantitative and qualitative methods were applied. The results indicate that there are differences in participation and achievement relative to students' gender. In the observed period, there was a trend of an increased male representation. A slight decrease in the representation of boys was identified during the transition from earlier grades to subject teaching, and this difference becomes greater in the eighth grade. When it comes to achievement, there is a statistically significant difference, usually to the benefit of the boys, in 60% of cases. There are more boys among the 5% of the students with the highest achievement. The findings indicate that more attention should be paid to this issue and that the cause of the gender differences regarding participation and achievement at competitions should be identified and ways should be found for overcoming it.

Jigsaw Learning Strategy and Secondary Schools Students’ Mathematics Achievement by Gender in Laikipia County, Kenya

Gender differences in mathematics achievement have continued being a challenge in the society today. This difference has important implications for the under-representation of women in the field of science. In Kenya, students’ gender difference in mathematics achievement is evident in female students performing poorly in the subject in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E) examinations. That has raised concerns among the stakeholders in education due to the importance attached to mathematics. The factors that are attributed to the female students’ dismal performance in the subject include; poor attitude towards the subject by the students and teachers, gender stereotypes, lack of role models, low mathematics self-concept and the instructional methods used by teachers. This study sought to address the problem of ineffective instruction methods used by teachers and gender stereotypes. This is as a result of inadequate information in research conducted in Kenya on effects of the use of Jigsaw Cooperative learning Strategy on students’ achievement in mathematics by gender. Solomon Four non-equivalent control group design was used in the study. A simple random sample of four co-educational secondary schools was selected from Laikipia County. The sample size was 4 schools out of the possible 67 schools with a population of about 20,800 students in Laikipia County. A mathematics achievement test (MAT) for students was used to collect the required data. A total of 188 Form three secondary school students (i.e., 84 girls and 104 boys) wrote the MAT. The MAT was piloted in a school which was not used in the study in Laikipia County and it’s reliability estimated to be 0.95 using KR-21 formula. Data were analyzed using posttest mean and t-test at alpha (ά) level of .05. Gender did not affect students’ achievement in mathematics when students were taught using Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Strategy (t(92) = -.835, p=.423). The findings are expected to be useful to teachers in secondary schools because they will be able to identify learning strategies which will reduce gender disparities in learners’ mathematics achievement. Curriculum developers and education officers are likely to benefit from this study in deciding on the appropriate learning strategies for learners to improve the quality of mathematics in the country. The research recommends use of Jigsaw cooperative learning strategy in mathematics instruction in secondary schools in Kenya to improve and also reduce gender disparities in the mathematics achievement.
 
 Keywords: Jigsaw learning strategy, Mathematics achievement, Gender.

Öğrencilerin Matematiksel Üstbiliş ve Problem Kurma Öz-Yeterliklerinin Bazı Değişkenlere Göre İncelenmesi

Bu araştırmanın amacı, ortaokul öğrencilerinin matematiksel üstbiliş farkındalıkları ve problem kurma öz-yeterlik düzeylerini belirlemek, ayrıca üstbiliş farkındalık ve öz-yeterliklerini cinsiyet, sınıf düzeyi, sosyo-ekonomik durum ve matematik başarı düzeyi değişkenlerine göre karşılaştırmaktır. Araştırma ilişkisel tarama modellerinden nedensel karşılaştırma yaklaşımında tasarlanmıştır. Araştırma 5., 6., 7. ve 8. sınıflarda öğrenim gören 462 ortaokul öğrencisi üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Veri toplama aracı olarak “Kişisel Bilgi Formu”, “Problem Kurma Öz-yeterlik Ölçeği” ve “Matematiksel Üstbiliş Farkındalık Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde Bağımsız Örneklem t-Testi, Tek Yönlü Varyans Analizi ve Pearson Momentler Çarpımı Korelasyon Katsayısı kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda, öğrencilerin matematiksel üstbiliş farkındalıkları ve problem kurma öz-yeterlikleri yüksek düzeyde bulunmuştur. Öğrencilerin matematiksel üstbiliş farkındalıkları ve problem kurma öz-yeterlikleri arasında sınıf düzeyi ve ailenin sosyo-ekonomik durumuna göre anlamlı farkın olmadığı, cinsiyet ve matematik başarısı açısından ise anlamlı bir farkın olduğu belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca matematiksel üstbiliş ve problem kurma öz-yeterliği arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmuştur. Öğrencilerin matematiksel üstbiliş farkındalıkları ve problem kurma öz-yeterliklerini geliştirmeye yönelik etkinlikler cinsiyet ve matematik başarısı farklılıkları dikkate alınarak hazırlanmalıdır.

Language Ability Accounts for Ethnic Difference in Mathematics Achievement.

The mathematics achievement of minority students has always been a focal point of educators in China. This study investigated the differences in mathematics achievement between Han and minority pupils to determine if there is any cognitive mechanism that can account for the discrepancy. We recruited 236 Han students and 272 minority students (including Uygur and Kazak) from the same primary schools. They were tested on mathematics achievement, language abilities, and general cognitive abilities. The results showed that Han pupils had better mathematics achievement scores and better Chinese language ability than minority students. After controlling for age, gender, and general cognitive abilities, there were still significant differences in mathematics achievement between Han and minority students. However, these differences disappeared after controlling for language ability. These results suggest that the relatively poor levels of mathematics achievement observed in minority students is related to poor Chinese language skills.

Effect of gender on mathematics achievement in Class Eight at Khotang District

This study was undertaken to assess gender differences in mathematics achievement. Data was collected by questionnaire, interview schedules and class examination administered previously on 2075. The accessible population was teachers of mathematics, class eight students from selected secondary schools in Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality in Khotang District and their Parents. Two community school and one institutional school were selected by purposively. 18 boys and 18 girls’ progress report were selected from each school six boys and six girls by random sampling. six parent two from each school representing one boy and one girl were selected purposively. Three mathematics teachers were selected. Data were collected from teacher and parents by questionnaire and interview schedules. It is found that there is gender difference in mathematics achievement in class eight. Specially, boys’ achievement in mathematics is better than girls’ achievement in mathematics. It is also found that causes of comparatively poorer achievement of girls are rapid physical growth, over responsibility at home and at school.

Pathways of mathematics achievement in preschool: Examining executive function and task orientation

Despite research demonstrating the importance of mathematics achievement to children's educational success and trajectories, many children enter kindergarten without the foundational mathematics skills needed to succeed (Garcia & Weiss, 2015). Children's executive function (EF) skills and their learning-related behaviors (Anthony & Ogg, 2020) may play a key role in supporting their early mathematics achievement (Morgan et al., 2019). Additionally, there is some evidence that children's learning behaviors are a mechanism through which EF is related to math achievement (e.g., Nesbitt et al., 2015), however this pathway hasn't been fully explored. There is also little to no research that has explored whether the pathways through which EF is related to math achievement function similarly for boys versus girls, although some literature suggests that differences in the nature or strength of the associations could contribute to differences in mathematics achievement among boys and girls in elementary school (e.g., Fryer Jr and Levitt, 2010; Robinson-Cimpian et al., 2013; Robinson & Lubienski, 2011). In this study, we used longitudinal data from a racially/ethnically and linguistically diverse sample of 467 preschoolers to examine (1) if children's EF at the beginning of pre-kindergarten predicts growth in their mathematics achievement across the pre-kindergarten year, (2) whether growth in learning behaviors, specifically task orientation, mediate the associations between EF and mathematics achievement, and (3) if there are sex differences in these associations. We found that growth in children's task orientation partially mediates the association between EF and mathematics achievement for the preschoolers in our study. Although girls had significantly higher task orientation, we did not find a statistically significant difference in the direct associations between EF, task orientation, and mathematics or in the mediating effect of task orientation for boys and girls. The discussion reviews implications and directions for future research.

Indirect effects of bullying on school mathematics achievement in Chile

Students who experience bullying at school present different negative outcomes, including lower academic achievement. However, the process by which bullying is connected to academic achievement is not clear. Using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) dataset from Chilean schools in 2011, we sought to estimate the indirect effects of bullying on mathematics achievement via two key socio-motivational factors, namely school belonging and students’ engagement. Results of our multilevel latent covariate analyses showed that schools’ bullying rates were predictive of school differences in mathematics achievement, but these effects were explained by broader characteristics of the school environment such as perceived levels of safety and discipline. Crucially, the hypothesized indirect pathway was evident at the within-school level, showing that individual experiences of bullying are related to a poorer sense of belonging with the school as a whole, as well as poorer classroom engagement.

Sex differences in the association of math achievement with visual-spatial and verbal working memory: Does the type of math test matter?

Previous research on sex differences in mathematical achievement shows mixed findings, which have been argued to depend on types of math tests used and the type of solution strategies (i.e., verbal versus visual‐spatial) these tests evoke. The current study evaluated sex differences in (a) performance (development) on two types of math tests in primary schools and (b) the predictive value of verbal and visual‐spatial working memory on math achievement. Children (N = 3175) from grades 2 through five participated. Visual‐spatial and verbal working memory were assessed using online computerized tasks. Math performance was assessed five times during two school years using a speeded arithmetic test (math fluency) and a word problem test (math problem solving). Results from Multilevel Multigroup Latent Growth Modeling, showed that sex differences in level and growth of math performance were mixed and very small. Sex differences in the predictive value of verbal and visual‐spatial working memory for math performance suggested that boys seemed to rely more on verbal strategies than girls. Explanations focus on cognitive and emotional factors and how these may interact to possibly amplify sex differences as children grow older.

Gender differences in mathematics achievement: A secondary analysis of Programme for International Student Assessment data from Shanghai

As mathematics has been seen for decades as a stereotyped male domain, gender differences in mathematics learning have received strong attention from the public and academia. In China, the issue of gender equity in education is a particularly interesting topic to most families with the implementation of the one-child policy since the late 1970s. This study aims to study in more depth the role of gender on Shanghai students’ mathematics attainment from a perspective of three societal factors (i.e., one-child status at home, socioeconomic status, and school types) via a secondary analysis of the Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 Shanghai–China mathematics data. In contrast to the official report by Programme for International Student Assessment on Shanghai–China and in line with own previous studies, the current analyses reveal that 15-year-old students in Shanghai performed significantly different on two content-related subscales (i.e., change and relationships and quantity) and two processes-related subscales (i.e., formulate and interpret). Furthermore, significant gender differences were found with students from one-child families but not multi-children families. Among schools of different types in terms of academic tracks and performance levels, the gender differences were largest in the more selective model (general) schools and then vocational schools followed by ordinary (general) schools. Given the nested structure of the Programme for International Student Assessment data, this study found that, on average, a Shanghai boy would achieve significantly higher marks than a girl in Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 mathematics test. The paper closes with discussions on societal and educational implications about these gender disparities, which are still apparent in the current school system of Shanghai.