Gender Differences In Academic Achievement Research Articles

When Do Gender Differences in Academic Achievement Originate? Examining Preschoolers and Early School Children Longitudinally

The skewed emphases on central tendency and dispersion statistics often provide an estimated summary of scores and variances of the overall distribution. Studies may therefore overlook significant variations across these distributions' different percentiles. This study examined gender academic disparities in STEM and reading subjects of the USA sample (Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten, ECLS-K:2011). The Quantile Regression (QR) model was utilized and found academic gender differences across school subjects, students’ academic grades, and proficiency levels. There were often more differences in the extreme tails of the distribution than around the mean. The gender gap started with the top students in kindergarten and quickly spread throughout the distribution and primary school grades. Boys at the extreme ends of the distribution had the lowest reading scores by a significant margin. However, boys consistently rank among the top students in math and science. Early-age attention and intervention are needed to avert subsequent-grade academic achievement inequalities.

Secondary School Teachers’ Views of Gender Differences in School Achievement and Study Choices in Spain

This study examines Spanish secondary school teachers’ views of gender differences in academic achievement and study choices. Thirty-six secondary school teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Most teachers acknowledged that girls had better school performance, particularly in reading comprehension. Some were also acquainted with a higher predisposition to underachieve in boys. However, the teachers used different biology-centered arguments to explain these gender disparities. For many of the participants, that girls matured earlier than their male counterparts facilitates their adaptation to school demands. Likewise, a few teachers argued that the feminization of school favors girls’ adjustment to school demands, whereas a number of them discussed that male adolescents do not consider school to be part of their gender identity. The usual attribution of intellectual abilities and effort to boys and girls was also discussed. In addition, socio-cultural and biological factors were accounted for gender differences in study choices.

Boys lagging behind: Unpacking gender differences in academic achievement across East Africa

We estimate the current magnitude of gender gaps in literacy and numeracy in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, using large-scale nationally representative data of children ages 6–16. Using a household fixed effects approach, we document that girls outperform boys in all three countries; in numeracy by 0.03 SDs (Uganda) to 0.05 SDs (Kenya and Tanzania) and literacy by 0.06 SDs (Uganda and Tanzania) to 0.09 SDs (Kenya). However, the gender gap in achievement is highly geographically clustered, reversing in sign in some districts. In highlighting the heterogeneity of gender disparities in academic performance in these three countries in East Africa, this study show that systematic female disadvantage in schooling is no longer the norm.

Gender Differences in Academic Achievement in Saudi Arabia: A Wake-Up Call to Educational Leaders

Educational leaders must consider equity in education as a priority to make sure all students receive the best education possible. Studies on this topic in Saudi Arabia, however, are still in the embryonic stage. This article, thus, examines whether significant differences in academic achievement exist between male and female students based on gender, subject value, and expectations of education attainment. From a sample study of 3,759 students, the findings showed that female outperformed male students in both math, science, and their domains. Further, the more students value a subject or expect to go far in their education, the higher the score for both students, but female still outperformed male students. Educational leaders should considerthese findings a wake-up call to the persistent academic achievement disparities.

“Nothing is impossible”: characteristics of Hispanic females participating in an informal STEM setting

Factors that influence the underrepresentation of females in STEM careers begin early in childhood when gender biases and stereotypes emerge. Stereotypes have a psychosocial effect on females that can lead to low self-efficacy and less interest in learning and pursuing STEM careers. This study investigated the effect of a STEM summer camp on K-12 students learning in which upper elementary students explored STEM concepts through magnetic levitation (MagLev) train activities, middle school students built and programmed robots, and high school students explored STEM through both MagLev train and robotics activities. A mixed methods design was used to analyze pre/posttest scores of all students and interviews of randomly selected Hispanic female students. Data indicated that Hispanic, high school females were less likely to participate in the STEM summer camp as compared to their elementary or middle school counterparts. In addition, there were no gender differences in academic achievement at the elementary level, but Hispanic females reported significantly higher learning gains than Hispanic males. In high school, Hispanic females reported significantly lower pretest scores than males. We conclude that there is a change in the characteristics, attitudes, and academic achievement of Hispanic females from elementary to high school, but informal STEM opportunities can mitigate this change.

Is there a gender gap? A meta-analysis of the gender differences in students' ICT literacy

The study of gender differences in academic achievement has been one of the core topics in education, especially because it may uncover possible gaps and inequalities in certain domains. Whereas these differences have largely been examined in traditional domains, such as mathematics, reading, and science, the existing body of empirical studies in the domain of ICT literacy is considerably smaller, yet abounds in diverse findings. One of the persistent findings however is that boys consider their ICT literacy to be higher than that of girls. This meta-analysis tests whether the same pattern holds for students’ actual performance on ICT literacy tasks, as measured by performance-based assessments. In total, 46 effect sizes were extracted from 23 empirical studies using a random-effects model. Overall, the gender differences in ICT literacy were significant, positive, and favored girls (g = + 0.12, 95 % CI = [0.08, 0.16]). This effect varied between studies, and moderation analyses indicated that the grade level students were taught at moderated its magnitude—effect sizes were larger in primary school as compared to secondary school. In conclusion, our findings contrast those obtained from previous meta-analyses that were based on self-reported ICT literacy and suggest that the ICT gender gap may not be as severe as it had been claimed to be.

Gender differences in academic achievement of children with developmental coordination disorder

Background: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) has a negative impact on everyday activities and academic achievement in children, mainly owing to similar underlying motor and cognitive constructs. Academic achievement of boys and girls seems to be different, with boys being more prone to academic backlogs, especially in language-related areas.Aim: This study investigated if boys with DCD displayed more academic problems than girls with DCD.Setting: Ten-year-old children (N = 221, ±0.41) from different economic backgrounds were randomly selected for assessment as part of the NW-CHILD (North-West Child Health, Integrated with Learning and Development) longitudinal study in the North West Province of South Africa.Methods: The Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition, was used to determine DCD status in the group. The results of the Annual National Assessment and the mid-year June exam, which included six learning areas, were used to analyse academic differences between typically developing boys and girls and those who were identified with DCD (seven boys, seven girls). Independent t-testing and Mann–Whitney non-parametric tests were used to determine differences between boys and girls.Results: Boys with DCD had inferior literacy and numeracy skills, significantly poorer manual dexterity and balancing skills and also displayed statistically and large practically significant weaker mid-year grade point averages than girls. Children with DCD also portrayed poorer academic achievement than typically developing children.Conclusion: Significant differences in balancing skills and in languages between boys and girls with DCD might have contributed to the practically significant poorer maths performance of boys.

Gender differences in academic achievement: A matter of contextual classroom influence?

Gender differences in academic achievement: A matter of contextual classroom influence?

Regional inequalities and gender differences in academic achievement as a function of educational opportunities: Evidence from Ethiopia

This study investigated regional and gender differences in academic achievement in Ethiopia, and examined whether these differences can be explained in terms of unequal educational opportunities (EO). Educational opportunity was operationalized in a broad sense based on a regional differentiation in terms of socio-economic and school environment factors. The study results are based on a multilevel analysis of the 2014 and 2015 national standardized exam for grade 12 students (n=194503 and n=205719). Whereas the Central (high EO) regions outperformed the other regions (Cohen’s d=0.85) as expected, there were some inconsistencies in the comparison between Established (mid EO) regions and Emerging (low EO) regions. Coincidentally, the two Emerging regions that were unexpectedly performing at the level of the Established regions were also the two regions in which there was no evidence for a gender gap in achievement. For other regions, including the Central regions, evidence for a gender gap sometimes as large as the regional gap was identified, with boys having on average higher scores than girls (Cohen’s d=[0.02, 0.92] with an average of 0.50). Plausible explanations and further policy recommendations are discussed.

Gender Characteristics of Intelligence and Academic Achievement of Younger Schoolchildren

Our study aims to identify gender-specific characteristics of intelligence and academic achievement in early school age. In order to measure intelligence we used WISC and also evaluated academic achievement. It was shown that in early school age there were no gender differences in academic achievement and intellectual development. It was found that boys and girls have a different structure of intelligence. The results of factor analysis showed a lack of differentiation of mental functions, which testifies to a “chaotic” organization of girls and boys’ mental experience in this age.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN ENGLISH: AN ANALYSIS THROUGH GENDER LENS

Gender issues have become the talk of today's educational forum. Although the literacy rate is more among boys than girls; it is quite interesting to observe that girls are securing better rank than boys in almost all academic and other competitive examinations. Academic achievement is considered as a key criterion to judge one's total potentialities and capacities. In the present study, the researcher has analysed and assessed the gender differences in academic achievement of 10th class students in English in Salem and Sankari educational districts of Tamil Nadu. The Ex-post Facto research method has been adopted in this study and the annual examination marks obtained by the students (N=195,941: Boys-1,02,027 and Girls- 93,914) in English in last five years (2007 – 2011) were used as a measure to assess the academic achievement.

Gender differences in academic achievement: The mediating role of personality

Research has shown pervasive gender differences in academic achievement. Because both genders present similar global intellectual ability levels, interest has arisen concerning the role of non-intellectual factors in explaining these differences. In this study, the mediating role of personality dimensions related to disconstraint and aggressiveness, in the relationship between gender and academic achievement is assessed. The sample consists of 351 adolescents, ranging in age from 14 to 18years old. The instruments are the aggressiveness and disconstraint PSY-5 dimensions of the MMPI-A and the School Life Survey (SLS). MANOVA shows that females report better indicators of achievement, the frequency of behavioral problems and overall satisfaction. Regression analyses using bootstrapping procedures reveal the full mediation effects of disconstraint, but not of aggressiveness, on the influence of gender on achievement. The results are discussed in light of the role of disconstraint-related personality characteristics for academic success and the potential factors underlying gender variability in these characteristics.

Gender Differences in Academic Achievement: Is Writing an Exception to the Gender Similarities Hypothesis?

ABSTRACTThe gender similarities hypothesis by J. S. Hyde (2005), based on large-scale reviews of studies, concludes that boys and girls are more alike than different on most psychological variables, including academic skills such as reading and math (J. S. Hyde, 2005). Writing is an academic skill that may be an exception. The authors investigated gender differences in academic achievement using a large, nationally stratified sample of children and adolescents ranging from ages 7–19 years (N = 2,027). Achievement data were from the conormed sample for the Kaufman intelligence and achievement tests. Multiple-indicator, multiple-cause, and multigroup mean and covariance structure models were used to test for mean differences. Girls had higher latent reading ability and higher scores on a test of math computation, but the effect sizes were consistent with the gender similarities hypothesis. Conversely, girls scored higher on spelling and written expression, with effect sizes inconsistent with the gender similarities hypothesis. The findings remained the same after controlling for cognitive ability. Girls outperform boys on tasks of writing.

Gendered Habitus and Gender Differences in Academic Achievement

Bourdieu’s theory of cultural and social reproduction posits that students’ habitus—learned behavioural and perceptual dispositions rooted in family upbringing—is a formative influence on how they react to their educational environments, affecting academic practices and academic achievement. Although originally conceived as a “class” variant construct, it has been argued subsequently that habitus is also conditioned by gender socialization, and so may also be characterized by significant gender differences. Working with multilevel Canadian data from the linked PISA-YITS surveys, this study investigates gender differences in a Bourdieu derived “structure-disposition-practice” model of academic achievement. For the most part gender differences in the model are modest, but several significant differences are evident: the boys outscore the girls in math and science while the girls excel in reading, students’ socioeconomic stats (SES) has a relatively stronger effect on the girls’ academic achievement than on the boys’ achievement, while students’ habitus affects the boys’ academic achievement more strongly than the girls’ achievement. Finally, the average SES of the schools’ students attend affects both the boys’ and the girls’ academic achievement, but this effect is stronger for the boys, and the effect of the boys’ habitus on their academic achievement diminishes slightly as the average SES of the schools they attend increases; no such contextual interaction was evident for the girls. Overall, the results suggest that habitus and the “structure-disposition-practice” model may still offer a worthwhile contribution to our understanding of gender differences in educational and occupational outcomes, and indeed, merit further empirical investigation. Selon la theorie de Bourdieu sur la reproduction culturelle et sociale, l’habitus des eleves – leurs dispositions comportementales et perceptuelles apprises et ancrees dans leur education familiale – constitue une influence formative sur leur reaction a leurs milieux educationnels, ce qui affecte leur rendement et leurs pratiques academiques. Quoiqu’a l’origine, l’habitus ait ete concu comme un concept qui variait en fonction de la classe sociale, on a etabli depuis qu’il est egalement determine par la socialisation liee au sexe et qu’il peut donc se caracterise par des differences significatives entre les sexes. Puisant dans des donnees canadiennes a plusieurs niveaux provenant de l’Enquete aupres des jeunes en transition (EJET) et du Programme international pour le suivi des acquis des eleves (PISA), cette etude porte sur les differences entre les sexes dans un modele de rendement academique « structure-disposition-pratique » derive de Bourdieu. De facon generale, les differences entre les sexes sont modestes, mais plusieurs differences significatives se sont toutefois manifestees : le rendement des garcons en mathematiques et en sciences est superieur a celui des filles; les filles excellent en lecture; le statut socioeconomique (SSE) des eleves a plus d’impact sur le rendement academique des filles que des garcons; et l’habitus des eleves affecte davantage le rendement academique des garcons que celui des filles. Le SSE moyen des eleves de l’ecole affecte le rendement academique des garcons et des filles, mais l’impact est plus fort chez les garcons. L’effet de l’habitus des garcons sur leur rendement academique diminue un peu avec l’augmentation du SSE moyen des eleves de leur ecole; cette interaction contextuelle n’a pas ete notee chez les filles. Globalement, les resultats portent a croire que l’habitus et le modele « structure-disposition-pratique » peuvent continuer a enrichir nos connaissances des differences entre les sexes quant au rendement educatif et professionnel et qu’ils meritent etre l’objet de d’autres etudes empiriques.

An Analysis of Gender Difference in Academic Achievement of Elementary and Middle School Students

This study has the following three topics: first, gender differences in academic achievement among elementary and middle school students; second,...

Gender differences in academic achievement of twins in mathematics

This study is a part of the project “The origins of individual differences in academic achievement: the impact of the shared environment, non-shared environment and prenatal hormones” (No. 12-06-00790, supported by Russian Humanitarian Scientific fond). Data of Unified state examination (2010–2012) were analyzed in the study. We have got test scores (mathematics exam) of 9592 boys and 12,702 girls – members of twin pairs. Boys show a slightly higher academic achievement in mathematics, than girls. However, they have higher variability of test scores. In deviation extremes number of boys is more than number of girls – both in high achievement (218 vs 82) and low achievement (350 vs 119) groups. Opposite-sex twins (boys and girls) are more successful in Math than same-sex twins. This results may be connected with environmental conditions (for example social attitudes) and with hormonal influences.

Does Working Hard in School Explain Performance Differences between Girls and Boys? A Questionnaire-based Study Comparing Pakistani Students with Majority Group Students in the City of Oslo

This study examines how working hard in school contributes to explaining gender differences in academic achievement between students of Norwegian ( n = 8,002) and Pakistani ( n = 862) descent in secondary schools in Oslo, Norway. Path analyses show that reported school effort explains a significant part of the gender differences in school achievement for the Pakistani sample, but not as much of the gender variation in the ethnic Norwegian sample. Working hard in school is characteristic for the Pakistani sample, especially the girls. Explanations that may account for the differences in the two samples are discussed, with particular emphasis on cultural distinctions in such areas as being native within a culture, expectations and pressure from home, social control and self-reporting.

Noncognitive Skills and the Gender Disparities in Test Scores and Teacher Assessments: Evidence from Primary School

We extend the analysis of early-emerging gender differences in academic achievement to include both (objective) test scores and (subjective) teacher assessments. Using data from the 1998-99 ECLS-K cohort, we show that the grades awarded by teachers are not aligned with test scores, with the disparities in grading exceeding those in testing outcomes and uniformly favoring girls, and that the misalignment of grades and test scores can be linked to gender differences in non-cognitive development. Girls in every racial category outperform boys on reading tests and the differences are statistically significant in every case except for black fifth-graders. Boys score at least as well on math and science tests as girls, with the strongest evidence of a gender gap appearing among whites. However, boys in all racial categories across all subject areas are not represented in grade distributions where their test scores would predict. Even those boys who perform equally as well as girls on reading, math and science tests are nevertheless graded less favorably by their teachers, but this less favorable treatment essentially vanishes when non-cognitive skills are taken into account. White boys who perform on par with white girls on these subject-area tests and exhibit the same non-cognitive skill level are graded similarly. For some specifications there is evidence of a grade “bonus” for white boys with test scores and behavior like their girl counterparts. While the evidence is a little weaker for blacks and Hispanics, the message is essentially the same.

Noncognitive Skills and the Gender Disparities in Test Scores and Teacher Assessments: Evidence from Primary School

We extend the analysis of early-emerging gender differences in academic achievement to include both (objective) test scores and (subjective) teacher assessments. Using data from the 1998-99 ECLS-K cohort, we show that the grades awarded by teachers are not aligned with test scores, with the disparities in grading exceeding those in testing outcomes and uniformly favoring girls, and that the misalignment of grades and test scores can be linked to gender differences in non-cognitive development. Girls in every racial category outperform boys on reading tests and the differences are statistically significant in every case except for black fifth-graders. Boys score at least as well on math and science tests as girls, with the strongest evidence of a gender gap appearing among whites. However, boys in all racial categories across all subject areas are not represented in grade distributions where their test scores would predict. Even those boys who perform equally as well as girls on reading, math and science tests are nevertheless graded less favorably by their teachers, but this less favorable treatment essentially vanishes when non-cognitive skills are taken into account. White boys who perform on par with white girls on these subject-area tests and exhibit the same non-cognitive skill level are graded similarly. For some specifications there is evidence of a grade bonus for white boys with test scores and behavior like their girl counterparts. While the evidence is a little weaker for blacks and Hispanics, the message is essentially the same.

Wendy Johnson: Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology.

Presents Wendy Johnson, the 2011 winner of the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology. "For innovative research explicating the nature, origin, and consequences of individual differences in intelligence and personality. With methodological rigor and theoretical incisiveness, Wendy Johnson has addressed some of the most vexing questions in the psychology of individual differences. She has shown how genetic and environmental factors jointly influence many important life outcomes, explicated the structure of cognitive abilities, and demonstrated how cognitive ability and personality contribute to gender differences in academic achievement. Her consummate mastery of research methodology, genetics, personality theory, and human abilities has enabled her to advance an integrative program of research that is having a fundamental impact on the field." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved).