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Gender differences in mathematical problem solving among secondary four students
Author
Loo, Choy Fung
Supervisor
Foong, Pui Yee
Abstract
The study is an attempt to investigate the different levels of reasoning of secondary four male and female students in mathematical problem solving using the Collis-Romberg Problem Solving Profiles. This problem-solving profile was constructed based on SOLO taxonomy. The instrument was designed to assess a student's level of problem-solving ability in school mathematics by asking a series of questions about a problem in such a way that each succeeding correct response would require a more sophisticated use of the information given than its predecessor. This increase in sophisticated was planned to parallel the increasing complexity of structure noted in the SOLO categories. The item stems were written for problems in the 5 content areas: Number, Algebra, Space, Measurement and Chance and Data.
The increase in Emphasis in mathematical problem solving in the Singapore mathematics curriculum makes it necessary to investigate the performance of our students in this aspect. As most students in Singapore are taught according to a common syllabus with similar teaching methods either in co-ed or non-coed schools, it would imply that one of the sexes will not benefit as much as the other under the same instructional methods, if the learning and thinking processes of male and female were to differ. Therefore there is a need to identify the areas of weakness that contribute to the differences of the two sexes in mathematics.
From this study, the male students were found to perform better than the female students in all the content areas tested. Significantly, the males were found to have a higher level of reasoning in mathematical problem solving than the females. At the relational level of reasoning, a majority of the male and female students was found to be competent and the difference was not significant. However, it was at the extended abstract level which predisposed them to higher order thinking, that the males outperformed the females across all the topics. Specifically, the female students were found to be weaker than the male counterparts in the extended abstract level which shows that they are weaker in problem solving and reasoning. Most female students were performing at the lower levels, unstructural and multistructural, which shows they had basic knowledge and able to do straight-forward problems but lack reasoning skills for the higher level tasks which require them to integrate indirect information, make an hypothesis and generalise.
It was also found that on topics that contain a spatial element, like Space and Measurement, the male students outperformed the female students. This may help to shed some light on the inclination of the male and female students on certain topics.
The results of this study have some important implications for both teaching and future research in mathematics. The weaker students in higher order thinking, especially the females, should be given more opportunity and experiences to tackle more non-routine problems on the various topics. By shifting the emphasis to strategies and heuristics of problem solving of non-routine problems may help the weaker students attain higher order thinking. The training itself may help all students to learn and appreciate higher level mathematics.
The increase in Emphasis in mathematical problem solving in the Singapore mathematics curriculum makes it necessary to investigate the performance of our students in this aspect. As most students in Singapore are taught according to a common syllabus with similar teaching methods either in co-ed or non-coed schools, it would imply that one of the sexes will not benefit as much as the other under the same instructional methods, if the learning and thinking processes of male and female were to differ. Therefore there is a need to identify the areas of weakness that contribute to the differences of the two sexes in mathematics.
From this study, the male students were found to perform better than the female students in all the content areas tested. Significantly, the males were found to have a higher level of reasoning in mathematical problem solving than the females. At the relational level of reasoning, a majority of the male and female students was found to be competent and the difference was not significant. However, it was at the extended abstract level which predisposed them to higher order thinking, that the males outperformed the females across all the topics. Specifically, the female students were found to be weaker than the male counterparts in the extended abstract level which shows that they are weaker in problem solving and reasoning. Most female students were performing at the lower levels, unstructural and multistructural, which shows they had basic knowledge and able to do straight-forward problems but lack reasoning skills for the higher level tasks which require them to integrate indirect information, make an hypothesis and generalise.
It was also found that on topics that contain a spatial element, like Space and Measurement, the male students outperformed the female students. This may help to shed some light on the inclination of the male and female students on certain topics.
The results of this study have some important implications for both teaching and future research in mathematics. The weaker students in higher order thinking, especially the females, should be given more opportunity and experiences to tackle more non-routine problems on the various topics. By shifting the emphasis to strategies and heuristics of problem solving of non-routine problems may help the weaker students attain higher order thinking. The training itself may help all students to learn and appreciate higher level mathematics.
Date Issued
1996
Call Number
QA63 Loo
Date Submitted
1996