Gender Differences in High School Students’ Beliefs about Mathematical Problem Solving

Abstract

This study investigated high school students’ mathematical problem- solving beliefs based on their gender. A mathematical problem-solving beliefs questionnaire comprising 36 items across six beliefs scales was administered to a sample of 490 students (288 boys and 202 girls) from three schools: a mixed-sex school (106 boys and 103 girls), a single-sex boys’ school with 182 students, and a single-sex girls’ school with 99 students. The independent samples t-test was used to analyse the effect of gender on high school students’ mathematical problem-solving beliefs. Results revealed that there was a significant difference in students’ beliefs that some word problems cannot be solved with simple, step-by-step procedures, with girls exhibiting higher beliefs than boys. However, when the entire sample was analysed, gender did not have an overall effect on students’ mathematical problem-solving beliefs. It was further revealed that gender did not have a significant effect on students’ mathematical problem-solving beliefs at a mixed-sex (boys and girls) school. Results are important for the implementation of a problem-solving approach in a new mathematics curriculum. In addition, the results contribute to the literature in mathematics education by highlighting the importance of gender when considering debates about students’ problem-solving beliefs in mathematics.

Heterogeneity of Interactive Learning Media Outcomes for Improving Mathematical Competence: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Grouping based on year of research is only shared in five periods: 2014-2015, 2016-2017, 2018-2019, 2020-2021, and 2022-2023. In the period, the data was obtained in This shows the high interest of researchers in understanding problem-solving abilities (Hermaini & Nurdin, 2020;Sintema & Mosimege, 2023;Susanto et al, 2023), while interest in mathematical understanding and reasoning abilities tends to be lower.…”

Mathematics Beliefs of Secondary School Students: A Systematics Reviews

“…The beliefs that secondary school students hold about mathematics can affect their motivation, performance, and achievement. Understanding the mathematics beliefs of secondary school students is essential for educators to promote a positive learning experience and enhance students' achievement (Gijsbers, 2020;Sintema & Jita, 2022). This systematic review aims to examine the literature on mathematics beliefs of secondary school students.…”