Research on gender and mathematics: exploring new and future directions

A Digital Math Game and Multiple-Try Use with Primary Students: A Sex Analysis on Motivation and Learning

“…Such results are coherent with Goetz et al [ 31 ] regarding “students’ beliefs about their competence in mathematics, with female students reporting lower perceived competence than male despite having the same average grades.” From a social learning theory perspective [ 76 ], such sex differences in math competence perceptions reveal that there is still a strong cultural bias that identifies math as a predominantly male domain due to stereotypes. Past research has recognized that gender math stereotypes negatively affect women’s mathematics achievements, primarily through their self-concept [ 77 ], leading them to underestimate their mathematical abilities and experience more mathematics anxiety than boys [ 78 ]. Furthermore, although boys continue to outperform girls in mathematics in many countries, these gaps have narrowed or even shifted in favor of female students in the last two decades [ 79 ].…”