Chapter 8: Gender Differences When Working with Algebraic Variables: A Study with Mexican Secondary School Students

Over the past forty years, a considerable number of studies seeking to determine a relationship between gender and mathematics learning have been conducted in various countries. In the 1970s, studies such as those carried out by Maccoby and Jacklin (1974), Fennema and Sherman (1976), and Harris (1987) declared the existence of significant differences in favor of male students in mathematics operations. These various studies hypothesized that beliefs and self-confidence when working with mathematics might influence student learning, in addition to the fact that males demonstrated an increased ability to apply visual-spatial skills when compared to females. Students’ mathematics performance, participation, achievement, and attitudes have been analyzed since then to detect possible gender differences (Atweh & Cooper, 1995; Burton, 1990; Eudave, 1994; Fennema, 1990; Forgasz & Leder, 2000; Hanna, 1989; Jungwirth, 1991; Leder, 1992, 1996, 2001; Leder & Fennema, 1990; Leder & Forgasz, 1992; Ursini, Ramirez, & Sanchez, 2007; Ursini & Sanchez, 2008). In general, there is agreement in that the differences found, usually favoring males, are linked to the female condition in our societies. It is stressed that several causes contribute to the construction of gender differences: stereotypes related to females and mathematics built upon sexual differences; teachers’ stereotyped view of girls’ and boys’ capabilities to learn mathematics that encourage male’s learning; context influences on students’ beliefs about mathematics that promote their choice or avoidance of professions or careers involving mathematics; and self-confidence that has a bearing on the levels of participation and mathematics achievement.