Chapter 7: Studies in Mexico on Gender and Mathematics

In Mexico, interest in conducting research on the condition of women emerged in the late 1970s. Early studies dealt with fields such as health, education, science, and work. Problems related to violence, equity, and discrimination also attracted researchers’ attention.

In the area of mathematics education, research on gender, although relatively recent, has produced interesting findings. In some studies, gender differences in relation to results attained on standardized tests designed to evaluate performance in mathematics have been analyzed, while the focus of other studies has been on more specific topics, such as gender differences in spatial visualization; the differential relationships mathematics teachers might establish with female and male students at various educational levels; the different attitudes of girls and boys towards mathematics in general and, more specifically, towards the use of technology as an aid in teaching and learning mathematics; and how these aspects change during schooling. With respect to mathematics learning outcomes, the differences found between boys and girls, in practice, always favor males, a situation aggravated by biases that result from societal socioeconomic differentiation.