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Student gender and teaching methods as sources of variability in children's computational arithmetic performance
K B Hopkins1, A V McGillicuddy-De Lisi, R De Lisi
1Psychology Department, Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042, USA.
The Journal of Genetic Psychology
|September 1, 1997
Summary
Didactic teaching methods improved arithmetic computation for 3rd and 5th graders, particularly benefiting girls. This approach enhanced girls' performance more than constructivist methods, showing early gender differences in math skills.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Mathematics Education
Background:
- Understanding gender differences in academic performance is crucial.
- Exploring the impact of distinct teaching methodologies on student learning outcomes is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of didactic and constructivist teaching approaches on arithmetic computation skills.
- To analyze how these approaches influence performance differences between 3rd and 5th graders, and between boys and girls.
Main Methods:
- An experimental study comparing two teaching approaches: didactic and constructivist.
- Participants were 3rd and 5th graders, matched for initial performance, grade, and gender.
- Performance was assessed on arithmetic computation problems after instruction.
Main Results:
- Fifth graders demonstrated higher scores than 3rd graders.
- A significant interaction was found between gender and the instructional approach.
- Girls in the didactic group outperformed boys in both groups and girls in the constructivist group.
Conclusions:
- Gender differences in arithmetic computation can emerge by 3rd grade with didactic instruction.
- Didactic teaching appears to enhance computational performance in girls without negatively impacting boys.
- Instructional strategies significantly influence the development of early math skills and gender-related performance patterns.