| Summary: | The major focus of this study is to explore, using the 1990 British
Columbia Mathematics Assessment data at the Grade 7 level, gender
differences in mathematics teachers' beliefs. As well, this study compared
these differences to gender differences of students' beliefs found in the
same data.
The theoretical rationale for this study is based on a model devised
by this researcher, namely the Modified Cognitively Guided Instruction
(CGI) Research Model, which is the combination of the Cognitively Guided
Instruction Research Model (Fennema, Carpenter, and Peterson, 1989) and
the Autonomous Learning Behavior (ALB) Model (Fennema & Peterson,
1985).
Two way ANOVA as well as planned comparisons (t-test) were used
to investigate gender differences within and across a random sample of two
status groups (teachers and students). The analysis of the data suggested
several conclusions.
First, male and female teachers are more similar than different with
respect to their beliefs regarding the importance and difficulty of selected
mathematics topics. And, Numbers and Operations was the only topic
under study in which male and female teachers differed significantly. Male
teachers rated Numbers and Operations more important than female
teachers. Second, gender differences existed only in students' beliefs about the
difficulty of Geometry, and Numbers and Operations. Female students,
compared to male students, believe Geometry and Numbers and Operations
more difficult.
Third, the findings of this study show that the gender differences
within each status group are similar. In addition, significant gender
difference was found only in overall male's and female's (regardless of
their status) beliefs about the importance of Numbers and Operations.
Males rated Numbers and Operations significantly more important than
females. Further research which directly investigates gender differences in
teachers' beliefs and students' beliefs is suggested, as well as further
research into relationships between gender differences in teachers' and
students' beliefs.
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