Gender Differences in the Use and Benefit of Advanced Learning Technologies for Mathematics

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Gender Differences in the Use and Benefit of Advanced Learning Technologies for Mathematics
Language: English
Authors: Arroyo, Ivon, Burleson, Winslow, Tai, Minghui, Muldner, Kasia, Woolf, Beverly Park
Source: Journal of Educational Psychology. Nov 2013 105(4):957-969.
Availability: American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2013
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation
Department of Education (ED)
Contract Number: HRD/EHR 1109642
HRD/EHR 012080
HRD/EHR 0411776
HRD GSE/RES 0734060
IIS/HCC 0705554
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools
Secondary Education
Middle Schools
Junior High Schools
Descriptors: Gender Differences, Educational Technology, Technology Uses in Education, Mathematics Instruction, Public Schools, Tutoring, Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Peer Influence, Self Control, Pretests Posttests, Knowledge Level, Problem Solving, High School Students, High Achievement, Low Achievement, Mathematics Achievement, Comparative Analysis, Urban Schools, Disadvantaged Youth, Persistence, Mathematical Concepts, Misconceptions, Middle School Students
Geographic Terms: Massachusetts
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: SAT (College Admission Test)
DOI: 10.1037/a0032748
ISSN: 0022-0663
Abstract: We provide evidence of persistent gender effects for students using advanced adaptive technology while learning mathematics. This technology improves each gender's learning and affective predispositions toward mathematics, but specific features in the software help either female or male students. Gender differences were seen in the students' style of use of the system, motivational goals, affective needs, and cognitive/affective benefits, as well as the impact of affective interventions involving pedagogical agents. We describe 4 studies, with hundreds of students in public schools over several years, which suggest that technology responses should probably be customized to each gender. This article shows differential results before, during, and after the use of adaptive tutoring software, indicating that digital tutoring systems can be an important supplement to mathematics classrooms but that male and female students should be addressed differently. Female students were more receptive than male students to seeking and accepting help provided by the tutoring system and to spending time seeing the hints; thus, they had a consistent general trend to benefit more from it, especially when affective learning companions were present. In addition, female students expressed positively valenced emotions most often and exhibited more productive behaviors when exposed to female characters; these affective pedagogical agents encouraged effort and perseverance. This was not the case for male students, who had more positive outcomes when no learning companion was present and their worst affective and cognitive outcomes when the female character was present.
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 77
Entry Date: 2015
Accession Number: EJ1054448
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:We provide evidence of persistent gender effects for students using advanced adaptive technology while learning mathematics. This technology improves each gender's learning and affective predispositions toward mathematics, but specific features in the software help either female or male students. Gender differences were seen in the students' style of use of the system, motivational goals, affective needs, and cognitive/affective benefits, as well as the impact of affective interventions involving pedagogical agents. We describe 4 studies, with hundreds of students in public schools over several years, which suggest that technology responses should probably be customized to each gender. This article shows differential results before, during, and after the use of adaptive tutoring software, indicating that digital tutoring systems can be an important supplement to mathematics classrooms but that male and female students should be addressed differently. Female students were more receptive than male students to seeking and accepting help provided by the tutoring system and to spending time seeing the hints; thus, they had a consistent general trend to benefit more from it, especially when affective learning companions were present. In addition, female students expressed positively valenced emotions most often and exhibited more productive behaviors when exposed to female characters; these affective pedagogical agents encouraged effort and perseverance. This was not the case for male students, who had more positive outcomes when no learning companion was present and their worst affective and cognitive outcomes when the female character was present.
ISSN:0022-0663
DOI:10.1037/a0032748