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Eric.ed.gov – Gender Equity in High School Math: A Study of Female Participation and Achievement.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This survey of 316 Precalculus, Calculus AB, and Calculus BC students from markedly different socioeconomic levels in four district high schools in San Antonio, Texas, looked at factors that have traditionally caused women to avoid mathematics, and attempted to discover which of them continue to influence women’s decisions to reject the discipline. The questionnaire contained 25 questions based on assumptions drawn from literature on the subject. Reported and discussed are all differences in gender opinion above 9 percentage points, even though a difference of 11.4 percentage points would begin to indicate a statistically significant result. Findings where such differences occur showed that: (1) mathematics enrollment favored men, especially in BC Calculus; (2) female respondents more frequently perceived no bias in teacher expectations; (3) female students less frequently… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The Power of Expectations: Two Stories

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This article describes the power of the word “CAN”. The author, Laurene E. Simms reports that as a poor, black, deaf youngster her teacher’s facial expressions conveyed their feelings that she was of low IQ and mentally retarded, however two persons had a positive impact on her, her father and 7th grade math teacher. They challenged her with high expectations and firm belief in her potential and she reports this had a “transforming power” over her. Belief in her own ability made her study hard and earn good grades. She graduated valedictorian. Whatever challenge life presented her father was there with encouraging words, “to always work to the best of her ability whether with good or bad situations.” It was up to her to decide to overcome… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Comprehensive Private School Model for Low-Income Urban Children in Mexico. Policy Research Working Paper 8669

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: In low-income countries, private schools are perceived as superior alternatives to the public sector, often improving achievement at a fraction of the cost. It is unclear whether private schools are as effective in middle-income countries where the public sector has relatively more resources. To address this gap, this paper takes advantage of lottery-based admissions in first grade for a Mexico City private school that targets and subsidizes attendance for low-income children. Over three years, selected students via lottery scored 0.21 standard deviation higher than those not selected in literacy tests, corresponding to a normalized gain of one-half of a grade level every two years. Lottery winners also statistically outperformed those not selected in math, but the gains were more modest. Relative to the control group, parents of… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – What Parents Want: Education Preferences and Trade-Offs. A National Survey of K-12 Parents

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This groundbreaking study finds that nearly all parents seek schools with a solid core curriculum in reading and math, an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, and the development in students of good study habits, strong critical thinking skills, and excellent verbal and written communication skills. But some parents also prefer specializations and emphases that are only possible in a system of school choice. “Pragmatists” (36 percent of K-12 parents) assign high value to schools that, “offer vocational classes or job-related programs.” Compared to the total parent population, Pragmatists have lower household incomes, are less likely themselves to have graduated from college, and are more likely to be parents of boys. “Jeffersonians” (24 percent) prefer a school that “emphasizes instruction in citizenship, democracy, and… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Reaching Math Potential.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This report contains a summary of findings from a study conducted in California and Nevada to investigate attitudes towards mathematics and extent of parental influence on three groups of high school students–high math-achieving males (N=59), high math-achieving feamles (N=44), and high verbal/low math females (N=27). Differences between Asian American students and parents and non-Asian students and parents were also examined. The report includes data on student math/science achievement, math study habits, educational and career plans, perceived aptitudes and abilities, extent and nature of parental influence, math-related attitudes, and demographic data on parents. Conclusions point up the similarities and differences between high-math females and each of the other two student groups. Among the findings were: (1) parents’ efforts can make a substantial difference in encouraging young women in… Continue Reading