Can Math-Gender Stereotypes Be Reduced? A Theory-Based Intervention Program with Adolescent Girls

The role of classroom- and individual-level teen stereotypes in Chinese adolescents' academic adjustment: A multilevel analysis

Adolescence is often portrayed in a negative light in Western culture, with teens being viewed as rebellious and irresponsible. Yet, there is substantial cultural and individual variability in views of teens. The empirical research to date is limited in that it mainly examines whether teen stereotypes are influential at the individual level. Teen stereotypes might also be perpetuated at the classroom level, which may have important implications for adolescent adjustment over time. Focusing on adolescents in Chinese culture where the teen years are often viewed in a positive light, this two-wave longitudinal study employed multi-level analyses to investigate whether stereotypes of adolescence at the classroom level play a role in Chinese adolescents' academic adjustment over time (N = 785; 55% girls; mean age = 12.96 years). Consistent with prior research on views of teens, the present analyses suggested that teen stereotypes regarding family obligation and school engagement at the individual level predicted adolescents' value of school and self-regulated learning strategies over the seventh grade. More importantly, classroom-level teen stereotypes were also largely predictive of adolescents' value of school and self-regulated learning strategies over time, controlling for their earlier academic adjustment, individual-level teen stereotypes, and classroom-level adjustment. Taken together, these findings indicate that stereotypes of adolescence in classroom or peer settings may contribute to adolescents' academic adjustment during this phase. The findings also provide a potential foundation for interventions aimed at promoting adolescents' positive development via changing teen stereotypes in the classroom.

Reducing gender differences in student motivational-affective factors: A meta-analysis of school-based interventions

BACKGROUND

Research shows that gender differences tend to exist in student motivational-affective factors in core subjects such as math, science or reading, where one gender is stereotypically disadvantaged.

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate strategies that could reduce these gender differences by conducting a meta-analysis on school-based intervention studies that targeted student motivational-affective factors. We therefore evaluated whether interventions had differential effects for male and female students' motivational-affective factors in a given academic subject. We also evaluated potential moderator variables.

METHOD

After conducting a systematic database search and screening abstracts for inclusion, we synthesized 71 effect sizes from 20 primary studies. All included studies were conducted in science or mathematics-related subjects, which are stereotypically female-disadvantaged.

RESULTS

While the interventions had significant positive effects for both genders, there was no statistically significant difference between the two genders with regard to the intervention effects on motivational-affective factors. However, the descriptive effect size for female students (g = .49) was far greater than for male students (g = .28). Moderator analyses showed no significant effects for grade level, intervention duration, or school subject, but there was a significant influence of intervention method used.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that school-based interventions have positive effects on motivational-affective factors for both genders. It also provides evidence that interventions in subjects where female students are stereotypically disadvantaged may have greater effects for females than for males. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Does Stereotype Threat Deteriorate Academic Performance of High School Students With Learning Disabilities? The Buffering Role of Psychological Disengagement

The academic underperformance of high school students with learning disabilities may reduce their access to higher education and decrease their employment opportunities. Based on stereotype threat hypothesis, the present study examined the role of stereotype threat in academic performance among adolescents with learning disabilities and the moderating role of psychological disengagement in this relation. In Study 1, 120 students with learning disabilities finished the measures of stereotype threat vulnerability and psychological disengagement, and their academic score at two time points were collected. Results showed that students who are more vulnerable to stereotype threat tend to have a lower academic score at Time 2 even after controlling for academic score at Time 1, and this relation was moderated by psychological disengagement. In Study 2, 62 sophomore students with learning disabilities finished measures of stereotype threat, academic persistence, and psychological disengagement. The results showed that the effect of stereotype threat on academic persistence was significant among students who were of low psychological disengagement, while this effect was not significant among students who were psychologically disengaged in academics. These results emphasize the individual differences of learning disabled students' response to stereotype threat and have significant implications for framing targeted interventions.

REFLECT – ein Interventionsprogramm zum Aufbau von Lehrkräftekompetenzen für Reflexive Koedukation

Zusammenfassung. Studien zeigen, dass geschlechterstereotype Annahmen und Erwartungen von Lehrkräften die Bildungskarrieren ihrer Schüler_innen beeinflussen. Systematisch evaluierte Interventionen, die Lehrkräfte dabei unterstützen, eigene Geschlechterstereotype zu reflektieren und Mädchen und Jungen gleichermaßen zu fördern, existieren jedoch kaum. Das Interventionsprogramm REFLECT zielt darauf ab, bei Lehrkräften die Kompetenzen für Reflexive Koedukation aufzubauen. Dazu setzt es an deren objektivem Handlungsrepertoire (Wissen, Unterrichtsgestaltung) und subjektivem Handlungsraum (Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung, Implizite Theorien über Geschlechtsunterschiede) an. In einer Pilotstudie wurde die Wirksamkeit von REFLECT anhand eines Zwei-Gruppen-Prä-Post-Designs evaluiert. Die 38 Lehrkräfte der Interventionsgruppe zeigten einen stärkeren Zuwachs im Wissen über Geschlechtsunterschiede und in der auf Autonomieförderung abzielenden Unterrichtsgestaltung als die 76 Lehrkräfte der Kontrollgruppe. Zudem war in der Interventionsgruppe ein stärkerer Zuwachs in der Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung bzgl. Motivationsförderung und eine stärkere Abnahme der Überzeugung, dass Geschlechtsunterschiede unveränderbar sind, zu beobachten. Insgesamt ist REFLECT ein vielversprechender Ansatz, um Lehrkräfte zu Reflexiver Koedukation zu befähigen und die Genderfairness der Schule zu erhöhen.