Gender Differences In Learning

1. 1 Gender Differences In Learning Katisha Moton October 26, 2006 EDCI 5300 � Dr. Beth Morton Christian

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3. 3 Overview This presentation will discuss research on how females and males learn and whether these differences really do influence their success in school. The topics of how both genders are treated in the classroom, specific gender differences in learning and the arguments for single sex schooling will be examined.

4. 4 Classroom Treatment It may seem incredible that teachers may reinforce some of the gender stereotypes in the classroom. This type of �stereotyped behavior� is not limited to just one particular gender of teacher.

5. 5 Classroom Treatment Both male and female teachers may exhibit the following behaviors. Boys often get more attention from the teacher in class. Boys receive more attention in class but receive stricter punishment than girls for the same offense. Boys get asked more complex questions in the classroom.

6. 6 Classroom Treatment Although it seems that boys have an advantage in the classroom because more time is used for their instruction, there is some evidence that boys are falling behind girls in academic performance. Mulrine (2001) reports that boys are making failing grades more often and labeled as having learning disabilities. Also studies conducted in British Columbia show that girls perform better on reading and writing on standardized testing.

7. 7 Classroom Treatment But girls still lag behind boys in the classroom in the way girls are socialized. Girls are socialized to be feminine (such traits as being quiet and popular are reinforced although boys are expected to be speak up and think on their own). Being assertive as a female is not encouraged or seen as disruptive in the classroom. Boys are more likely to be referred to be tested for gifted programs (although they represent a larger number in the special education classrooms)

8. 8 Classroom Treatment Ready, LoGerfo, Burkam and Lee (2005) studied differences in male and female kindergarten students. Teachers were more likely to rate the behavior and academic skills of the girls as favorable. Female students had better social behavior than the male students According to research findings from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) female students entered kindergarten with better literacy skills. Even though girls and boys have the same skill sets in kindergarten, girls have slightly higher reading proficiency. Boys have more learning and/or developmental delays and problems with attention and communicating with others.

9. 9 Learning Differences Now that we have discussed some of the attitudes that girls and boys face in the classroom we are going to examine whether their distinct learning differences may have some influence on how teachers approach each gender. Some male learning characteristics are More areas in the brain for spatial reasoning Have more type M ganglion cells in their visual system. These cells detect movement. Male brain enters a rest state several times a day. Often during these rest states in order to stay alert boys may fidget or act out. Are seen as more aggressive and impulsive than girls Engage in �aggression nurturance� or rough housing and insults with other males Take more time than girls to transition between activities and/or topics Feel less compelled to comply with the orders of teachers

10. 10 Learning Differences Female learning characteristics Brain has more cortical areas devoted to verbal emotive processing Have more P ganglion cells for vision which detect color and finer sensory movement Have more active prefrontal cortex than males and frontal lobes develop faster (areas responsible for reading, writing, speech) When brain is in a rest states more areas stay active Brains have more communication between the hemispheres of the brain. Females have the ability to multitask better. Seen as less competitive than males Girls are supposed to have much better hearing than boys. Studies suggest that maybe from two to four times better than boys depending on the frequency. So a teacher may be able to talk at a normal level for a classroom full of girls but once boys are added may need to raise his or her voice significantly to get every boys attention. So female students may feel that a teacher is yelling but really the teacher is simply trying to make sure that everyone is listening.

11. 11 Learning Differences Girls are more critical of their performance in school even though it has been reported that they do very well in academics. Boys seem to overestimate their ability to achieve. A study done by Pomerantz, Alterman and Saxon (2002) stated that girls will feel that they are disappointing a parent and/or teacher. Girls place more emphasis on pleasing others. Boys do not generalize their failures but contain them to the specific area in which they failed. As stated before boys do not necessarily concern themselves with pleasing others.

12. 12 Single Sex Schooling With all the arguments on how different boys and girls are as students would it be better to separate the sexes? Would this result in a better learning environment?

13. 13 Single Sex Schooling In single sex classroom girls are encouraged to pursue non-traditional subjects such as math, science and computers. An example would be that in a classroom with both genders a girl would most likely choose the class with less males so as not to be intimidated in a subject area that is perceived to be male dominated.

14. 14 Single Sex Schooling No Child Left Behind Act also sites regulations that would allow single sex schooling in co-educational institutions There must be reasonable rationale for a single sex class in the subject There also must be a co-educational class in the subject Must be reviewed periodically to determine if the single sex is still necessary after a time period

15. 15 Conclusion It is obvious that there are several differences in female and male students. It does seem that a solution would be to separate the genders in order to individualize the classroom environment. This solution also seems to be a problem. The separation of the sexes would not mirror the real world in which males and females have to work together. In a way the classroom is preparation for what students would encounter in the real world. Educators need to be aware of each child�s individual needs and encourage students that they need not follow stereotyped roles and also not reinforce these roles in the classroom.

16. 16 Websites The Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (http://www.maec.org) focuses on creating classroom materials that are free from all types of discrimination. The report used in this presentation Title IX: Gender Equity in Schools discuss bias in the classroom but also offers questions to ask yourself whether you actually exhibit these biases (http://www.maec.org/beyong.html) This site is useful for teachers and psychologists to identify problems in the classroom. It also offers questions to ask yourself whether you actually exhibit these biases (http://www.maec.org/beyong.html EdChange Multicultural Pavillion (EdChange.Org) report by Amanda Chapman, �Gender Bias in Education� (http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/genderbias.html) focuses on the problems girls still face in the classroom. The site in general offers research regarding multicultural education. This site can be a good resource for teachers and psychologist interested in what obstacles they have in order to achieve a multicultural class environment.

17. 17 Websites Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) (www. ascd.org) offers information for all educators regarding school policy. This sites has access to survey and data collection for several studies regarding education from the elementary school to college. There is also a section on the site for children that contains several learning games. A good resource for teachers with elementary school age students. There is also plenty of research for psychologists to use. National Center for Education Statistics (http://www.nces.ed.gov) is a department within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences. This organization is responsible for collecting data related to education. This site has access to survey and data collection for several studies regarding education from the elementary school to college. There is also a section on the site for children that contains several learning games. A good resource for teachers with elementary school age students. There is also plenty of research for psychologists to use.

18. 18 Websites National Association for Single Sex Public Education (NASSPE) (http://www.singlesexschools.org) is an advocate for single sex schools and classrooms for girls.

19. 19 Journal Resources Mulrine, A. (2001) Are Boys the Weaker Sex? U.S. New & World Report, 131 (4), 40-48. Provides viewpoints for educators on whether boys are receiving and adequate education. Pomerantz, E., Altermatt, E. and Saxon, J. (2002). Making the grade but feeling distressed gender differences in academic performance and internal distress. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 396-404 A study that details academic performance in females. Ready, D., LoGerfo, L., Burkam, D., and Lee, V. (2005). Explaining Girls Advantage in Kindergarten Literacy Learning: Do classroom Behaviors Make A Difference? The Elementary School Journal, 106, 21-38A useful study to explain the literacy skills in children. Sax, L. (2006). Six Degrees of Separation: What Teachers Need to Know to Know about the Emerging Science of Sex Differences. Educational Horizons, 84, 190-200 A commentary on the advantages of single-sex schooling.