scholarly journals Developmental trajectories of school-beginner’s ability self-concept, intrinsic value, and performance in mathematics

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markku Niemivirta ◽  
Anna Tapola ◽  
Heta Tuominen ◽  
Jaana Viljaranta

This study investigated the developmental interdependence of Finnish school-beginners’ (N = 285) ability self-concept, intrinsic value, and performance in mathematics. More specifically, we examined: (i) whether and how children’s ability self-concept and intrinsic value in mathematics change over their first three years in school, (ii) how those changes are related to each other, (iii) how they predict later math performance, and (iv) whether there are gender differences in these trajectories. The results showed significant decrease over time in children’s ability self-concept and intrinsic value, but also significant individual differences in the trajectories. The high dependency between the levels and changes in children’s self-concept and intrinsic value led us to specify a factor-of-curves latent growth model, thus merging the trajectories of ability self-concept and intrinsic value into one common model (i.e., math motivation). The subsequent results showed prior math performance to predict change in children’s math motivation, meaning that higher initial competence was connected with less steep decrease in motivation. After controlling for the effects of first-grade math performance, both the level and change in math motivation predicted third-grade math performance and teacher-rated grades. That is, higher initial motivation and less steep decrease in it independently predicted better later math competence. Boys reported less steep decrease in math motivation than girls, despite no gender differences in initial math performance.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selma Korlat ◽  
Marlene Kollmayer ◽  
Julia Holzer ◽  
Marko Lüftenegger ◽  
Elisabeth Rosa Pelikan ◽  
...  

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic quickly necessitated digital learning, which bore challenges for all pupils but especially for groups disadvantaged in a virtual classroom. As some studies indicate persistent differences between boys and girls in use of technologies and related skills, the aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in the digital learning environment students faced in spring 2020. Previous studies investigating gender differences in digital learning largely used biological sex as the only indicator of gender. This study includes both biological sex and gender role self-concept in order to investigate the role of gender in different components of this stereotyped domain in a more differentiated way. A total of 19,190 Austrian secondary school students (61.9% girls, Mage = 14.55, SDage = 2.49, age range 10–21) participated in an online study in April 2020 and answered questions regarding their competence beliefs, intrinsic value, engagement, and perceived teacher support in digital learning during the pandemic-induced school closures. Results showed higher perceived teacher support, intrinsic value, and learning engagement among girls than boys, while no significant sex differences were found in competence beliefs regarding digital learning. Furthermore, our results indicated clear benefits of an androgynous gender role self-concept for all studied components of digital learning. Implications of the findings for theory and practice are discussed.


Author(s):  
Martina Rahe ◽  
Claudia Quaiser-Pohl

AbstractMath anxiety is a negative affective reaction in situations concerning mathematics and is related to poor math performance and a lower mathematical self-concept. Gender differences appear in math anxiety even though gender differences in math abilities are non-existent or minimal in effect size. In the present study, gender and age differences in math anxiety, mental-rotation performance, and perceived mental-rotation performance are investigated as well as (perceived) mental-rotation performance as possible mediators of the relation between gender and math anxiety. Ninety-seven children (54 females) between 11 and 15 years and 84 undergraduate students (59 females) solved a mental-rotation test, rated their performance in this test, and filled out a questionnaire about math anxiety. Increasing gender differences with age were found for math anxiety, mental-rotation performance, and perceived mental-rotation performance. Mental-rotation performance and perceived mental-rotation performance were significant individual mediators for gender differences in math anxiety. Adequate measures should be discussed to enhance females’ mental-rotation abilities and their perception of these skills to reduce gender differences in math anxiety.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Wondimu Ahmed

<p>This study examined gender differences in the longitudinal associations between changes in motivation and achievement in mathematics in a sample of 495 early adolescents (51% girls). Growth curve analyses indicated that gender did not have a significant effect on both initial levels of and rates of change in self-concept and achievement. However, gender had a significant effect on the rates of change in intrinsic value such that girls showed a slower rate of decline than boys. The analyses also indicated that the associations between motivation and achievement are stronger for boys than for girls. This suggests that the decline in motivation overtime is more likely to negatively impact boys’ achievement than that of girls’.</p>


2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Le Chau ◽  
Hsien-Yao Swee ◽  
Paul E. Levy
Keyword(s):  

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beverly J. Wilson ◽  
Lindsey M. Kremmel ◽  
Stephanie Isgitt ◽  
Arianne D. Stevens ◽  
Kari Peterson

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maite Garaigordobil ◽  
José Ignacio Pérez

The purpose of this study is two-fold: (a) to analyze self-concept, self-esteem, and psychopathological symptoms in individuals with and without intellectual disability; and (b) to explore whether there were gender differences in these same variables in both groups. The sample is made up of 170 participants aged 19 to 40, 128 without disability and 42 with intellectual disability. The methodology is descriptive. To measure the variables, three assessment instruments were applied: the “Listado de adjetivos para la evaluación del autoconcepto en adolescentes y adultos” (LAEA; Garaigordobil, in press), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE; Rosenberg, 1965), and the Revised Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90; Derogatis, 1983). The ANOVA showed that participants with intellectual disability scored significantly lower in self-concept and self-esteem, and higher in all the psychopathological symptoms except for somatization. The ANOVA did not reveal significant gender differences in any variables in either of the two groups.


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