Some subscribers to Phys-L might be interested in the post "Gender
Issues in Science/Math Education (was Girls and Boys math scores)"
[Hake (2010b)]. The abstract reads:
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ABSTRACT: In a previous post "Re: "Girls and Boys math scores" [Hake
(2010a)], I pointed to Jim Clark's (2010) TIPS (Teaching in the
Psychological Sciences) discussion-list reference to "Cross-National
Patterns of Gender Differences in Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis"
[Else-Quest, Hyde, & Linn (2010)]], that showed no overall difference
in averages between males and females on measures of math
achievement. However I neglected to mention Clark's reference to "The
science of sex differences in science and mathematics" [Halpern,
Benbow, Geary, Gur, Hyde, & Gernsbacher (2007a)], who wrote:
"Stanley, who studied mathematically precocious youth for decades,
explained that 25 years ago there were 13 boys for every girl who
scored above 700 on the SAT-M at age 13. Now the ratio is only 2.8:1,
which is a precipitous drop that has not been widely reported in the
news media. According to Stanley, 'It's gone way down as women have
had the opportunity to take their math earlier' (quoted in
Monastersky (2005). . . . For further references in this area see
"Gender Issues in Science/Math Education [Mallow & Hake (2008)].
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Part 2 subjects are:
a. Affirmative Action;
b. Constructivism: Educational and Social;
c. Drivers of Educational Reform and Gender Equity: Economic
Competitiveness and Preservation of Life on Planet Earth;
d. Education and the Brain;
e. Gender and Spatial Visualization;
f. Harvard President Summers' Speculation on Innate Gender
Differences in Science and Math Ability;
g. Hollywood Actress Danica McKellar's Book "Math Doesn't Suck";
h. Interactive Engagement;
i. International Comparisons;
j. Introductory Physics "Curriculum S" (for Synthesis);
k. Is There a Female Science? - Pro & Con;
l. Schools Shortchange Girls (or is it Boys?)
m. SEX DIFFERENCES IN MATHEMATICAL ABILITY: FACT OR ARTIFACT;
n. Status of Women at MIT.
Halpern, D.F., C.P. Benbow, D.C. Geary, R. Gur, J.S. Hyde, & M.A.
Gernsbacher. 2007a. "The science of sex differences in science and
mathematics," Psychological Science in the Public Interest 8: 1-51;
contains a large set of references; online at
<http://www.vanderbilt.edu/Peabody/SMPY/ScienceSexDifferences.pdf >
(880 kB).