Exploring the gender gap in mathematics and science from the score distribution of PISA: Lessons learned from gifted education teachers’ perspective

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses how there are still issues with students’ performance due to the gender gap in the STEM area. The researchers first analyzed 2012 and 2018 PISA data in Taiwan. They found that the gender difference is polarized. There are more boys than girls at the high score level, this phenomenon is global. Then the researchers used this analysis as a protocol and conducted focus group interviews with 28 gifted education teachers to explore the gender issue of teaching gifted students. From their perspective, the influences of gender stereotypes and gender issues reflected the psychosocial challenges for both genders. The focus groups also developed a potential action plan to improve science learning for both genders. Later, a follow-up survey found the participating teachers reported they used positive approaches in their daily teaching practices after they joined the focus group interviews.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender difference in gifted education
• gender issue
• gifted education in STEM
• mathematics and science field
• PISA

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan [MOST 103-2630-S-003-002].

Notes on contributors

Hsiao-Ping Yu

Hsiao-Ping Yu is a professor at the Department of Special Education, National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), Taipei, Taiwan. She earned her PhD at National Taiwan Normal University. Previously, she taught junior and high school gifted students for 12 years. Her research interests include gifted females, career development of gifted students, and curriculum design. She had started a national project with science education professionals to integrate nanotechnology into K-12 curriculum, and leaded a whole collaboration plan in new curriculum guideline of gifted education in Taiwan. Besides, she serves as the chairman of Taiwan Association of Gifted Education and director of Special Education Center in NTNU now. She is also a member of the advisor board of gifted education in many counties in Taiwan.

Enyi Jen

Enyi Jen is a faculty at Bridges Graduate School of Cognitive Diversity in Education and a lecturer at Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and Purdue University. Prior to her doctoral studies at Purdue, she taught affective curriculum in a self-contained gifted high school STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) program in Taiwan. She provides professional development, and advocates for the social and emotional well-being of gifted students and twice-exceptional students internationally. Her research interests include talent development, social and emotional development, twice-exceptional, qualitative methods, design-based research (DBR), and program evaluation.