A recent study published in Nature indicates that while boys and girls start primary school with comparable math skills, a pronounced gender gap surfaces rapidly afterward, particularly favoring boys. Researchers analyzed over 2.7 million French students and found that gaps began just four months after school started and magnified during the following years. This phenomenon is tied to internalized stereotypes about gender and mathematics, exacerbated by school environments and teaching methods. Observations showed that during Covid-related school closures, the widening gap slowed, reiterating the impact of educational settings on these disparities.
The study shows that while boys and girls begin primary school with similar math skills, a noticeable gap favoring boys develops just months into schooling.
Researchers found that the gender gap in math is more influenced by educational environment and teaching methods than by the age of students.
Cultural stereotypes asserting that girls are inferior in math reinforce inequalities, leading to increased anxiety and diminished participation among female students.
The acceleration of the math gender gap during the pandemic suggests that school environments can significantly influence students' performance and perceptions.
Collection
[
|
...
]