In comparing one public school to another, discussions frequently include talk concerning the socio economics of a school or district, which then leads to talk about the advantages that one socioeconomic setting has over another. Educators tend to agree that low academic achievement frequently associated with a low socioeconomic status is a…

The usefulness of the self-schema construct for understanding and predicting human behavior and the reason for the gender-relatedness of certain behaviors and experiences were investigated in three studies. The studies examined cognitive correlates of two gender-related behaviors that are more characteristic of and problematic for women than for…

Provides a review of the literature related to math anxiety, indicating that society needs to eradicate the myth that females are more anxious about mathematics than males. Several options for eliminating math avoidance and math anxiety are considered. (JN)

An experience in attempting to transform research into practice is described, with questions raised about the relationship between research and practice. The author begins by describing the two research traditions which exerted the most force on the design of the program. How the philosophy and findings of those traditions were interpreted and…

Results of a study made to determine the effect of male-female class ratio on female student class participation are reported. In spring 1980, an all-female section of an introductory math course was offered in addition to the other five mixed-sex sections at a midwestern university. It was found that women selecting the all-female section had…

This study is a systematic investigation of female participation in mathematics and science classes in New York City schools. Six major findings reported include: (1) young women's low levels of participation in mathematics and science reflect the overall low levels of participation and reveal lack of attention to excellence in mathematics and…

Most mathematics anxiety has its roots in the teaching and teachers of mathematics. Because people generally are not math anxious before going to school, an examination of the previous statement proves to be well founded. This article reviews the literature and discusses different ways that teachers may help to prevent their students from becoming…

This study, with 103 nongifted students and 77 female and 76 male gifted students in grades 3, 6, and 9, found that gifted females evidenced self-defeating causal attributions for math performance relative to gifted males only in grade 9. For the nongifted subjects, the sex differences were not as pronounced. (DB)

Many students, and a particularly high proportion of females, do not study mathematics beyond minimum high school requirements. Research indicates that segregation of mathematics classes may help reduce the incidence of female students dropping out of that subject. To improve female students' attitudes toward mathematics and to increase the…

To improve female students' attitudes toward mathematics and to increase the enrollment of females in upper level mathematics courses, students enrolled in grade 10, 11, and 12 at A. Y. Jackson Secondary School were placed in sex-segregated math classes. This study focused on four main areas: attitudes, achievement, enrollment, and perceptions of…

Mathematics anxiety and its relationship to other constructs was studied in 138 preservice elementary and special education teachers. The students, primarily women, were enrolled in a variety of professional courses and field experiences. Five instruments were administered, their factor structures were determined, and intercorrelations among the…

Mathematics anxiety and competence of 57 Anglo and Hispanic pre-service teachers were measured before and after a 30-hour workshop using the training program EQUALS. Students were divided into three groups: elementary, secondary, and library media. Students in the library media class served as the control group; the other two groups were the…

This document is the first volume of a two-volume study that explores the gender and racial/ethnic factors contributing to differential participation and performance in mathematics by elementary and secondary school students in the Montgomery County Public Schools (Maryland). This first volume contains an introduction and three major sections.…