ERIC Number: ED623989
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Apr
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2589-70396
EISSN: N/A
Missing out on Half of the World's Potential: Fewer Female than Male Top Achievers in Mathematics and Science Want a Career in These Fields. IEA Compass: Briefs in Education. Number 17
Hencke, Juliane; Eck, Matthias; Sass, Justine; Hastedt, Dirk; Mejia-Rodriguez, Ana Maria
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
Using IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019 data, this brief explores the relationship between students' gender, their confidence and achievement in mathematics and science, and their aspirations to pursue careers in these fields. We find that more boys than girls at grade 8 want to have a mathematics- or science-related job. Girls and boys who have high confidence in mathematics and science are significantly more likely to want to work in these fields than those with low confidence in mathematics. In addition, we find that boys want to pursue a job involving mathematics as adults significantly more than girls of the same achievement level. This increased likelihood for boys holds across both high- and low-achievement groups. In comparison, there are smaller or no gender differences in the likelihood of pursuing a science-related career depending on achievement levels. The brief concludes with a discussion on the potential implications.
Descriptors: Mathematics Achievement, Science Achievement, High Achievement, Gender Differences, Males, Females, Occupational Aspiration, Career Choice, Grade 8, Achievement Tests, Elementary Secondary Education, Mathematics Tests, International Assessment, Foreign Countries, Science Tests, Self Esteem
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. Herengracht 487, Amsterdam, 1017 BT, The Netherlands. Tel: +31-20-625-3625; Fax: +31-20-420-7136; e-mail: department@iea.nl; Web site: http://www.iea.nl
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 8; Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) (Netherlands); United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (France)
Identifiers - Location: Malaysia; Finland; Morocco; South Africa; Turkey
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A