## Key Ideas > [!abstract] Core Concepts > > - **VCE performance patterns**: Girls outperform boys in 16 of 20 most popular subjects except Physics, Chemistry, and Specialist Maths > - **Risk-taking differences**: Girls' advanced social development may discourage mathematical risk-taking necessary for learning > - **Developmental timing**: Boys' delayed reading/writing development may lead them toward STEM subjects ## Definition **Gender Gap in Maths**: Observable performance differences between male and female students in mathematics, particularly in advanced courses like Specialist Mathematics. ## Connected To [[Culture of Error]] | [[Experts and Novices Think Differently]] | [[Non-Explicit Teaching]] | [[Maths Anxiety]] --- ## Performance patterns In VCE 2021, girls outperformed boys in 16 of 20 most popular subjects, with notable exceptions in Physics, Chemistry, and Specialist Mathematics. ## Explanations for performance differences Several explanations exist for these patterns, though the evidence supporting any single mechanism remains limited. The most plausible account combines developmental differences with classroom culture. Girls' more rapid social development makes them more conscious of social implications of making mistakes, creating heightened risk aversion. Mathematical learning requires risk-taking and error-making as an integral part of the learning process. This tension may discourage girls' full engagement in problem-solving where errors are a natural feature rather than sources of social judgment. Creating a [[Culture of Error]] where mistakes are treated as valuable learning opportunities can reduce this barrier. Boys' delayed reading and writing development relative to girls may steer them toward STEM subjects where language demands are lower. During formative high school years, boys struggling in humanities courses may gravitationally shift toward mathematics, where they experience comparative advantage. This developmental timing, rather than innate aptitude differences, could explain the pattern of gendered subject choices. ## Research cautions and context Whilst research into gender gaps in mathematics is important, not all proposed solutions are equally evidence-based. A common pitfall involves extrapolating from advanced mathematics to school-level instruction. PhD-level mathematics differs vastly from school mathematics due to [[Experts and Novices Think Differently|expert-novice differences]]. Research examining visual, creative, and exploratory mathematical thinking at doctoral level does not directly inform instruction for students with foundational knowledge gaps. Some researchers propose [[Non-Explicit Teaching|inquiry-based learning]] as a gender-gap solution without establishing clear connections between this pedagogical approach and the underlying performance differences. The evidence for how university-style mathematical approaches would address school-level gender gaps remains unclear. Effective interventions should focus on what research supports. Creating environments where mathematical errors are treated as learning opportunities addresses the risk-aversion pattern in girls' performance. Recognising that social awareness may inhibit mathematical exploration allows teachers to deliberately build psychological safety into lessons. Understanding that boys and girls may approach STEM subjects differently due to developmental timing prevents overinterpreting performance differences as evidence of ability differences. These approaches are grounded in observable mechanisms rather than untested pedagogical theories. ## References Boaler, J. (2014). Research suggests that timed tests cause math anxiety. *Teaching Children Mathematics*, 20(8), 469-474. https://doi.org/10.5951/teacchilmath.20.8.0469 Dweck, C. S. (2006). *Mindset: The new psychology of success*. Random House. Else-Quest, N. M., Hyde, J. S., & Linn, M. C. (2010). Cross-national patterns of gender differences in mathematics: A meta-analysis. *Psychological Bulletin*, 136(1), 103-127. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018053 Guiso, L., Monte, F., Sapienza, P., & Zingales, L. (2008). Culture, gender, and math. *Science*, 320(5880), 1164-1165. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1154094 Hyde, J. S., & Mertz, J. E. (2009). Gender, culture, and mathematics performance. *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*, 106(22), 8801-8807. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0901265106 Maccoby, E. E., & Jacklin, C. N. (1974). *The psychology of sex differences*. Stanford University Press. VCAA. (2021). *VCE statistical information*. Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Wang, M. T., Eccles, J. S., & Kenny, S. (2013). Not lack of ability but more choice: Individual and gender differences in choice of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. *Psychological Science*, 24(5), 770-775. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612458937