The Effect of Varied Gender Groupings on Argumentation Skills among Middle School Students in Different Cultures

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore the effect of varied gender groupings on argumentation skills among middle school students in Taiwan and the United States in a project-based learning environment that incorporated a graph-oriented computer-assisted application (GOCAA). A total of 43 students comprised the treatment condition and were engaged in the collaborative argumentation process in same-gender groupings. Of these 43 students, 20 were located in the U.S. and 23 were located in Taiwan. A total of 40 students comprised the control condition and were engaged in the collaborative argumentation process in mixed-gender groupings. Of these 40 students, 19 were in the U.S. and 21 were in Taiwan. In each country, verbal collaborative argumentation was recorded and the students’ post essays were collected. Among females in Taiwan, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that statistically a significant gender-grouping effect was evident on the total argumentation skills outcome, while MANOVA indicated no significant gender-grouping effect on the combined set of skill outcomes. Among females in the U.S., MANOVA indicated statistically significant gender-grouping effect on the combined set of argumentation skills outcomes Specifically, U.S. female students in mixed-gender groupings (the control condition) significantly outperformed female students in single-gender groupings (the treatment condition) in the counterargument and rebuttal skills. No significant group differences were observed among males. A qualitative analysis was conducted to examine how the graph-oriented computer-assisted application supported students’ development of argumentation skills in different gender groupings in both countries. In each country, all teams in both conditions demonstrated a similar pattern of collaborative argumentation with the exception of three female teams in the U.S. Female teams, male teams, (the treatment condition) and mixed-gender teams (the control condition) demonstrated metacognition regulation skills in different degrees and with different scaffolding

The impact of e-learning, gender-groupings and learning pedagogies in biology undergraduate female and male students’ attitudes and achievement

This study aimed to compare female and male students’ attitudes and achievements within different learning settings determined by e-learning and in-classroom learning modalities, collaborative (CL), and traditional (TL) learning pedagogies and investigated the effect of single-gender (SG) and mixed-gender (MG) grouping in an undergraduate biology course. 1375 biology students enrolled in a public university were randomly divided into 12 learning settings. Keller’s ARCS model and Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory were the theoretical frameworks that guided this study. Results indicated that females attained higher achievement and more positive attitude towards biology in TL and CL sections in single-gender compared to mix-gender classes; overall, academic achievements between females and males demonstrated a significant difference at P < .05. Females students performed relatively low achievement and had a negative attitude toward biology in mix-gender CL groups (2 Females + 2 Males) compared to single-gender CL groups (4 Females) in in-classroom modality. E-learning attenuated the negative impact of mixed-gender grouping on female students within e-learning CL settings. The effect size value indicated that males benefited more than females from mixed-gender CL (2F + 2 M) pedagogy in e-learning and in-classroom modalities. Thus, e-learning may encourage female students to overcome the socio-cultural barrier that leads them to feel reticence in mixed-gender groups. The study helps to understand the most suitable learning settings for female and male students to decrease gender disparities, reduce the negative influences of stereotypical threats in different socio-cultural environments, and develop learning strategies to further equalize opportunities for females and male students, promoting students’ attitudes and achievement in undergraduate biology education

Class tournament as an assessment method in physics courses : a pilot study

Testing knowledge is an integral part of a summative assessment at schools. It can be performed in many different ways. In this study we propose assessment of physics knowledge by using a class tournament approach. Prior to a statistical analysis of the results obtained over a tournament organized in one of Polish high schools, all its specifics are discussed at length, including the types of questions assigned, as well as additional self- and peer-evaluation questionnaires, constituting an integral part of the tournament. The impact of the tournament upon student improvement is examined by confronting the results of a post-test with pre-tournament students’ achievements reflected in scores earned in former, tests written by the students in experimental group and their colleagues from control group. We also present some of students’ and teachers’ feedback on the idea of a tournament as a tool of assessment. Both the analysis of the tournament results and the students’ and teachers’ opinions point to at least several benefits of our approach

IDENTIFYING EFFECTIVENESS OF ONLINE GROUP STUDY ON MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM SOLVING ATTITUDE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Designing a group study enables students to develop critical thinking, effective team work; appreciation and respect for other views, techniques and problem-solving methods by promoting active learning environment. The purpose of this quantitative study examined the effects of online collaboration on the pre-service teachers’ mathematical problem solving attitude. Specifically, the study examined the effects of group working to the mathematical word problem solving tasks alone. Forty-two pre-service teachers enrolled in the study which were divided into three groups: Synchronous online (n=12), face-to-face (n=15) and individual (n=15). Students in each group were required to solve four ill-structured problems under problem solving sessions over a six-week period. It is used a quantitative analysis of data. To measure the change in problem solving attitude, a pre and post-test problem solving attitude questionnaire administered to measure attitude change. The results indicate that, whether synchronous online or face-to-face group based problem solving processes resulted with more positive attitude than individual study. It is also revealed that students' problem solving attitudes were increased in all groups, however, F2F group students' showed positive higher difference than those SO and IND students.  Article visualizations

Students’ Perception in Group Work Based on Gender Stereotypes in EFL Classroom

Working in a group is the practice of cooperating with people who have a wide range of information, skills, and ideas. The importance of including group work activities in the school curriculum is becoming more widely recognized as a key component of a student-centered classroom. However, concerns about students’ attitudes toward choosing their desirable group members are affected by stereotypes of gender. This study used a mixed method to explore high school students in EFL Classroom at SMA N 1 Malang attitudes to determine desirable group members based on gender stereotypes. The results from thirty active students' questionnaires and interviews suggested that gender stereotypes were applied in choosing desirable group members especially in terms of communication, cooperation, and academic aspects. There are possibilities that the factors are not applicable to all students since everyone internalized gender stereotypes differently. This research suggests that teachers can let students choose their desirable group members based on their own preferences while also promoting gender bias-free teaching

Investigating ability grouping and group work in the primary school classroom

This thesis focuses on ability grouping and group work within the primary school classroom, and within the context of literacy instruction. The aim of this thesis was to examine the relationship between children’s literacy ability group, reading skills and motivation to read (Study 1). As ability grouping requires children to engage in group work, a further aim was to examine children’s attitudes to group work and the child specific characteristics that influence children’s enjoyment, participation and perceived benefits of group work (Study 2). It was found that children’s literacy ability group was related to their expectations of success in reading, but unrelated to the extent to which they valued reading (Study 1). With regard to group work, children’s personality traits were associated with their reported participation in group work activities, whilst their academic ability was associated with their reported enjoyment and perceived benefits of group work (Study 2). Implications for ability setting and forming groups within the primary school classroom are discussed

The effect of gender composition and pedagogical approach on major and non-major undergraduates biology students’ achievement

This study hypothesized whether the gender group composition in traditional learning (TL) versus collaborative learning (CL) classrooms of undergraduate biology majors and nonmajors correlate with students’ achievements. We measured the effect on gender and the gender-specific achievements of the TL versus CL approach in single-gender and mixed-gender classes. A significant gender gap was found in the achievements of both nonmajor and major students. Females achieved higher grades in TL and CL sections in single-gender classes; overall, academic achievements between females (F) and males (M) demonstrated a significant difference at P<.05. The effect size value between TL versus CL indicated that males benefited more than females implementing CL mixed-gender (2F+2M) in nonmajors and majors. While females in single-gender CL and TL classes performed higher than males, females performed relatively low in mix-gender CL (2F+2M). These findings indicate that gender-specific and context-specific learning pedagogies are required since they impact students’ achievement