Reducing the gender gap in the physics classroom: How sufficient is interactive engagement?

dc.creator	Lauren E. Kost
dc.creator	Steven J. Pollock
dc.creator	Noah D. Finkelstein
dc.date	2007-06-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-07-20T22:25:24Z
dc.date.available	2015-07-20T22:25:24Z
dc.identifier	1554-9178
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/b385c06f937247be814b1ef6e625dafb
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/21402
dc.description	Previous research [Lorenzo et al., Am. J. Phys. 74, 118 (2006)] demonstrated that the difference in performance between male and female students can be reduced and even eliminated, in consistent fashion, by using interactive engagement techniques in the introductory physics classroom. The present paper describes similar studies in a different, large research university and finds that the use of interactive engagement techniques does not necessarily reduce the gender gap. Furthermore, in the environments studied, there is a gap in learning gains between male and female students (p<0.01) whether partially or fully interactive classroom techniques are used. Our findings suggest that engaging students in interactive educational environments is not sufficient to reduce the gender gap, and we find instances where despite significant learning gains by all students, the gender gap is increased. There is indication that there are both student and instructor effects that impact the gender gap, which are the subjects of ongoing studies.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	American Physical Society
dc.relation	http://link.aps.org/abstract/PRSTPER/v3/e010107
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1554-9178
dc.source	Physical Review Special Topics. Physics Education Research, Vol 3, Iss 1 (2007)
dc.subject	Gender gap
dc.subject	Interactive engagement
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	Reducing the gender gap in the physics classroom: How sufficient is interactive engagement?
dc.type	article