“Bold Problem Solving”: A New Construct for Understanding Gender Differences in Mathematics

Author:
Sarah Theule Lubienski Indiana University

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Colleen M. Ganley Florida State University

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Martha B. Makowski University of Alabama

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Emily K. Miller West Chester University

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Jennifer D. Timmer Vanderbilt University

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Volume/Issue:
Volume 52: Issue 1
Page(s):
12–61
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc-2020-0136
Restricted access
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Keywords:
Problem solving; Gender; Mathematics education; Attitudes; Confidence; Spatial skills

Despite progress toward gender equity, troubling disparities in mathematical problem-solving performance and related outcomes persist. To investigate why, we build on recurrent findings in previous studies to introduce a new construct, “bold problem solving,” which involves approaching mathematics problems in inventive ways. We introduce a self-report survey of bold problem-solving orientation and find that it mediates gender differences in problem-solving performance for both high-achieving middle school students (n = 79) and a more diverse sample of high school students (n = 222). Confidence mediates the relation between gender and bold problem-solving orientation, with mixed results for mental rotation skills and teacher-pleasing tendencies as mediators. Overall, the new bold problem-solving construct appears promising for advancing our understanding of gender differences in mathematics.

Footnotes

This work was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education (Grant No. R305B100017 and R305B170009). The views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.

Contributor Notes

Sarah Theule Lubienski, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Indiana University, 201 North Rose Ave., Bloomington, IN 47405; stlubien@iu.edu

Colleen M. Ganley, Department of Psychology and Learning Systems Institute, Florida State University, 1107 West Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306; cganley@fsu.edu

Martha B. Makowski, Department of Mathematics, University of Alabama, Gordon Palmer Hall, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487; mbmakowski@ua.edu

Emily K. Miller, Department of Mathematics, West Chester University, 25 University Ave., West Chester, PA 19382; emiller@wcupa.edu

Jennifer D. Timmer, Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations, Vanderbilt University, 404 Wyatt Center, Nashville, TN 37240; jennifer.timmer@vanderbilt.edu

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Copyright:
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc. All rights reserved. 2021
Page Count:
50
Article Category:
Research Article
Received:
10 Sep 2019
Accepted:
31 Dec 2019
Print Publication Date:
01 Jan 2021
Online Publication Date:
Jan 2021
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