Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gender Difference in Teachers’ Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching in the Context of Single-Sex Classrooms

  • Published:
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines gender differences of teachers on their mathematical knowledge for teaching in the context of single-sex classrooms in Saudi Arabia. A translated version of the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) instrument (Learning Mathematics for Teaching [LMT], 2008) in Number and Operation Content Knowledge (CK) and Knowledge of Content and Student (KCS) scales were administered to 197 teachers (146 male and 51 female). Two-sample t test and multiple regression were conducted to compare the two groups and test the effect of teacher background variables. Female teachers significantly scored better than their male counterpart. Gender, years of teaching experience, and specialization significantly predicted teachers’ content knowledge, F(3, 187) = 13.180, explaining 41.8 % of the variance. Only gender and specialization significantly predicted teachers’ knowledge of content and student, F(2, 191) = 6.335, explaining 24.9 % of the variance. Further comparing items in the MKT instrument where female teachers outperformed male teachers confirmed that female teachers were better in attending to the content knowledge in the context of student’s learning.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams, R. (2005). PISA 2003 technical report. Paris, France: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

  • An, S., Kulm, G. & Wu, Z. (2004). The pedagogical content knowledge of middle school, mathematics teachers in China and the U.S. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 7(2), 145–172.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson-Levitt, K. (2012). Translating as nudging teachers toward “best practice”. ZDM, 44(3), 445–448.

  • Ball, D. L. (1990). The mathematical understandings that prospective teachers bring to teacher education. The Elementary School Journal, 90(4), 449–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ball, D.L. & Bass, H. (2003). Toward a practice-based theory of mathematical knowledge for teaching. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group, Edmonton, AB.

  • Ball, D. L., Lubienski, S. & Mewborn, D. S. (2001). Research on teaching mathematics: The unsolved problem of teachers’ mathematical knowledge. In V. Richardson (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (4th ed., pp. 433–456). Washington, DC: American Educational Research.

  • Ball, D. L., Thames, M. H. & Phelps, G. (2008). Content knowledge for teaching: What makes it special? Journal of Teacher Education, 59(5), 389–407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blömeke, S. & Delaney, S. (2012). Assessment of teacher knowledge across countries: A review of the state of research. ZDM, 44(3), 223–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blömeke, S., Suhl, U. & Kaiser, G. (2011). Teacher education effectiveness: Quality and equity of future primary teachers’ mathematics and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge. Journal of Teacher Education, 62(2), 154–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burton, L. (1990). Gender and mathematics: An international perspective. London, England: Cassell.

  • Cai, J. (2005). U.S. and Chinese teachers’ constructing, knowing, and evaluating representations to teach mathematics. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 7(2), 135–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, M., Jessup, D.L. & Fuller, D. (1999). Gender differences in first-grade mathematics strategy use: Parent and teacher contributions. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 30(1), 20–46.

  • Chudgar, A. & Sankar, V. (2008). The relationship between teacher gender and student achievement: Evidence from five Indian states. Compare, 38(5), 627–642.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole, Y. (2012). Assessing elemental validity: The transfer and use of mathematical knowledge for teaching measures in Ghana. ZDM, 44(3), 415–426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dee, T. S. (2006). The why chromosome: How a teacher’s gender affects boys and girls. Education Next, 4, 69–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delaney, S. (2012). A validation study of the use of mathematical knowledge for teaching measures in Ireland. ZDM, 44(3), 427–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delaney, S., Ball, D. L., Hill, H. C., Schilling, S. G. & Zopf, D. (2008). “Mathematical knowledge for teaching”: Adapting U.S. measures for use in Ireland. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 11(3), 171–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dodeen, H., Abdelfattah, F., Shumrani, S. & Hilal, M. A. (2012). The effects of teachers’ qualifications, practices, and perceptions on student achievement in TIMSS mathematics: A comparison of two countries. International Journal of Testing, 12(1), 61–77.

  • Fauskanger, J., Jakobsen, A., Mosvold, R. & Bjuland, R. (2012). Analysis of psychometric properties as part of an iterative adaptation process of MKT items for use in other countries. ZDM, 44(3), 387–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales, P., Williams, T., Jocelyn, L., Roey, S., Kastberg, D. & Brenwald, S. (2008). Highlights from TIMSS 2007. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2009/2009001.pdf

  • Greene, B. A., DeBacker, T. K., Ravindran, B. & Krows, A. J. (1999). Goals, values, and beliefs as predictors of achievement and effort in high school mathematics classes. Sex Roles, 40(5-6), 421–458.

  • Halai, A. (2011). Equality or equity: Gender awareness issues in secondary schools in Pakistan. International Journal of Educational Development, 31(1), 44–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamdan, A. (2005). Women and Education in Saudi Arabia: Challenges and Achievements. International Education Journal, 6(1), 42–64.

  • Helbig, M. (2012). Boys do not benefit from male teachers in their reading and mathematics skills: Empirical evidence from 21 European Union and OECD countries. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 33(5), 661–677.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, H. C., Ball, D. L. & Schilling, S. G. (2008). Unpacking “pedagogical content knowledge”. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 39(4), 372–400.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, H. C., Rowan, B. & Ball, D. L. (2005). Effects of teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching on student achievement. American Education Research Journal, 42(2), 371–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, H. C., Sleep, L., Lewis, J. M. & Ball, D. L. (2007). Assessing teachers’ mathematical knowledge: What knowledge matters and what evidence counts. Second Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning, 1, 111–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krieg, J.M. (2005). Student gender and teacher gender: What is the impact on high stakes test scores? Current Issues in Education, 8(9). Retrieved from http://cie.ed.asu.edu/volume8/number9/

  • Kwon, M., Thames, M. H. & Pang, J. (2012). To change or not to change: Adapting mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) measures for use in Korea. ZDM, 44(3), 371–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Learning Mathematics for Teaching (2008). Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) measures: Mathematics released items 2008. Retrieved from http://sitemaker.umich.edu/lmt/files/LMT_sample_items.pdf

  • Lindberg, S. M., Hyde, J. S., Petersen, J. L. & Linn, M. C. (2010). New trends in gender and mathematics performance: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 136(6), 1123–1135.

  • Lee, V. E. & Lockheed, M. E. (1990). The effects of single-sex schooling on achievement and attitudes in Nigeria. Comparative Education Review, 34(2), 209–231.

  • Ma, L. (1999). Knowing and teaching elementary mathematics: Teachers’ understanding of fundamental mathematics in China and the United States. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

  • Mallam, W. A. (1993). Impact of school-type and sex of the teacher on female students’ attitudes toward mathematics in Nigerian secondary schools. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 24(2), 223–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mosvold, R. & Fauskanger, J. (2009). Challenges of translating and adapting the MKT measures for Norway. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.

  • Mwamwenda, T. S. & Mwamwenda, B. B. (1989). Teacher characteristics and pupils’ academic achievement in Botswana primary education. International Journal of Educational Development, 9(1), 31–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng, D. (2011). Indonesian primary teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching geometry: Implications for educational policy and teacher preparation programs. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(2), 151–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng, D. (2012). Using the MKT measures to reveal Indonesian teachers’ mathematical knowledge: Challenges and potentials. ZDM, 44(3), 401–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoenfeld, A. H. (2010). How and why do teachers explain things the way they do? In M.K. Stein & L. Kucan (Eds.), Instructional explanations in the disciplines (pp. 83–106). New York, NY: Springer.

  • Schullo, S.A. & Alperson, B.L. (1998, April). Low SES Algebra 1 students and their teachers: Individual and a bi-directional investigation of their relationship and implicit beliefs of ability with final grades. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED424289.pdf

  • Seegers, G. & Boekaerts, M. (1996). Gender-related differences in self-referenced cognitions in relation to mathematics. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 27, 215–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stigler, J. W. & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching gap: Best ideas from the world’s teachers for improving education in the classroom. New York, NY: The Free Press.

  • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (2000). Increasing the number of women teachers in rural schools: A synthesis of country case studies: South Asia. Bangkok, Thailand: Author.

  • Warwick, D. P. & Haroona, J. (1994). Teacher gender and student achievement in Pakistan. Comparative Education Review, 38(3), 377–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warwick, D. P. & Jatoi, H. (1994). Teacher gender and student achievement in Pakistan. Comparative Education Review, 38(3), 377–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiseman, A. W., Sadaawi, A. & Alromi, N. H. (2008, September). Educational indicators and national development in Saudi Arabia. Paper presented at the 3rd IEA International Research Conference, Taipei City, Taiwan.

  • Zahrani, Y. A. & Jones, K. (2013). Pre-service primary mathematics teachers’ opportunities to learn about school mathematics topics. Research in Mathematics Education, 15(2), 191–192. doi:10.1080/14794802.2013.797751.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was conducted as part of the research group: (Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in Elementary School) with the support of the Excellence Research Center of Science and Mathematics Education—King Saud University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Princes Nora bint Abdul Rahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Ramzi F. Haroun

  2. The Excellence Research Center of Science and Mathematics Education, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Ramzi F. Haroun, Dicky Ng, Faisal A. Abdelfattah & Misfer S. AlSalouli

  3. Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

    Dicky Ng & Faisal A. Abdelfattah

Authors
  1. Ramzi F. Haroun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dicky Ng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Faisal A. Abdelfattah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Misfer S. AlSalouli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dicky Ng.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Haroun, R.F., Ng, D., Abdelfattah, F.A. et al. Gender Difference in Teachers’ Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching in the Context of Single-Sex Classrooms. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 14 (Suppl 2), 383–396 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-015-9631-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-015-9631-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation