– This article predicts participation in advanced math which is closely related to interest in STEM (although we recognize that participation in advanced math does not necessarily means interest in STEM).
– Confidence in mathematics was the strongest predictor of achievement for students from Canada and Norway, whereas for the students from the USA, parents’ highest education level was the highest predictor of achievement.
– Student home environment related variables were stronger predictors of achievement for females than for males in all three countries.
– In all of the three countries, the strongest predictors of participation in advanced mathematics courses were students’ attitudes toward mathematics.
– Parents’ education level was one of the strongest predictors of participation for Canadian female students and all students from the USA.
– There were significant differences between males and females in all three countries, as was reported in other TIMSS publications. The largest difference between gender groups was found among Norwegian students, while the smallest gender differences were found among American students.
– Large differences were observed in the participation rates of males and females in Canada and in Norway. In all three countries, males showed higher participation rates in mathematics.
– A much greater degree of association between the socioeconomic status related variables and mathematics achievement for the USA indicates that socioeconomic status is not similarly associated with achievement in different countries.
2005 - Factors Associated With Mathematics Achievement and Participation in Advanced Mathematics Courses: An Examination of Gender Differences From an International Perspective
Data comes from the 1995 Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).
This study focused on data from three countries that had differential gender difference patterns from lower to upper grades. These countries are Canada, Norway, and the United States. The data were representative of their respective populations of senior secondary school students from these countries with large sample sizes (Canada: n = 5,232; Norway: n = 2,518;USA: n = 5,807).
This study focused on the sample of students who completed the mathematics literacy test, some of whom also took the advanced mathematics test.
In addition to achievement tests, students were required to complete background questionnaires. Information collected in these questionnaires included (a) students’ participation in advanced mathematics and science courses; (b) students’ beliefs and attitudes toward mathematics and science; (c) students’ self-expectations and their perceived expectations of others in terms of attending university; and (d) students’ home environment.
Two DVs: students’ mathematics achievement and participation in advanced mathematics courses.
Independent variables included both student personal and environmental variables (students’ attitudes toward mathematics ( Students’ overall attitudes toward mathematics: Four-point ordinal responses to the following items were combined using nonlinear principal components analysis: (a) Mathematics is boring; (b) Mathematics is an easy subject; (c) I would like a job that involves using mathematics; and (d) How much do you like mathematics?) ; parents’ highest level of education attained; self-expectations and the expectations of parents, teachers, and friends; students’ confidence in mathematics; home support for learning; and whether students intended to pursue studies in mathematics) were investigated.