ERIC Number: EJ1218206
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2469-9896
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Reducing the Gender Gap in Students' Physics Self-Efficacy in a Team- and Project-Based Introductory Physics Class
Espinosa, Tobias; Miller, Kelly; Araujo, Ives; Mazur, Eric
Physical Review Physics Education Research, v15 n1 Article 010132 Jan-Jun 2019
Self-efficacy represents an individual's belief that he or she can perform a particular task in a given domain. It is a strong predictor for performance and persistence in STEM education. Research shows that there is a large and persistent gender gap in student self-efficacy in STEM academic disciplines. In some cases, active teaching strategies have been shown to positively affect physics self-efficacy but it is unclear how this impact differs between men and women. In this study, we investigate the impact of a physics class taught with active teaching strategies on students' self-reported physics self-efficacy and how this impact varies across gender lines. We measured the change in physics self-efficacy over four different dimensions; conceptual understanding, problem-solving, lab and hands-on activities, and collaborative work. We report three main findings. First, the initial physics self-efficacy gender gap disappeared by the end of the semester. Second, female students' self-efficacy improved significantly, whereas there was no significant change in the self-efficacy of the male students. Third, the gender gaps in the conceptual understanding and problem-solving dimensions in particular, were significantly reduced. This study represents an initial step towards understanding the influence of active teaching strategies can have on reducing the self-efficacy gender gap.
Descriptors: Physics, Science Instruction, Self Efficacy, STEM Education, Predictor Variables, Gender Differences, Teaching Methods, Active Learning, Problem Solving, Introductory Courses, Cooperative Learning, Concept Formation, Scientific Concepts, Engineering Education, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, Learning Activities
American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: assocpub@aps.org; Web site: http://prst-per.aps.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Massachusetts
Grant or Contract Numbers: DUE1504664
Author Affiliations: N/A