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Abstract:
Purpose
The meta-analysis method was used in analyzing data extracted from thesis and peer review journals from 2003 to 2013,
as inputs in understanding male students or female students who have the better learning motivation, learning interest
and learning attitude in math, nature science and computer science.
Design/methodology/approach
This study extracted the articles of journals from “PerioPath Index to Taiwan Periodical Literature System” and the articles
of theses and dissertations form “National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in Taiwan.” Totally, 72 journal and
these articles were collected and used in this study.
Findings
Meta-analysis results showed that the male students had a significant outperformance than female students. The
published times, the stage of schooling, the subjects (math, science and computer science), the variables (motivation/
attitude/interest), and the subscales all had a significant impact on the gender difference. But the variable impact of
sample size was not significant. In the elementary school, the gender difference was not significant, but the gap of
gender difference was increasing, especially in the stage of high schooling. The gender difference was highest in the
south area cities of Taiwan, however in the midland area cities of Taiwan, the gender difference was not significant.
The past five years, Taiwan’s students had more gender difference in the learning motivation, learning interest, and
learning attitude in math, nature science, and computer science. The results meant that the society was not friendly
supported for female students in studying math and science.
Originality/value
This study integrates the researches from dissertation and journal in Taiwan for past 20 years. The meta-analysis was
used to examine the gender differences in the learning motivation, learning interest, and learning attitude in math,
nature science, and computer science. The major issue of gender difference in learning motivation in math, nature
science, and computer science was found increasing in different stage of schooling. That deserved much attention
and caring from government, teachers, and parents. Finally, some conclusions and suggestions for practical applications
and future researches were suggested and proposed.
Author:
Author Description:
Distinguished Professor, Department of Education, National Chengchi University; Doctoral student, Department of Education, National Chengchi University; Doctoral student, Department of Education, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Keywords:
APA:
Yu, M.-N., Weng, Y.-Y., & Chang, C.-H. (2018). Students’ learning motivation to math and science: Using the meta-analysis to find the gender difference in Taiwan. Contemporary Educational Research Quarterly, 26(1), 45-75.
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