The motivation to proactively participate in learning in educational settings is crucial for academic success. However, there is a pervasive decline in student motivation for mathematical education during elementary school years, and gender stereotypes arise as early as the 2nd grade, prompting elementary female students to undermine their perceived math competence. Thus, Lee and colleagues (2021) took on the initiative to bridge these gaps by exploring how their gender beliefs and growth mindset intervention affect fourth grade students in Seoul, South Korea.

Lee and colleagues (2021) randomly assigned the school classes to the control group (no mindset or stereotype lessons) or intervention group (emphasized a growth mindset and anti-stereotyping through puzzles and stories of persistence), and received bi-weekly 40-minute sessions across three months during school hours. Additionally, the researchers examined the following variables to investigate how a growth mindset and reduced gender stereotypes influence them and the overall efficiency of the intervention: math achievement, perceived competence, test anxiety, and persistence.

The results indicated that the intervention improved the students’ growth mindset and gender stereotypical beliefs, while also improving achievement in math and competence, and reducing their math test anxiety. Lee and colleagues’ (2021) study offers insight into the positive effects of a growth mindset and anti-stereotyping on academic achievement. Based on these findings, we can begin to destigmatize gender stereotypes in education for both boys and girls, and encourage students to have a growth mindset, as it can boost their persistence and confidence. Educators can play a role in encouraging math motivation during students’ critical developmental years and promote gender-fair beliefs to reduce disengagement and test anxiety in children. 

At EPIC, future research can build on these findings by examining the relationship between gender stereotypes and the persistence to reach a goal in various levels of educational settings (e.g., kindergarten to graduate school). Understanding the influence of these variables can guide educational interventions and provide valuable insights for educators aiming to improve academic achievement.

To learn more about this study, visit the full research article linked here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959475220307118

This post is written by Eliza Hong.

Reference:

Lee, J., Lee, H. J., Song, J., & Bong, M. (2021). Enhancing children's math motivation with a joint intervention on mindset and gender stereotypes. Learning and Instruction, 73, 101416.