Date Approved

6-22-1995

Embargo Period

9-13-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S. in Teaching

Department

Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education

College

College of Education

Advisor

Robinson, Randall S.

Subject(s)

Fifth grade (Education); Interaction analysis in education; Mathematics--Study and teaching (Elementary); Sex differences in education

Disciplines

Elementary Education and Teaching

Abstract

Studies have shown that despite female students' eager attempt to initiate contact in the mathematics classroom, teachers tend to respond to the male students more often than the females.

This has been a questionable factor as to why females elect not to take four years of high school mathematics which exclude them from entering many high paying careers.

The purpose of this study was to observe a male and female teacher during their mathematics class and take frequency counts of all classroom contacts. This was to investigate if there was a significant difference between different sex teachers and their frequency of female contacts during their mathematics classes.

The results indicated parallel findings to previous research; the female students initiated more contacts during mathematics class, but the teachers initiated more of their contacts with the male students.

The chi square data analysis procedure was used to determine if a significant difference existed between the two teachers regarding their frequency of female contacts. The chi square value equaled 2.34 and was not significant at .05.

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