Gender Differences on International Mathematics Assessment

Differential gender performance on math assessmenthas received continuing attention in the UnitedStates. However research on math gender differenceshas been thwarted by the lack of rigorous methodologyand the lack of generalizable findings. This bookinvestigates the math gender issue among fifteen-yearolds in the U.S using multi-year data from theProgramme for International Student Assessment(PISA) one of the largest international comparisonstudies. The analyses take advantage of advancedmeasurement models such as item response modelslatent regression models and mixture models. Theresults shed light on how various cognitive andnoncognitive (i.e. interests motivation learningstrategies) factors underlie the differential mathperformance between males and females. This bookshould be helpful to researchers interested in mathgender research and also to researchers interested inthe application of advanced measurement models ineducational and psychological research.