Inquiry and Gender Inequity in the Undergraduate Mathematics Classroom

Abstract

Our field has generally reached a consensus that active-learning approaches improve student success; however, there is a need to explore the ways that particular instructional approaches affect various student groups. We examined the relationship between gender and student learning outcomes in one context: inquiry-oriented abstract algebra. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we analyzed content assessment data from 522 students. We detected a gender performance difference (with men outperforming women) in the inquiry-oriented classes that was not present in other classes. We take the differential result between men and women to be evidence of gender inequity in our context. In response to these findings, we present avenues for future research on the gendered experiences of students in such classes.