Running head: APPLYING DIVERSITY RESEARCH

Applying Diversity Research

Roxana Shirazi
American College of Education
Professor Adolphine
March 20, 2016

Applying Diversity Research

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Applying Diversity Research
Part 1: Lesson Plan

Lesson Title: Women in

Mathematics

Content Area: Mathematics

Grade Level: Seventh-grade

Overview of Lesson: We will be reading about and discussing the impact of gender roles in
society and how that impacts girls performance in mathematics. The lesson will culminate
into a visual project completed by girls in groups of three. The project will be centered on
exemplary women in the field of mathematics, how their family members view girls and
mathematics, what steps they can take to counter mathematics anxiety, and how they envision
the role of mathematics in their future.

Learning Objectives: Combat the issue of girls underperformance in mathematics by reading

and discussing the issue of societal gender scripts and its contribution to mathematics anxiety.
Presenting on fellow women in the field of mathematics provides a role model which has an
empowering effect.

Target Student Group: All of the girls in seventh-grade are the target group. They are to take
the TEOG exam next year which will largely dictate the course of their university study.
Milgram (2011) has indicated that teamwork and collaboration highly appeal to girls; as thus,
the culmination of this lesson will be a group project.

Key Content Concepts: Gender roles, mathematics anxiety, and empowering female role
models.

Rationale for Instructional Remediation Strategy and Universal Design Principles: Reaching
out to girls in middle school is crucial as Kentli (2014) found that the favorite subject of
middle school students to be a predictor of vocational aspirations (p. 127). Gyete, (2015)
uncovered the unfortunate truth that most Turkish mathematics teachers frequently observed
mathematical giftedness as inherent within males when compared to females. This perception
could be fueled in part by poor mathematics performance effected by mathematics anxiety.
Devine, Fawcett, Szcs and Dowkers (2012) research concludes that anxiety experienced by
boys may simply reflect general test anxiety, whereas girls experience specific anxiety towards
mathematics, which is above and beyond any general anxiety associated with testing
situations (p. 7). The decision to create a girls-only environment is based on the findings of
Erarslan, and Rankin (2013): girls in single-sex schools feel more comfortable in

Applying Diversity Research

participation, break out of their traditional roles by speaking up and becoming leaders, are
supportive of multiple roles of women, including career orientation and active participation in
the work force and social life (p. 459). In this lesson, students will read, listen, and discuss
the issues of gender roles, mathematics anxiety, and women in mathematics. They will be
provided different avenues of expression through a group project focusing on a female role
model of their choosing.

Materials/Technology Required for Lesson: Computer, internet connection, and speakers.

Instructional Steps for Conducting the Lesson: (Number the steps. Be specific about what the
learner is doing.)
1. Tell students they will take a math test now. Have students take out a pencil, colored
pencils, and an eraser. Pass out a blank piece of paper.
2. Tell students they will not take a math test. Rather, they are to draw what they think
their faces look like when they are completing a mathematics assignment or exam.
3. Students reflect on their drawings as a class while teacher facilitates open discussion.
4. Gather emotional feedback: did they feel anxious? Did they feel capable and
confident? Why or why not?
5. Elicit overall opinions of mathematics in connection with their drawings. For example,
is math your favorite subject? Why or why not? Are your opinions of mathematics
reflected in your drawing?
6. Draw on students background knowledge and personal experiences regarding gender
and mathematics to further discussion. For example, do you think boys understand
mathematics easier? Do you think the toys you played with as little girls helped you
understand mathematics? Does the media play in role in your thinking?
7. Ask if any of the students are familiar with mathematics anxiety. What do they think it
means?
8. Display PowerPoint about mathematics anxiety which illustrates the concept with
graphs, illustrations, and videos.
9. Introduce women in mathematics through Youtube videos:
A. The historical figure Sophie Germain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5k5TYUj4jn8
B. The modern figure Ebru Koksal who is the manager of one of Turkeys national
soccer teams, Galatasaray (her background is in finance):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rF8RHhS7blQ
10. Inform students that they have been placed in a pre-selected group where they will
create a visual, oral, and written presentation on a woman in mathematics, mathematics
anxiety, and the present and future role of math in their lives. Explain the directions as
described in the rubric. We will discuss the rubric as a class and modify the rubric
following feedback from students.

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Part 2: Assessment Rubric
Who Runs the World? Girls!

Part I: Select a woman in the field of mathematics and tell us about her.
You can make a PowerPoint, Prezi, or poster presentation. Make sure to
tell us about her childhood, schooling, and achievements in
mathematics.
Part II: Write about how we can help mathematics anxiety.
Part III: Look at you and your family! Pick one female in your life and
tell us how she uses mathematics. Then tell us how you will use
mathematics in the future.

Criteria

Yes - 2

Maybe - 1

No - 0

Total Points

Do the visuals help

us understand your
message?

/2

Did the group use

grammatically
correct English
when speaking and
writing?

/2

Did the group talk

about mathematics
anxiety and what
we can do to help
it?

/2

Did each group

member tell us
about how a female
in their family uses

/2

Applying Diversity Research

mathematics?

Did each group

member tell us
how they will use
math in their
future?
Total

/2

/10

Part 3: Applying Research and Key Learning

The research that I conducted has led me to engage in a lot of self-reflection. I recall
playing with dolls with other girls while the boys were encouraged to take apart their toys and
put it back together. But, when I dismembered Barbie, I was punished for it. I recall wandering
into the boys toy aisle in the store and seeing shelves of build-it-yourself dinosaurs while my
aisle brimmed with dress up shoes and play make up. My mother would lead me away from the
boys toys because, youre a girl, you need to learn how to take care of a baby. As a feminist, I
am well aware of how we are socialized to adapt to the social norms of our assigned gender. As
an educator, I was shocked to learn how deeply engrained these norms are in teachers. Indeed,
taken from a sample of primarily female Turkish mathematics teachers, Gyete (2015) found
that nearly half of the participants stated that mathematically gifted students were observed more
frequently within males than females. This paints a woeful picture where teachers perpetuate
harmful stereotypes that deter middle school girls from pursuing a career, for example, in
engineering, despite their mathematical capabilities (Kentli, 2014). The question lies in how we
can bridge the achievement gap between middle school girls and boys in terms of mathematics.
ifti (2015) indicates that the teacher quality factor is the most significant and reliable
variable in the determination of the mathematics education quality (p. 1496). The author goes
on to state that since the perception of mathematics education quality significantly affect

Applying Diversity Research

students TEOG scores and mathematics grade point average [GPA], as well as their mathematics
anxiety, educational institutions should focus on perception studies on the students (p. 1497). The
solution is thus two-pronged. First, mathematics teachers should self-reflect and think about how
their gendered views inform their teaching and treatment of boys versus girls. In order to combat
any discrimination based on gender, mathematics teachers should follow the recommendations of
Ozerem and Akkoyunlu (2015) which allow students to innovate given activities in order to
incorporate their previously acquired knowledge; for example, have students design and analyze
their own geometric shapes individually and in groups. Secondly, the school should actively
address the issue of mathematics anxiety which is much more prevalent in girls. Akin and
Kurbanoglu (2011) describe those experiencing mathematics anxiety as feeling impotent in
mathematical operations, avoid mathematics classes, feel shame and guilt, will terminate
learning mathematics even though they have the ability to do so, develop negative attitudes
towards activities and operations related to mathematics, avoid occupations that necessitate
quantitative knowledge and skills, and dislike mathematics even when they become teachers (p.
265). The last sentence is particularly important as teachers should aid in normalizing
mathematics, communicating its importance, and linking it to real-life experiences. As such, it is
vital to build a school environment which empowers girls to embrace their mathematical skills,
and themselves.

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References

Akin, A. & Kurbanoglu, I. N. (2011). The relationships between math anxiety, math attitudes,
and self-efficacy: A structural equation model. Studia Psychologica, 53(3), 263-273.
ifti, . K. (2015). Effects of secondary school students' perceptions of mathematics education
quality on mathematics anxiety and achievement. Educational Sciences: Theory &
Practice, 15(6), 1487-1501.
Devine, A., Fawcett, K., Szcs, D., & Dowker, A. (2012). Gender differences in mathematics
anxiety and the relation to mathematics performance while controlling for test anxiety.
Behavioral and Brain Functions, 8(33), 1-9.
Erarslan, A. B. & Rankin, B. (2013). Gender role attitudes of female students in single-sex and
coeducational high schools in Istanbul. Sex Roles, 69, 455468. DOI 10.1007/s11199013-0277-0PDFS
Gyete, . (2015). Investigating Middle School Math and Primary Teachers' Judgments of the
Characteristics of Mathematically Gifted Students. Turkish Journal of Giftedness and
Education, 5(1), 44-66.
Kentli, F. D. (2014). Perceived influences in vocational preference of Turkish high school
students. Journal of Kirsehir Education Faculty, 15(2), 119-132.
Milgram, D. (2011). How to recruit women and girls to the science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM) classroom. Technology & Engineering Teacher, 71(3), 4-11.
zcan Z., . & Erktin, E. (2015). Enhancing mathematics achievement of elementary school
students through homework assignments enriched with metacognitive questions. Eurasia
Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 11(6), 1415-1427.
Ozerem, A., & Akkoyunlu, B. (2015). Learning environments designed according to learning
styles and its effects on mathematics achievement. Eurasian Journal of Educational
Research, 61, 61-80. http://dx.doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2015.61.4