In this paper the results of a comparative longitudinal study investigating changes in girls' and boys' attitudes towards mathematics, and self-confidence in mathematics are presented. A 5-point Likert scale, AM-MEC, was used to measure attitudes towards mathematics (AM), computer-based mathematics (AMC), and selfconfidence in mathematics (CM). A total of 430 students using technology for mathematics and 109 students not using it were monitored for 3 years. At the beginning of the study, the participants were aged about 13 years. The statistical analyses of the data showed few gender differences in the way students' attitudes and self-confidence changed over the 3 years. Significant gender differences favouring boys were found in attitudes towards mathematics in grades 8 and 9 for the group using technology. For the group using technology, significantly more boys than girls got high scores in attitudes towards computer-based mathematics in grade 7. Significantly, more girls using technology than girls not using it got high scores in grade 8. The use of technology did not have a positive impact on students' self-confidence. Regardless of whether they used computers or not, from grades 7 to 9, there was a decrease in the self-confidence in mathematics of both boys and girls. To enrich these results and detect possible gender differences in the way attitudes were constructed, 12 girls and 13 boys were interviewed at the end of the study. The analysis of the arguments they presented to explain and justify their attitudes towards mathematics, computerbased mathematics, and their self-confidence in working in mathematics provided evidence of important gender differences in the ways in which boys and girls construct their attitude, indicating how their constructions reflect the gender stereotypes within Mexican society.
A partir del análisis de entrevistas realizadas en Ciudad de México a profesores de primaria y secundaria, así como a estudiantes de tercero de secundaria, se pone en evidencia su visión de género y equidad con relación a la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de las matemáticas. Identificamos algunos factores que propician y fortalecen la inequidad de género en matemáticas: el tipo de interacciones diferenciadas por género que los docentes establecen en la clase; las creencias de que las matemáticas son un dominio masculino; las estrategias de compensación que diseña el profesorado con la intención de propiciar la equidad de género; las expectativas de aprendizaje de las matemáticas diferenciadas por sexo que tiene el profesorado; los estereotipos de género de los padres de familia y del profesorado. La presencia de estos factores se ilustra mediante extractos de entrevistas. Se concluye señalando que si bien es necesario garantizar formal y legalmente el acceso igualitario de hombres y mujeres al conocimiento matemático, esto no es suficiente para lograr la equidad. Consideramos esencial darse cuenta de que para alcanzar una mayor equidad es necesario que la sociedad en general y la comunidad escolar en particular superen los estereotipos de género, todavía profundamente arraigados, que conducen a tener expectativas diferenciadas por sexo con relación al aprendizaje y el uso profesional de las matemáticas. Se requiere trabajar enérgicamente en esa dirección.
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