Used hierarchical linear modeling and longitudinal data from the first three waves of the National Education Longitudinal Study to examine achievement and growth rates in precollege science by racial, ethnic, and gender subgroups. Findings show socioeconomic status and previous grades to be strongly related to eighth-grade achievement across all…

Studied patterns of coping behavior and changes in coping for 169 Australian adolescents at grade levels 7, 9, and 11 using the Adolescent Coping Scale (E. Frydenberg and R. Lewis, 1993). Findings highlight differences in development of coping patterns between boys and girls. Discusses implications for the teaching of coping skills. (SLD)

Whether there is a gender-by-item interaction that makes easy mathematics test items easier for females than for males and difficult items harder for females than for males was tested in two studies, involving 10,321 eighth graders and 5332 ninth graders and results from nine mathematics tests. The hypothesis was generally supported, as discussed.…

Whether boys and girls shared equally in performing behaviors required in hands-on activities in the performance-based science classroom was studied over the school year with 165 students in grades five through eight. Being actively involved predicted students' year-end science attitudes, and boys tended to handle the resources more often. (SLD)

Data from the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress were used to study the number of Carnegie units earned by students in mathematics. Overall, gender and ethnic differences in total mathematics courses were small but ethnic differences relative to the type of course were large. Gender differences are discussed in light of college…

Derived longitudinal causal models of growth in mathematics and English constructs using three waves of data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (n=24,599). Results indicate that the contribution of prior variables in English and mathematics to subsequent outcomes in both subjects was similar for females and males. Contains 68…

Surveyed 656 fifth graders on their use of self-handicapping strategies and examined predictors of self-handicapping. Boys used handicapping more than girls did, and grade point average and perceived academic competence were negatively related to handicapping. Ability goal structure and teaching practices highlighting relative ability were…

Using data from the Census and the Department of Education, this study compares 1970, 1980, and 1990 to analyze shortages of Asian American teachers by U.S. geographic location, Asian nationality, gender, grade level, and immigration status. Causes of shortages are linked to traditional patterns of teacher recruitment. (SLD)

Data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 were used to identify factors related to gender differences in tenth-grade science performance. The advantage found for eighth-grade boys had widened by tenth grade. Findings emphasize the importance of active classroom involvement as a way of promoting gender equity. (SLD)

Results from a comparison of single-sex and coeducational Catholic secondary schools using data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 suggest that single-sex Catholic high schools are not especially favorable academic settings, and that any advantages of the schools only benefited boys. Pre-enrollment differences may explain…

Family constellation variables such as family size, birth order, spacing of children, and crowding were significantly associated with academic achievement when IQ was controlled. The effects of family constellation variables were found to be sex specific. (RC)

Data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 showed that factors influencing female entry into male-dominated higher education programs included academic ability, more high school courses in mathematics and science, and work-oriented attitudes, but not family influence. (MH)

Male and female high school students enrolled in mathematics classes were compared concerning their intent to enroll in additional mathematics classes. Significantly more males than females, especially from the lower half of the achievement distribution, intended to continue mathematics courses. Sex differences in attitudes towards mathematics are…

Goals for educational attainment were studied in eleventh grade students. The males aspired to and expected higher levels of attainment. At higher aspiration levels, the discrepancy between aspiration and expectation was greater for females. Both socioeconomic background and academic ability had a greater effect on educational ambition for males.…