PROCEEDINGS OF THE 22ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2019
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Inquiry does not guarantee equity
Page: 282
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 impact various groups of students. Here we examined the relationship between gender and student learning outcomes in one particular context – abstract algebra, taught with an Inquiry-Oriented Instructional (IOI) approach. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we analyzed content assessment data from 522 students. While the performance of IOI and non-IOI students was similar, we detected a gender performance difference (men outperforming women) in the IOI classes that was not present in the non-IOI classes. In response to these findings, we present avenues for future research on the gendered experiences of students in such classes