Girls and Hands On Science Do Better than Boys

See this Ed Week Blog on NAEP breakdown of performance by type of task. Seems girls perform slightly better, though statistically significant, when using manipulatives. Important data, yes. Implications? Reasons why? The use of manipulatives has always been listed as important learning tools, so that is nothing new. But to see that there might be something gender based with results could mean that educators should consider incorporating more manipulatives as needed for understanding. Sure. Could you even go so far as to say that you will have single gender groupings to provide the needed support and use specific strategies to support your students? http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2012/06/although_girls_trail_boys_in.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2

Gender Based Data in Canada

An article that looks at the decline of the performance of boys in math and science in Canada.  From the article:

Boys have fallen behind in science and lost their long-held dominance in math, and though the results are a Canadian first, the problem may be a familiar one: reading.

Reading has been a weak spot for boys for decades. The latest national standardized test results show the gap between girls and boys in reading is growing, and that it is spreading to math and science.

This issues seems to have a gendered layer to it.  No, it isn't just a single-gender issue, but, yes, single-gender classes could be part of a potential solution.  But a greater understanding of how to make reading engaging and important to boys is important.  But, for some reason, we just aren't concerned to the degree to really engage people in this conversation yet.

What have you done to bring this issue forward in your local setting?

Girls and Science

Take a look at the impressive results fromt eh Google Science Fair.  Interesting that they highlight the fact that "girls dominated."