Success factors for gender-specific support

Lead: TUM

Gender differences in education have long been a topic of interest for educational researchers, policymakers, and educators. Girls still seem to show less interest in subjects stereotypically considered "boys' subjects" like physics or computer science, while boys tend to be less interested in reading—a stereotypically female domain. These gender-specific differences in motivational-affective characteristics (e.g., interest, motivation, enjoyment, self-concept) can, in turn, lead to differences in performance and career choice. A prime example of this is the significant gap between the number of men and women who choose to study STEM subjects—a domain still dominated by men.

Many primary studies have examined how school-based interventions can strengthen and promote these motivational-affective characteristics in students. However, it remains unclear which intervention methods are effective in reducing gender-specific differences in stereotypically gendered subjects (e.g., mathematics, science, reading). This meta-analysis aims to answer the question: Do school-based interventions targeting students' motivational-affective characteristics have different impacts on the stereotypically disadvantaged gender (e.g., males in reading and females in STEM) and the stereotypically advantaged gender in a particular subject? Analyzing these results will enable us to determine which intervention methods are most effective in reducing gender-specific motivational-affective differences among students, thereby advancing efforts to help all students reach their full potential and succeed.