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Tackling the gender gap in mathematics with active learning methodologies

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Laura Di Tommaso
  • Dalit Contini
  • Dalila De Rosa
  • Francesca Ferrara
  • Daniela Piazzalunga
  • Ornella Robutti

Abstract

We implement a teaching methodology aimed at improving primary school children’s mathematical skills. The methodology, grounded in active and cooperative learning, focuses on peer interaction, sharing of ideas, learning from mistakes, and problem solving. We evaluate the causal effect of the intervention on the gender gap in mathematics in Italy with a randomized controlled trial. The treatment significantly improves girls’ math performance (0.14 s.d.), with no impact on boys, and reduces the math gender gap by more than 40%. The effect is stronger for girls with high pre-test scores.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Laura Di Tommaso & Dalit Contini & Dalila De Rosa & Francesca Ferrara & Daniela Piazzalunga & Ornella Robutti, 2021. "Tackling the gender gap in mathematics with active learning methodologies," CHILD Working Papers Series 98 JEL Classification: I2, Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics (CHILD) - CCA.
    • Handle: RePEc:cca:wchild:98
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    Cited by:

    1. Dalit Contini & Maria Laura Di Tommaso & Caterina Muratori & Daniela Piazzalunga & Lucia Schiavon, 2021. "The Covid-19 pandemic and school closure: learning loss in mathematics in primary education," CHILD Working Papers Series 97 JEL Classification: I2, Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics (CHILD) - CCA.
    2. Jose Antonio Prieto-Saborit & David Méndez-Alonso & Ana Fernández-Viciana & Laxmi J. Dixit Dixit & Paloma Nistal-Hernández, 2022. "Implementation of Cooperative Learning and Its Relationship with Prior Training of Teachers, Performance and Equity in Mathematics: A Longitudinal Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Contini Dalit & Di Tommaso Maria Laura & Muratori Caterina & Piazzalunga Daniela & Schiavon Lucia, 2022. "Who Lost the Most? Mathematics Achievement during the COVID-19 Pandemic," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 22(2), pages 399-408, April.
    4. Griselda, Silvia, 2024. "Gender gap in standardized tests: What are we measuring?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 191-229.
    5. Valentina Maria Andreucci & Alessio D'Ignazio & Francesca Festa & Marialucia Longo & Francesco Rossetti, 2025. "Experiential financial education. Assessing the effectiveness of a Banca d'Italia museum exhibition," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 943, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    6. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & Jorge Leonardo Rodríguez-Arenas, 2025. "De la cobertura al desempeño: Explorando las brechas de género en el sistema educativo colombiano," Borradores de Economia 1301, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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