The Impact of Tutor Gender Match on Girls' STEM Interest, Engagement, and Performance
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| Title: | The Impact of Tutor Gender Match on Girls' STEM Interest, Engagement, and Performance |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Joshua Bleiberg (ORCID |
| Source: | American Educational Research Journal. 2026 63(3):514-543. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 30 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Grade 9 High Schools Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Gender Differences, STEM Education, Student Interests, Females, Role Models, Grade 9, Attendance, Self Concept, Mathematics Education, Student Attitudes, Mathematics Teachers, High School Students, Tutors, Student Empowerment, Mathematics Achievement, Algebra, Distance Education, In Person Learning |
| DOI: | 10.3102/00028312261417332 |
| ISSN: | 0002-8312 1935-1011 |
| Abstract: | Gender disparities in STEM persist despite girls performing as well as boys academically, suggesting girls may benefit from role models who shape their perceptions of STEM. We examine whether female math tutors influence girls' STEM interest, attendance, and performance. We randomly assigned 422 ninth-grade students taking Algebra 1 to a same-gender or opposite-gender tutor. Girls assigned to female tutors reported higher STEM interest (.73 SD) and were more likely to pass the course with a C- or better (3.9 percentage points) than those with male tutors. We found no impact on attendance. Effects were stronger for students working with tutors in-person rather than virtually. We provide the first experimental evidence that female tutors can boost girls' STEM self-concept and academic outcomes. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505175 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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