Gender Perspectives on Mathematical Content Preferences at Secondary Level

Abstract

This study was conducted to examinestudent’spreferences on mathematical content area and contents within each content area at secondary level. The respondent were 60 students, including 33 girls and 27 boys, who were selected using stratified random sampling method. Descriptive survey design was used with the help of survey questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Mean and Std.) and inferential statistics (t-test). The result of the study revealed that Set was the most preferable content area in mathematics in compare to other area for both boys and girls. Whereas, boys least preferableand difficult area was Geometry, while girls was Probability. Most important contents for their future life were Arithmetic related contents in comparison to other contents within content area. Likewise, the study found that the mean difference between boys and girls was not statistically significant with preferences in overall mathematical content area and overall contents within content area. Similarly, there was not significant differences exist between boys and girls with preferences in each content area and every contents within each content area except one content of Arithmetic.