(GSE/RES) What kind of Math Software works for Girls? The effectiveness of motivational and cognitive interventions

知识价值。本项目分析了具体的软件干预是否会在真正的k12水平教育环境中为女孩带来动机和数学成绩的提高，在女孩的两个关键时刻？5-6年级和10-11年级学生对STEM的态度发展。随机对照评估用于分析提高女孩和少数民族数学成绩和学习数学课程动机的策略的影响。这项研究为数学软件的设计提供了经验支持的指导方针，这些指导方针有利于女孩和少数民族在数学方面的动机和成就。这项研究进一步研究了计算技术（智能代理/学习伙伴、用户建模和工具）、教育心理学（对干预措施对动机和自我效能感、学生特征和在线教学的影响的严格分析）和发展心理学（不同年龄段的性别差异）。更广泛的影响。该项目为表现不佳的学区的学生和那些可能因残疾而在家上学的学生提供互联网环境。它提高了对那些认为数学可能会失败的学生的理解（通常是女性和传统上代表性不足的少数群体的学生），促进了普遍代表性不足的学生对数学的兴趣。它提高了在线课件的质量，降低了进入STEM的门槛。该项目将提供针对个人的教学，为更具创新性的课程奠定基础，并对教学材料的复杂性产生新的理解。

Intellectual Merit. This project analyzes whether specific software interventions produce motivational and mathematics achievement gains for girls within real K12-level educational settings, at two crucial moments of girls? development of attitudes towards STEM, grades 5-6 and 10-11. Randomized controlled evaluations are used to analyze the impact of strategies that improve girls' and minorities' performance in mathematics and motivation to pursue mathematics coursework. The study uncovers empirically-supported guidelines for the design of math software that benefit girls' and minorities' motivation and achievement in mathematics. This research furthers research into computation techniques (intelligent agents/learning companions, user modeling and tools), educational psychology (rigorous analysis of the impact of interventions on motivation and self-efficacy, student characteristics and on-line instruction) and developmental psychology (gender differences across several ages).Broader Impact. The project provides Internet environments for students in poorly performing school districts and those who might be home-schooled as a result of a disability. It advances the understanding of students who find potential failure in math to be threatening (most often, females and students from traditionally under represented minority groups), promoting interest in mathematics among generally underrepresented students. It improves the quality of on-line courseware and reduces the barrier for entry to STEM. The project will produce instruction that is responsive to individuals, lays the groundwork for more innovative curricula and creates new understandings of the complexities of taught materials.