Gender Differences in Academic Performance of Grade 12 Students of Colegio de

la Purisima Concepcion

Researchers:

Fred Erick Jude Lim

Mary Nicole Hari-on

Florabel Faye Dordas

James Daliva

LITERATURE REVIEW

Most researchers on gender difference in academic performance reveal that

there is difference between boys and girls. Studies by Finn Peterson and Wamdeo

observed that there are differences between the males and females when it comes to

mathematical, spatial, and verbal abilities. Halpem and Stump confirmed the above

statement by oberserving that females showed superiority especially in measures of

verbal fluency (vocabulary, listening, speaking, comprehension, fluency, and spelling).

And that males’ showed showed superiority in mathematical and special abilities.

Contrary to this observation, however, Armot, David, and Weiner observed that U.K.

and Scotland have enjoyed formal “gender parity” in education for number of years. The

proportion of girls and boys achieving to grades at 18 (A-Levels) is broadly equal,

though girls seem to be gaining a slight advantage over the boys. (Amuda, B. G., Ali, D.,

Durkwa, H., 2016)

 Academic performance refers to an expression used to represent students’

scholastic standing. According to Shuaibu, academic performance refers to what an

individual can obtain within a specific criteria domain. Jacklyn and Maccoby as cited in

Glawala in their studies of sex difference in academic performance stated that there is

no sex difference on quantitative ability, but when differences are found in the age 13

(thirteen) they tend to favour boys. (Amuda, B. G., Ali, D., Durkwa, H., 2016)

In the past decades the prediction of academic success has been considered

dependent to cognitive factors such as intelligence and academic abilities. However, in

recent years, researchers in education and social sciences have recognized that non-

cognitive factors and skills play a critical role in educational success and achieving.

(Stankov & Lee, 2014) Researches firmly believe that non-cognitive factors are equally

or even more important than cognitive aspects in educative process and employment

potential. When identifying the personal qualities that require to functioning well in the

21st century, the role of non-cognitive factors are often highlighted in the discourse.

(DOI: 1.1007/978-94-6300-591-3_1)