Gender Differences in Problem-Solving : Examining UK’s A-Level Maths Post-2017 Reform with DIF Analysis

• In Event: Research in Progress Roundtable Session 3
  In Invited Roundtable: International Perspectives on Education Reform: Organizational Change, Teacher Resilience, and Gender Disparities in Student Outcomes (Table 10)

Abstract

This study explores the impact of the 2017 A-level Mathematics exam reform, which emphasised problem-solving in real-world contexts, on gendered performance outcomes. The reform shifted assessment focus to problem-solving and reasoning, constituting 50% of the qualification. Despite an increase in overall entries from 90,000 in 2018 to 100,000 in 2024, the percentage of female candidates declined, and a persistent gender performance gap favoring males was observed. Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis is employed to identify items exhibiting performance disparities between genders after controlling for ability. Particular attention is given to problem-solving attributes linked to gender differences. This research leverages DIF and Differential Step Functioning (DSF) analyses to investigate specific item attributes and inform targeted interventions for equitable assessment design.

Author

• Sudha Thiruvadi Jaganathan, University of Oxford