Can Small Group Tuition Reduce Observed Gender Gaps in Mathematics?

This thesis investigates gender differences in mathematics among pupils in Norway. The research question is; are there observed differences in mathematical abilities between girls and boys in second grade? If so, can small group tuition in mathematics help decreasing these differences? Other well-established tests, such as the National tests, detects a gender gap in favor of boys both in primary and in lower secondary education. This thesis exploits some newly developed tests aimed at the younger pupils in primary school to show that the gender gap in favor of boys observed in later years is also present for these tests. The thesis finds a significant gender gap of -0.074 standard deviations in favor of the boys. The gender gap seems to be equally present for the children born late in the year as for the early-born children, but heterogeneous in the test distribution. Results show a significant estimate of 0.024 standard deviations in favor of the girls for the under-average performing pupils, while show a significant estimate of -0.052 standard deviations in favor of the boys at the top of the distribution. This observation is supported by the research finding that boys and girls often are unequally distributed when for example testing intelligence, where boys to a larger extent than girls seem to be found in the tails of the distribution. Lastly, this thesis presents mid-way results from a randomized controlled trial, where treatment schools are given one additional teacher, carrying out small group tuition in mathematics. The estimates show a positive intention to treat effect of small group tuition in the end of 2nd grade which seems to be increasing towards the end of 3rd grade. However, treatment does not seem to have any special effect on girls and do hence not decrease gender gaps