Toward Creating Computer-Based Math Learning Favoring High-School Females

Research indicates that teenage females prefer to work and perform better at the learning environment that supports frequent interactions and allows them to build relationships with others. This paper will introduce a computer-based algebra-learning environment MathGirls equipped with pedagogical agents (digital life-like characters) that simulate real-world social interactions and relations. The goal of MathGirls is to help young women of high-school age build positive attitudes toward and self-efficacy in math learning through this simulated social context. To investigate the efficacy of MathGirls, a classroom experiment was conducted with 83 high-school females. The experiment examined the effects of agent attributes (female teacher-like, male teacher-like, female peer-like, and male peer-like) and learner ethnicity (Caucasian vs. minorities). The results indicated that minority females ’ math attitudes were significantly higher after working with the female-teacher-like agent than with the other agents. Second, Caucasian females ’ math attitudes were significantly higher after working with the male agents, whereas minority females ’ math attitudes were significantly higher after working with th