Gender differences in students’ perceptions of teacher and peer feedback in mathematics: lessons from Denmark

ABSTRACT

Although a vast amount of literature on feedback practices and the effects of feedback on learning outcomes exists, very few studies include peer feedback in the analysis, and very few studies examine variations in students’ perceptions of feedback. By exploiting a unique survey of feedback practices in mathematics lessons (Student Experiences of Feedback survey) among eighth and ninth graders in Denmark (N = 1,098), we examine gender differences in how students experience three different varieties of feedback: feedback delivered by teachers, feedback delivered by peers, and feedback given to peers. We find that while boys experience the most teacher-student feedback, girls experience the most feedback from peers. Furthermore, results indicate that class composition (i.e. the gender ratio and the average socioeconomic background of peers) influences feedback practices. Our results have implications for understanding the gendered nature of the multidirectional and polyphonic feedback actions that occur on a daily basis within mathematical classrooms.

KEYWORDS:

• peer feedback
• gender
• student perspective
• peer effects
• class composition
• mathematics

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Three times a year, students in eighth and ninth grade in Denmark receive grading from their teacher on their abilities in calculation, problem solving, and verbal argumentation based on their performance in class.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bent Sortkær

Bent Sortkær is a researcher at the Danish School of Education, Aarhus University. His research focuses on students’ perspectives on teaching, learning environments and classroom practices and their relation to educational inequalities. His work has appeared in British Journal of Sociology of Education, British Educational Research Journal and School Effectiveness and School Improvement.

David Reimer

David Reimer is Professor at the Danish School of Education, Aarhus University. His research focus is on social stratification, with a focus on inequalities in education across class, gender, and ethnic divides. Most of his work has a cross-country comparative perspective. His work has appeared in various international journals such as European Sociological Review, Higher Education, Social Science Research, and School Effectiveness and School Improvement.