The Experience of Males and Females in High School History: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Educational research is divided on the role of gender in schooling. Research has largely focused on math and science, but quantitative studies conducted by the College Board (2002) and National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2011) show that male and female high school students perform differently and are differently engaged in their history classes. This phenomenon has not been explored at the classroom level. The primary research question this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study explored was: How do male and female students make sense of their experience with a high school history class? The purpose was to help teachers understand how males and females experience history in order to promote teaching practices that equitably promote achievement and engagement. Social Cognitive Learning Theory, with a focus on self-efficacy, provided the theoretical framework through which the experience of males and females with high school history was studied. This research investigated student self-beliefs and explored how males and females interpreted their success with certain content, instruction and assessment. Male participants reported experiencing higher levels of engagement and a stronger experience with deep authentic learning than female participants, particularly the females who lacked feelings of confidence, competence and self-efficacy. The study confirmed that males and females are engaged by different historical content. Participants regardless of gender reported experiencing higher levels of engagement in class, more interest in the content of their class and more learning when they experienced and sensed that teachers were highly enthused with the topic of study or in them as learners.