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Peer beliefs and expectations about gender identity, gender role and gender role conformity can limit participation in school activities and reduce performance potential. Adolescent males in choirs often seem to be reluctant to perform in front of their peers. On the other hand, adolescent females who sing in choirs have quite a contrasting experience. The first of three studies comprising this thesis investigated whether gender stereotype threat contributed to adolescent male choristers' performance decrement, and whether salience of stereotype threat could affect awareness of it. The findings of a second study triangulated those of the first, and revealed common attributes which enabled adolescent male choristers to remain engaged in choral music. This study revealed however, that these traits did not protect the adolescent male choristers from the effects of stereotype threat. Whereas previous extant research on stereotype threat had concentrated on helping the targets of stereotype threat alleviate its effects, the third of the present studies aimed to reveal the perceptions of gender held by non-targets of stereotype threat as well as by the targets, preparing the way to challenge deep-seated beliefs which lead to gender stereotyping and prejudice. The findings of the studies identified how beliefs and expectations about gender identity related to attitudes towards gender role and genderrole conformity within different school cultures, and ultimately limited choice of school-based activities for adolescents. This evidence revealed implications for change to practices which may currently augment gender-role conformity in schools and limit student outcomes. As well, it added to research conducted in the field of stereotype threat in a real-world setting and, importantly, exposed a link between stereotypical beliefs and wider held prejudices.

Read Chapter 1 and Chapter 5. "Teaching Adolescents To Become Learners summarizes the research on five categories of noncognitive factors that are related to academic performance: academic behaviors, academic perseverance, academic mindsets, learning strategies and social skills, and proposes a framework for thinking about how these factors interact to affect academic performance, and what the relationship is between noncognitive factors and classroom/school context, as well as the larger socio-cultural context. <br /> <br /> It examines whether there is substantial evidence that noncognitive factors matter for students' long‐term success, clarifying how and why these factors matter, determining if these factors are malleable and responsive to context, determining if they play a role in persistent racial/ethnic or gender gaps in academic achievement, and illuminating how educators might best support the development of important noncognitive factors within their schools and classrooms. <br /> <br /> The review suggests some promising levers for change at the classroom level, and challenges the notion that hard work and effort are character traits of individual students, instead suggesting that the amount of effort a student puts in to academic work can depend, in large part, on instructional and contextual factors in the classroom. <br /> <br /> In addition, the review also presents challenges for future research on noncognitive factors. "

"Teaching Adolescents To Become Learners" summarizes the research on five categories of noncognitive factors that are related to academic performance: academic behaviors, academic perseverance, academic mindsets, learning strategies and social skills. It examines whether there is substantial evidence that noncognitive factors matter for students' long-term success, clarifying how and why these factors matter, determining if these factors are malleable and responsive to context, determining if they play a role in persistent racial/ethnic or gender gaps in academic achievement, and illuminating how educators might best support the development of important noncognitive factors within their schools and classrooms. The review suggests some promising levers for change at the classroom level, as well as challenges for further research.

Science Correspondent Cara Santa Maria summarizes the findings of AAUW's 2010 report, Why So Few?, which explores causes of the gender gap in STEM fields. Cites over 300 experiments illustrate the validity of this research. At puberty the gender gap expands dramatically. Interventions suggested: 1) More female representation in the curriculum 2) Expose the biases.