Student gender modulates the intersection of calculus proficiency and calculus self-efficacy in an introductory electricity and magnetism course

Abstract

We assessed changes in calculus proficiency and calculus self-efficacy in a second semester course of introductory physics focused on electricity and magnetism. While all students demonstrated an increase in calculus proficiency, including a possible improvement in calculus transfer to physics, women displayed larger gains than men. Conversely, men showed larger gains in calculus self-efficacy. When combined, these data suggest that student identity modulates the correlation between a student's calculus abilities and their perception or self-evaluation of those abilities. These data highlight a potential contributing factor to gender-related differences in physics self-efficacy as well as the complexity of addressing those differences.