高中生選組行為的原因與結果：性別、信念、教師角色與能力發展

Causes and Consequences of High School Curriculum- Track Selection: Gender, Belief, Teacher's Gender, and Cognitive Development

對照早期與近年的文獻可發現，台灣高中生性別影響選組的現象，長期穩定幾無變遷。本文利用TEPS的追蹤樣本資料，分析高中選組的前因與後果，得到數項結論：一、高中選組顯著影響個人能力發展。在先備能力及成就動機相同的情況下，選讀自然組的學生，各方面的能力測驗分數比社會組學生提升更多，男女皆然。二、由於性別影響選組，自然組效應也導致高中男生能力的進步幅度比女生更大。三、2005年的高二生當中，約有32%的學生同意「男生比女生更適合念自然科學」。四、個人信念顯著影響日後選組行為。五、過去接觸過的教師之性別會影響學生日後的選組行為。女性數學老師乃「違反大眾普遍信念」的實例，相較於「總是被男老師教數學」，國中女生若接觸過女性數學教師，更有可能做出突破普遍信念的選擇（自然組）；相反地，「總是碰到男數學老師」讓男生更傾向做出傳統的選擇（自然組）。以上結論間接顯示，二擇一之僵固選組制度，在性別刻板印象普遍流傳的社會脈絡裡，有可能扮演性別位階關係之強力維護者的角色。

Among high-school students in Taiwan, the majority of those enrolling in the math- and natural-science-oriented curriculum track are boys. In contrast, girls are crowded in humanity-oriented programs, where mathematics courses are less rigorous. The persistent gender imbalance in high school programs did not receive adequate attention, however. Analyzing the core panel from the Taiwan Education Panel Survey (TEPS), this study investigates the causes and consequences of curriculum-track selection for high school students. There are four major findings. First, there was a significant positive effect of choosing 'natural science program' on basic achievement tests, controlling for previous test scores. The size of this 'natural science program effect' was about the same for both genders. Second, this 'natural science program effect' explained boys' more rapid cognitive development, compared with girls. Third, about one third of high-school students believed the statement that 'it would be better fit if boys choose to study natural science rather than girls.' Fourth, among 9th graders who believed the above statement, boys were more likely to choose 'natural science program' later at the senior-high-school stage and, in contrast, girls tended to choose the 'social science program,' controlling for previous test scores. Fifth, teacher's gender had an impact on student's choice. When girls had ever been taught by a female math teacher during junior high school, they were more likely to select the 'natural science program.' In contrast, when math teachers were predominantly male, boys were less likely to choose 'social science program.' The results suggest that the dual-track curriculum system in Taiwan's high schools may exploit students' opportunity for enhancing important problem-solving skills. In contexts where such belief ('natural science is a male domain') is prevalent, female students' development could be severely suppressed.