  The lack of diversity and the under-performance of underrepresented students
in STEM courses have been the focus of researchers in the last decade. In
particular, many hypotheses have been put forth for the reasons for the
under-representation and under-performance of women in physics. Here, we
present a framework for helping all students learn in science courses that
takes into account four factors: 1) characteristics of instruction and learning
tools, 2) implementation of instruction and learning tools, 3) student
characteristics, and 4) students' environments. While there has been much
research on factor 1 (characteristics of instruction and learning tools), there
has been less focus on factor 2 (students' characteristics, and in particular,
motivational factors). Here, we focus on the baseline motivational
characteristics of introductory physics students obtained from survey data to
inform factor 2 of the framework. A longitudinal analysis of students'
motivational characteristics in two-semester introductory physics courses was
performed by administering pre- and post-surveys that evaluated students'
self-efficacy, grit, fascination with physics, value associated with physics,
intelligence mindset, and physics epistemology. Female students reported lower
self-efficacy, fascination and value, and had a more "fixed" view of
intelligence in the context of physics compared to male students. Grit was the
only factor on which female students reported averages that were equal to or
higher than male students throughout introductory physics courses. These gender
differences can at least partly be attributed to the societal stereotypes and
biases about who belongs in physics and can excel in it. The findings inform
the framework and have implications for the development and implementation of
effective pedagogies and learning tools to help all students learn.
