A quantitative model for gender gap in G8 standardized Mathematics tests in Italian schools

The gender gap in Mathematics, i.e. the different performances of male and female students, is a well-known and well-documented phenomenon. Testing from OCSE-PISA, in particular, highlights how the gap in Italy is much larger than the international average. The didactic component of this gap has been investigated in the literature through one of two broad strate- gies: either large-scale, statistical analysis of test results, or item-level analy- sis of very few selected items with the theory of the didactic contract. This work is an explorative analysis which aims to determine if it is pos- sible to define specific item categories in which the gender gap is particular- ly notable, and to interpret these categories with the theory of the didactic contract.