Marrone, Rebecca2025-12-172025-12-172020https://hdl.handle.net/11541.2/1448551 ethesis (xiv, 372 pages) :illustrations (some colour), charts (some colour)Includes bibliographical references.Education promotes 21st century STEM skills through the teaching of mathematics and creativity. Unfortunately, female students experience disadvantages in mathematics which can lead to gender inequality in the STEM workforce. This research proposed and answered the question ‘How do we encourage positive mathematical attitudes and creative abilities in students, particularly females?’ Results from three studies highlight that females have lower confidence in their mathematical creativity in comparison to males. Additionally, results show that only female teachers endorse the stereotype that mathematics is a male subject. Results also propose how creativity-based interventions can minimise negative attitudes towards mathematics and decrease sex differences in the subject. Overall, the results suggest that creativity may lessen the sex gap in mathematics and promote gender equity in STEM.encreativity;mathematics;gender differencesMathematical abilityMathematicsWomen in mathematics.thesis