Emotional profiles regarding maths among primary school children – A two-year longitudinal study

Learning maths is challenging for many primary school students, and teachers must understand students’ learning and emotional processes specific to learning maths. The current research, grounded in control-value theory, focused on achievement emotions regarding maths. Primary school students (N?=?71) were studied with the primary objective of examining the longitudinal trajectories of achievement emotions of third graders over two years. The Portuguese Achievement Emotions Questionnaire for Elementary Students was administered biannually to assess enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom regarding maths. The results indicate that enjoyment decreased and boredom increased over time, revealing three emotional profiles: positive, negative and moderate. The positive profile showed the highest scores in maths achievement. Profile membership was moderately stable and became increasingly stable and structured. In examining the complexity of students’ emotional profiles and processes, the importance of understanding them to enhance educational support, development, and learning was highlighted.

     

The role of individual and contextual factors in the development of maths skills

In this study, we examined the development of maths skills in 269 Estonian primary school children (119 boys and 150 girls; 20 classes). Testing was carried out over a three‐year period (Grade 1–Grade 3). Before the last testing session, children’s verbal skills and motivational orientations were also tested. In addition, teachers evaluated children’s learning behaviour and provided information about their own teaching methods. The data were analysed using multilevel growth curve modelling. We found that children with higher levels of pre‐maths skills developed at a faster rate. At the individual level, pre‐maths skills and verbal ability were positively associated with maths achievement in Grade 3, and avoidance orientations (self‐reported) and task‐avoidant behaviour (teacher‐reported) were negatively associated with maths achievement in Grade 3. At the classroom level, formalist teaching methods and teacher experience had a positive effect on students’ maths performance.     

What motivates early adolescents for school? A longitudinal analysis of associations between observed teaching and motivation

For many early adolescent students, motivation for school declines after their transition to secondary education. Increasingly, the decisive importance of teachers in shaping early adolescents' motivation is stressed; thus far, however, both longitudinal and observational studies on this topic have been scarce. The present study investigated how early adolescents' interactions with their maths teachers were associated with the development of their motivation for maths. In line with self-determination theory, videotaped teacher–student interactions were coded in terms of their being supportive or thwarting of the three fundamental human needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, i.e. in terms of their providing autonomy support, structure, and involvement. To assess need-supportive teaching, at four measurement time-points equally spread over the first year of secondary education, video analysis was conducted of, in total, 137 complete maths lessons in 20 maths classes (40% female teachers). To assess developments in motivation at each of the four measurement time-points, questionnaires were distributed to the 489 students (aged 12–13; 49.9% girls) in the 20 maths classes. Multilevel analysis did not indicate associations of autonomy-supportive teaching with any of the four motivational constructs incorporated in the study (autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, amotivation, and performance avoidance). For structure, associations in expected directions were found with autonomous motivation (positive) and amotivation (negative), but not with the other two motivational constructs. For teacher involvement, associations in the expected direction were found with all four motivational constructs. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for research and educational practice.     

Effectiveness of experiential learning in improving cognitive Planning and its impact on problem solving and mathematics performance / Eficacia del aprendizaje experiencial para mejorar la Planificación cognitiva y su repercusión en la resolución de problemas y el rendimiento matemático

This study is based on PASS theory, which suggests that the cognitive process of Planning is responsible for developing metacognitive strategies. The aim is to verify the effect of stimulating the cognitive process of PASS Planning on secondary school students using two different methodologies, with experiential learning (inductive) being applied in one group and deductive learning in the other. The study also aims to verify if improvements are observed in student grades in maths and problem solving. A quantitative study with a quasi-experimental design was carried out with two experimental groups of 59 and 57 students and a control group of 57. The results confirm significant improvements in both experimental groups in relation to their capacity to plan after the stimulations sessions, regardless of the methodology used. Nevertheless, improved grades in maths and problem solving were only found in the group who were administered the experiential learning (inductive) method. The conclusion drawn is that these kinds of methodologies need to be promoted for the stimulation of Planning to have the desired effect on mathematics performance.     

The effect of stimulating immigrant and national pupils’ helping behaviour during cooperative learning in classrooms on their maths‐related talk

This study examined whether stimulation of immigrant and national pupils’ use of high‐quality helping behaviour (experimental condition) during cooperative learning (CL) in classrooms boosts their maths‐related talk more than in an educational situation in which such stimulation is largely absent (control condition). A total of 59 elementary‐age pupils enrolled in a CL maths curriculum of 11 lessons. They were video taped during two lessons while working together on maths assignments to assess their maths‐related talk. We found that the quality of maths‐related talk was higher in the experimental condition. Furthermore, immigrant pupils’ used less maths‐related talk than the national pupils. Implications are discussed.     

Gender contentedness in aspirations to become engineers or medical doctors

Medical doctor and engineer are highly esteemed STEM professions. This study investigates academic and motivational characteristics of a sample of high school students in Thailand who aspire to become medical doctors or engineers. We used logistic regression to compare maths performance, gender typicality, gender contentedness, and maths and physics self-concepts among students with aspirations for these two professions. We found that high levels of felt gender contentedness in men had positive association with aspirations for engineering irrespective of the levels of maths or physics self-concept. We found that high levels of felt gender contentedness combined with high levels of maths or physics self-concept in women had positive associations with aspirations to become a medical doctor. These findings are evidence that student views of self are associated with uneven gendered patterns in career aspirations and have implications for the potential for future participation.     

DETERMINANTS OF GIRLS' CHOICE OF MATHEMATICS

Questionnaires concerning the self‐concept and evaluations of maths and French, as well as an intelligence test, were administered to secondary school students more than six months before they had to decide whether or not to take maths courses during the following school year. At the same time their school grades for maths and French were recorded. Students’ decisions were related to self‐concept, evaluations of maths and French, and aptitude measures, by means of discriminant analyses. Results indicated that sex, in combination with students’ (positive) evaluations of mathematics, their achievements in mathematics and their intellectual abilities, as well as a focus on French and self‐concept of French abilities, could adequately predict their choice of mathematics courses. No interaction effects were found between sex and the other predictor variables. These results suggest that stimulating more girls to choose mathematics during their secondary school years should focus upon achievement, self‐concept and evaluations of mathematics in comparison with other options.     

农村初中开展数学“课题学习”的困境及对策

初中（7～9年级）数学课题学习是学生在教师的引导下,在已有知识基础上,从所熟悉的现实生活中发现、选择和确定数学或跨学科领域的问题,主动应用知识解决问题的学习活动。当前农村初中数学课题学习面临传统教学评价观、班额大、师生经验有限、资源缺乏等因素的困扰,并没有充分实现数学课题学习的教育价值。笔者提出了相应的对策,以促进数学课题学习的有效开展。     

Managing collaboration across further and higher education: a case in practice

The Dearing Report highlighted the need for HE programmes to enhance students' basic skills, and one of these is numeracy skill. There is a history of low confidence and negative attitudes to learning about numbers and 'maths anxiety' in undergraduates which means that delivering 'numerate graduates' may be something of a challenge to HE institutions. This college surveyed attitudes to numeracy and learning about numbers in all first-year students (over 1000 students). Over 40% of students returned their questionnaires. This survey found considerable negative attitudes and low confidence among respondents as a whole (25% of those who returned the questionnaire), and anxiety was highest (over 40%) in students taking a Humanities programme. This raises considerable concern about how we can deliver numeracy to students in HE. The findings of the survey, gender issues and the individualised concept of 'maths anxiety' are discussed in relation to the social and cultural construction of attitudes to maths and maths confidence as empowerment (Benn, 1997). The main conclusion is that HE institutions need to consider carefully how to provide good educational opportunities for individuals with low motivation to engage in maths-related activity. There is also an urgent need to challenge cultural myths and stereotyping relating to maths learning if we want the next generation of graduates to have more confidence in their maths skills.     

与专业结合的中职数学课程设计

中等职业学校的学生大多数学基础较差,程度差异大.普遍对公修课尤其是数学课感到厌倦.把教学课授课内容与其专业相结合不仅能增加学生学习数学的兴趣,更能促进其专业素质的整体提高.     

Assessing the link between stress and retention and the existence of barriers to support service use within HE

Students suffer from stress as a result of many factors, including educational unpreparedness, financial strain and inability to integrate socially. This mixed methods study aimed to investigate stress levels of undergraduate students in a post-1992, Scottish university and the potential for measures of stress to act as an indicator of a student’s intention to continue. The study sampled primarily engaged students as tests were administered during timetabled classes and required the students’ voluntary participation. The level of perceived stress reported by these students appeared to be high (mean PSS-14 scores of 18.42 (SD 8.452) and 24.57 (SD 8.969) for males and females, respectively) and was coupled with intention to drop out across all study levels (12.1% of students sampled reported ‘seriously considered dropping out’). Perceived stress score predicted a student’s intention to withdraw but this association did not transfer to actual withdrawal, suggesting that other factors, most likely coping mechanisms, play a part in mediating the withdrawal behaviour. Unfortunately, despite the seemingly high levels of stress and potential worry over dropout, students are reluctant to seek support and many were unaware of the support services available through the university. Given the engaged nature of these students, their feelings are unlikely to be made known to staff as they will not necessarily register on non-attendance lists or be flagged because of missing assignments, which are often used as indicators of potential problems. This brings to light a previously hidden student group that may benefit from additional support to prevent unnecessary underachievement or dropout.     

数学课堂教学应如何激发学生的兴趣

兴趣是最好的老师。如何激发学生学习的兴趣是每一位老师面临的一个重要课题。数学,因其学科的特点,让很多学生对数学没有兴趣,觉得数学枯燥乏味。那么,激发学生学习数学的兴趣则对每一位数学教师提出一个更高、更难的要求,是每个数学教师教学工作中的关键,是数学教学中的永恒话题。有兴趣才有动力,有兴趣才会有良好的学习效果,才会使学生的逻辑思维能力不断发展提高。     

The relationship between self-concept and achievement in TIMSS 2007: A comparison between American and Japanese students

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between eighth-grade students?? maths-related self-concepts and their achievements in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007. The students?? maths self-concept was compared with other variables, namely their mothers?? education, their fathers?? education and the amount of books held in the students?? households. To investigate the potential role of culture, a comparison between American and Japanese students?? scores was also included. The findings demonstrated that students?? maths self-concept was positively associated with their achievement both in the United States and Japan, but Japanese students, while having higher achievement, had a lower maths self-concept than American students. Maternal education, paternal education and the number of books at home were also found to be positively related to achievement. Examining standardised coefficients, the study confirmed a strong interaction between maths self-concept and country, as well as a positive connection between maths self-concept as such (irrespective of the country) with maths achievement.     

Teacher enthusiasm: Dimensionality and context specificity

Enthusiasm is considered an important characteristic of effective teachers. However, the conceptualization of the term in the research literature is inconsistent. Whereas most studies use the term “enthusiasm” to describe features of instruction, some have used it to describe a characteristic of teachers. This research seeks to clarify the concept of teacher enthusiasm, examining its dimensionality and context specificity. The study draws on three samples of teachers who were administered questionnaire measures of enthusiasm. In two samples (N = 205 and 332), it was possible to match teacher data with data on the students taught. In another sample (N = 113), additional measures of work-related wellbeing were implemented. Confirmatory multigroup factor analyses showed that two dimensions of teacher enthusiasm can be distinguished, namely enthusiasm for teaching and enthusiasm for the subject. These dimensions differed in their meaning and context specificity. Whereas teaching enthusiasm was systematically linked to occupational wellbeing and to classroom variables, subject enthusiasm related only moderately to other measures of occupational wellbeing and was independent of characteristics of the classes taught.     

Reducing disruptive behaviours and improving classroom behavioural climate with class‐wide positive behaviour support in middle schools

Disruptive behaviour in classrooms is a significant challenge for learning in schools and a risk factor for students’ academic achievement and a significant source of teachers’ work‐related stress. Earlier research shows that clear behavioural expectations, monitoring students’ adherence to them and behaviour‐specific praise are effective practices to reduce disruptive behaviour. Although behaviour problems are common in middle schools, most of the interventions have been developed and studied in elementary schools. This randomised study evaluated the effects of a class‐wide intervention on classroom behavioural climate and disruptive behaviour, on teacher‐experienced stress and on the time needed for behaviour management in middle school. The classes were selected for intervention by their teachers on the basis of poor behavioural climate. The intervention was based on teachers’ cooperation; they collectively agreed on clear behavioural expectations, used positive feedback and, if needed, applied consequences in response to high rates of disruptive behaviour. The results indicated medium to large effects on classroom behavioural climate according to teachers’ evaluations, and somewhat more inconsistent effects on classroom behavioural climate according to student evaluations and in the time needed for behaviour management. The behavioural climate of the classes remained at a constant level during the follow‐up. The intervention was well accepted by teachers and students. The results suggest that an easily applicable intervention may produce significant improvements in classroom behavioural climate in middle schools.     

Science capital or STEM capital? Exploring relationships between science capital and technology,engineering, and maths aspirations and attitudes among young people aged 17/18

We previously proposed that science capital (science-related forms of cultural and social capital) can be used as a theoretical lens for explaining the patterned nature of aspirations and educational participation among young people aged 11–16. Building on these findings, the present article investigates whether science capital is related to post-18 aspirations to pursue further STEM study and whether science capital can be extended to related disciplines including engineering, maths and technology. Specifically, we report on correlational analyses exploring the relationships between science, technology, engineering and maths attitudes and science capital. Drawing on data from a new survey of 7,013 17/18 year old English secondary school students, analyses showed that science capital, while strongly related to engineering and physical science future study aspirations, was not strongly related to the pursuit of either maths or technology postsecondary study. The findings also suggest that engineering and maths attitudes have a stronger relationship to science capital than attitudes relating to technology. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings and propose that science capital might be more usefully applied to “SEM,” with links to technology fields and aspirations needing further exploration.     

An experimental investigation into the efficiency of cooperative learning with consideration of multiple grouping criteria

The present study conducts an experimental investigation to compare the efficiency of the cooperative learning method with that of the traditional learning method. A total of 42 engineering students are randomly assigned to the two learning conditions and are formed into mixed-ability groups comprising three team members. In addition to the regular daytime classes, homework sessions are arranged such that the out-of-hours learning method and learning time can be effectively controlled. The students’ academic achievement is evaluated by means of unit tests in the daytime classes and homework tests in the out-of-hours sessions. As an alternative method for resolving the multiple grouping criteria problem, the analysis of covariance method is used to compensate for the initial difference in the prior knowledge of the students in the two learning conditions regarding the course contents. The results show that given an equivalent learning time, the students in the cooperative learning condition outperform those who study alone in both the unit tests and the homework tests. Therefore, it is concluded that cooperative learning has a higher efficiency than the individualistic learning method.     

Self-concept of students in higher education: are there differences by faculty and gender?

Many studies examine student self-concept during compulsory schooling but few have explored the self-concept of students in higher educational settings. The current study examined self-concept by faculty and gender among higher education students in New Zealand. Participants were 929 undergraduate students from a large New Zealand university. The results showed some differences in verbal and maths self-concept by faculty. Generally, students in faculties teaching subjects more reliant on maths skills had higher maths self-concept than those in faculties where facility in verbal skills was important. The opposite results were found for verbal self-concept. No overall gender differences were found for general, academic, verbal and maths self-concept although a statistically significant difference was found for problem-solving self-concept. This finding suggests students’ choice of faculty may be based on perceptions of their skills and capabilities in the various fields, irrespective of gender.     

High-structure versus low-structure cooperative learning in introductory psychology classes for student teachers: Effects on conceptual knowledge,self-perceived competence,and subjective task values

Using group presentation classes as a control condition, in nine introductory psychology classes we examined the impact of high-structure versus low-structure cooperative learning on N = 259 student teachers' conceptual knowledge, on their self-perceived competence, and on their appraisals of task values. To vary the structure, we first created a lesson plan built upon core principles of cooperative learning, and then eliminated from this plan critical elements structuring students' shared learning. Two-level analyses revealed that students in the two cooperative conditions (a) did better on three knowledge tests administered throughout the course of this one-semester project, (b) developed a more favorable view of their subject-specific competence, and (c) appraised the utility and intrinsic value of task assignments more positively than did the control students. In each of the three knowledge tests, students in high-structure groups outperformed students in low-structure groups. These findings support the hypothesis that structuring procedures enhance the efficaciousness of cooperative learning methods in college classes.