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Making Mathematics Choices for the 6th Form

Making Mathematics Choices for the 6th Form. Jim Ridgway jim.ridgway@durham.ac.uk. Structure. Outline of PREMA – an EU project UK data on choice and performance Conclusions Actions Introduction to the interviews This school The interview protocol Web of influence.

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Making Mathematics Choices for the 6th Form

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  1. Making Mathematics Choices for the 6th Form Jim Ridgway jim.ridgway@durham.ac.uk

  2. Structure • Outline of PREMA – an EU project • UK data on choice and performance • Conclusions • Actions • Introduction to the interviews • This school • The interview protocol • Web of influence jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  3. PREMA - Promoting Equality in Maths Achievement To Understand Women’s Under-representation In STEM • Processes of student decision making • Pedagogical factors • Socio-cultural factors • Impact of ICT http://prema.iacm.forth.gr/main.php jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  4. Research Spine • Interview policy makers • Examine national data on performance • Survey attitudes towards mathematics and subject choice in post-compulsory education • At school • At university jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  5. Research Spine (Cont.) • Interview high attaining students in post-compulsory education about their choices regarding mathematics • At school • At university • Interview mathematics teachers • Interview university mathematics lectures • Interview women in the early stages of their careers, who either had or had not pursued careers in STEM jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

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  7. UK Course Choices • A level exam choices jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

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  9. National Data 2004 jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  10. National Data 2004 jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  11. Survey of Attitudes and Influences 1128 students aged 17-18 years 8 schools jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

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  17. Conclusions • Important factors • Enjoyment • Interest • Past success • ‘pull factors’ – future career • Subject combinations • Students claim to be ‘empowered’ • Girls have more choices AND… jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  18. Conclusions (cont.) • Mathematics is not very interesting or enjoyable • Some professional women were influenced by school ‘women into STEM’ programmes jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  19. Implications For Action • Make mathematics interesting and enjoyable • More creative; relate contexts to student interests • Pedagogy • Pay appropriate attention to girls and boys in class • Increase the variety of teaching methods • Reward effort, engagement and understanding • Build student confidence jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  20. Implications For Action (Cont.) • Communication • Careers using mathematics • On the implications of different subject choices • Wider applications of mathematics • Teacher Education • Provide information on girls and STEM • Provide tools for classroom observation • Provoke reflection on practice jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  21. Interviews jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  22. Xl jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  23. The School • Mixed comprehensive school • Popular village in SW England • Mainly (not exclusively) middle class • Mainly ethnically ‘white English’ • Excellent OFSTED report • Excellent GCSE results • High ‘value added’ score • Oxbridge entrants every year – high expectation of uni education for most students • Broad curriculum - languages, art, sports, and drama, as well as mathematics and science jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  24. The School - cont • A dynamic (female) head – ‘outstanding’ says OFSTED • E.g. knows most pupils by name • Lots of promotions to head teacher from senior staff • Lots of pupil work on display around the school • Lots of newspaper cuttings showing school events and school successes • Ethos - high attainment for all jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  25. The Student sample • School • A or A* at GCSE mathematics • Half doing maths, half not • Girls and boys • Gerry • Becca jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  26. A: Open-ended exploration of trajectory • How old were you when you decided whether or not you were good at mathematics? • contributing factors? • Did you make active choices at AS/A2 or just go along with what was expected? • Tell me something about why you chose the courses you are now taking. • What were the most important factors in deciding to/deciding not to take an advanced course in mathematics? • Was taking/not taking an advanced course in mathematics an easy choice, or did you have reservations? • Do you think that these factors are different for boys and girls? jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  27. Open Questions on Long term Goals • Do you have a career plan in mind? • What is it? • Why? • What contributed to the decision? • How would you feel about a career in a maths related area? • Good things? • Bad things? • How do you see your life in 10 years time? jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  28. School Experiences • Classroom activities • What were typical activities in maths classrooms? • Classroom Roles • If there were girls and boys in class, did they have different roles? [describe] • Teacher Behaviour • Get different treatment from teachers? [describe] • What was YOUR role? • Curriculum content • The most interesting part of maths was…….. because? • The most boring part of maths was…….. because? jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  29. Women Mathematicians • Do you think there have been women mathematicians in history? [names?] • Do you think there are famous women mathematicians today? [names?] • Why/why not? • Did you learn anything about them in your maths lessons? jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  30. Teaching • Some – lets say 3 things that successful maths teachers do • 3 things that unsuccessful maths teachers do • Were there differences between male and female maths teachers? • Give examples jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  31. Successful Students • 3 things that successful maths students do • 3 things that unsuccessful maths students do jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  32. Making Mathematics Choices for the 6th Form Jim Ridgway jim.ridgway@durham.ac.uk

  33. Survey Attitudes And Things That Influence Choices Of Study • Enjoyment • Past performance • Competence using computers • ‘Mathematical identities’ • Long term plans • Personal influences – parents, teachers, friends • ‘Resilience factors’ jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  34. Interviews I – With High Performers Qualified To Take More Maths • Typical lessons, and uses of ICT • Interest and enjoyment • Girls’ and boys’ roles • Socio-cultural questions • Actions of successful and unsuccessful teachers • Actions of successful and unsuccessful students jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  35. Interviews II – With High Performers Qualified To Take More Maths • Development of mathematical identity • Choices available; actually made; reasons • Influences: parents, siblings, teachers, friends • Long term plans • What makes you good at maths and [X]? • Why do you work hard at maths and [X]? jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  36. Interviews III – With High Performers Qualified To Take More Maths • Analyses • Socio-cultural factors • Pedagogical factors • Impact of the digital divide • Understanding decision making • Motivation theories • Identity theories • Ego-defence theories • Gender theories jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  37. Influencing Women’s Under-representation In STEM • Strategies to influence • Socio-cultural factors • Pedagogical factors • Impact of the digital divide • Strategies to influence decision making • Motivation theories • Identity theories • Ego-defence theories • Gender theories • Ambitions for PREMA: some sharing; maybe some strategic initiatives jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  38. UK Policy IV Actions in the UK? • More good teachers • None traditional subject combinations – with music, art etc. • A more exciting curriculum • More choice within mathematics • Perhaps reform university teaching • EU initiatives should set out to share effective practices where relevant and applicable in local cultural contexts jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  39. Interviews with 20 high attaining girls and boys about choices to take or not take a maths course jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  40. Conclusions From Interviews I • Socio-cultural factors • Surprising absence of stereotypes • Pedagogical factors • Descriptions of weak gender effects • Strong emphasis on the quality of teacher explanation • Strong emphasis on student effort and understanding • Impact of the digital divide • ICT hardly used in mathematics; seen as irrelevant jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  41. Implications For Action • Curriculum reform • towards more enjoyable and creative mathematics • Pedagogy • reward effort, engagement and understanding • Communication • Wider applications of mathematics • Careers using mathematics • On the implications of different subject choices jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  42. National Initiatives Very big national differences England views this as a priority; In some other countries it was hard to get policy makers interested jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  43. Pedagogical Factors • Curriculum structures and materials • Teacher perceptions of boys and girls • Student perceptions of boys and girls • Perceptions of good teaching • Perceptions of a good student • Socio-cultural factors • Impact of ICT jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  44. Curriculum Structures and Materials • Big National Differences • e.g Poland • Gendered courses (cookery vs woodwork) • Portrayal of men and women in textbooks • e.g. Austria • Not so jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  45. Teacher Perceptions of Boys and Girls I • Big national differences • (Poland) belief in inherent differences • Girls are worse at logical thinking • Should girls really go into STEM? • Austria and England - none jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  46. Teacher Perceptions of Boys and Girls II • Consensus that Girls… • are less confident • ask fewer questions • answer fewer questions • are less disruptive • work harder • Are better at detail • want to get good grades • Big national differences in strength of beliefs jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  47. Student Perceptions of Boys and Girls I • Girls • Study more • Try to be good in all subjects • Are more systematic • Are less disruptive • Answer fewer questions • Big national differences in strength of beliefs jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  48. Perceptions of Good Teaching • Generic • Good explanation • Good subject knowledge • Little agreement on good activities • (group work, discussions etc.) jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  49. Perceptions of a Good Student • Generic • Work hard • Learn for understanding jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

  50. Socio-cultural Factors • Very big national differencesPoland<>England • Beliefs in essential differences • Political campaigns • Parent pressure or support for autonomy • Supportive or unsupportive employment legislation jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk

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