Post on 28-Mar-2015
Making Mathematics Choices for the 6th Form
Jim Ridgway
jim.ridgway@durham.ac.uk
jim.ridgway@dur.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
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
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
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
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
Students Achieving GCSE Grades A*- C (2006)
0
50
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150
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250
Mat
hem
atic
s
Eng
lish
Eng
lish
Lite
ratu
re
Dou
ble
Aw
ard
Sci
ence
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ign
& T
echn
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y
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nch
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tory
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and
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ign
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Phy
sica
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igio
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tudi
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Info
rmat
ion
Tec
hnol
ogy
Subject
Th
ou
san
ds
Boys
Girls
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
UK Course Choices
• A level exam choices
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
A' Level Entries - 2006
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Mat
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Eng
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Gen
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tory
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and
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ign
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ines
sS
tudi
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Geo
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hy ICT
Subject
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san
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Male
Female
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
National Data 2004
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
G/B C+ Continuing
G/B
C+
Community Foundation Other Independent Voluntary Aided Voluntary Controlled
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
National Data 2004Maths Taken Up Beyond GCSE
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
A* A B C
GCSE Grade
% O
pti
ng
to
co
nti
nu
e
Girls Boys
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Survey of Attitudes and Influences
1128 students
aged 17-18 years
8 schools
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
I enjoyed mathematics as a subject
I was good at mathematics
I was interested in mathematics
I enjoyed challenges – mathematics had lots ofinteresting questions
I am good at ICT
I thought advanced mathematics would make a lotof use of ICT
I thought I would need maths for my future career
My parents/guardians wanted me to do AS maths
My teachers wanted me to do AS maths
I thought my friends would be studying maths at ASLevel
My teachers gave me confidence to make my owndecisions about courses and career
My parents/guardian gave me confidence to makemy own decisions about courses and career
3 - Strongly Agree -3 Strongly Disagree
Male Female
`
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
I enjoyed mathematics as a subject
I was good at mathematics
I was interested in mathematics
I enjoyed challenges – mathematics had lots ofinteresting questions
I am good at ICT
I thought advanced mathematics would make a lot ofuse of ICT
I thought I would need maths for my future career
My parents/guardians wanted me to do AS maths
My teachers wanted me to do AS maths
I thought my friends would be studying maths at ASLevel
My teachers gave me confidence to make my owndecisions about courses and career
My parents/guardian gave me confidence to make myown decisions about courses and career
0 - Not Important 3 - Very Important
Male Female
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
2: I was good at GCSE mathematics
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%S
ton
gly
Ag
ree
Ag
ree
Dis
ag
ree
Str
on
gly
Dis
ag
ree
No
t Im
po
rta
nt
Qu
ite Im
po
rta
nt
Imp
ort
an
t
Ve
ry Im
po
rta
nt
Female
Male
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
I enjoyed mathematics as a subject at GCSE
70%
50%
30%
10%
10%
30%
50%
70%S
tong
ly A
gree
Agr
ee
Dis
agre
e
Str
ongl
yD
isag
ree
Not
Im
port
ant
Qui
teIm
port
ant
Impo
rtan
t
Ver
y Im
port
ant
Female
Male
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Agreement3: Strongly Agree : -3: Strongly Disagree
-3.00 -2.00 -1.00 0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00
I enjoyed mathematics as a subject at GCSE
I w as good at GCSE mathematics
I w as interested in mathematics at GCSE
I am good at ICT
I did w ell in GCSE mathematics examinations
I liked the ‘certainty’ of mathematics at GCSE, know ingw here you w ere, and w hen you had learned things
I disliked the ‘routineness’ of maths at GCSE – too boring
I liked getting better results than others in GCSE maths
I thought advanced mathematics w ould make a lot of useof ICT
I could show people how clever I w as by being good atmathematics at GCSE level
I enjoyed challenges – mathematics had lots of interestingquestions at GCSE level
I thought I w ould need maths for my future career
I w anted to do AS maths
My parents/guardians w anted me to do AS maths
My teachers w anted me to do AS maths
I thought my friends w ould be studying maths at AS Level
My teachers gave me confidence to make my ow ndecisions about courses and career
My parents/guardian gave me confidence to make my ow ndecisions about courses and career
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
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
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
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
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
Interviews
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
• Xl
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Successful Students
• 3 things that successful maths students do
• 3 things that unsuccessful maths students do
Making Mathematics Choices for the 6th Form
Jim Ridgway
jim.ridgway@durham.ac.uk
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
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
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
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
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
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
UK Policy IVActions 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
Interviews with 20 high attaining girls and boys about choices to take or not take a
maths course
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
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
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
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
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
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
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
• 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
Teacher Perceptions of Boys and Girls II
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
• 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
Student Perceptions of Boys and Girls I
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Perceptions of Good Teaching
• Generic– Good explanation– Good subject knowledge
• Little agreement on good activities– (group work, discussions etc.)
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Perceptions of a Good Student
• Generic– Work hard– Learn for understanding
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Socio-cultural Factors
•Very big national differences Poland <> England– Beliefs in essential differences– Political campaigns– Parent pressure or support for autonomy– Supportive or unsupportive employment legislation
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Pedagogical Factors• Portrayal in texts• Gendered courses (cookery vs woodwork)• School behaviour
– Work hard, persist, engage, are systematic and neat, help friends
• Classroom behaviour– Disrupt, volunteer, ask questions, are diligent,
competitive• Teacher beliefs (Poland) in inherent differences• Teacher questioning
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Understanding: Decision Making
• ‘Pull’ and rational decision making are common claims
• Big national differences in the perceived influences of parents, other students, cultural influences such as the acceptability of a ‘career woman’
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Impact Of ICT
• Computer studies is ‘masculine’
• ICT not much used in mathematics
• ICT not much expected in mathematics
• ICT has no effect on students’ relationship with mathematics
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Implications For Action
• Monitoring educational changes– STEM and the rest
• Engaging policy makers (e.g. Greece, France)
• Better employment legislation
• Revised curricula (school and university)– the rest, as well as STEM
• content and pedagogy
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Implications For Action I
• Policy makers should address the flight from STEM
• Monitor educational changes– STEM and the rest
• Sexist curriculum materials and practices should be changed
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Implications For Action IV
• Influence Socio-cultural factors
• Political awareness of the differences in attainment and career choices by men and women – and the financial implications
• Publicise distinguished women mathematicians
• Look for and remove stereotyped images in text books
Making Mathematics Choices in the 6th Form
Jim Ridgway
jim.ridgway@durham.ac.uk
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
I wanted to do AS maths (Agreement)
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
Male Female
Maths
Non_Maths
I wanted to do AS maths (Influence)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
Male Female
Maths
Non_Maths4
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
My teachers wanted me to do AS maths (Agreement)
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
Male Female
Maths
Non_Maths
My teachers wanted me to do AS maths (Influence)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
Male Female
Maths
Non_Maths