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
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 postcompulsory 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 STEMjim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Subject
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Information Technology
Religious Studies
Physical Education
Geography
Art and Design
History
French
Design & Technology
Double Award Science
English Literature
English
Mathematics
Thousands
Students Achieving GCSE Grades A*- C (2006)
250
200
150
Boys
100
Girls
50
0
UK Course Choices
• A level exam choices
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Subject
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
ICT
Geography
Business
Studies
Chemistry
Art and Design
History
Biological
Sciences
Psychology
General Studies
English
Mathematics
Thousands
A' Level Entries - 2006
60
50
40
30
Male
Female
20
10
0
National Data 2004
3.00
2.50
G/B C+
2.00
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
G/B C+ Continuing
Community
Foundation
Other Independent
Voluntary Aided
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Voluntary Controlled
3
National Data 2004
Maths Taken Up Beyond GCSE
80%
70%
% Opting to continue
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
A*
B
A
GCSE Grade
Girls
Boys
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
C
Survey of Attitudes and Influences
1128 students
aged 17-18 years
8 schools
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
My parents/guardian gave me confidence to make
my own decisions about courses and career
My teachers gave me confidence to make my own
decisions about courses and career
I thought my friends would be studying maths at AS
Level
My teachers wanted me to do AS maths
My parents/guardians wanted me to do AS maths
I thought I would need maths for my future career
`
I thought advanced mathematics would make a lot
of use of ICT
I am good at ICT
I enjoyed challenges – mathematics had lots of
interesting questions
I was interested in mathematics
I was good at mathematics
I enjoyed mathematics as a subject
-3
-2
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
-1
0
1
3 - Strongly Agree
-3 Strongly Disagree
Male
Female
2
3
My parents/guardian gave me confidence to make my
own decisions about courses and career
My teachers gave me confidence to make my own
decisions about courses and career
I thought my friends would be studying maths at AS
Level
My teachers wanted me to do AS maths
My parents/guardians wanted me to do AS maths
I thought I would need maths for my future career
I thought advanced mathematics would make a lot of
use of ICT
I am good at ICT
I enjoyed challenges – mathematics had lots of
interesting questions
I was interested in mathematics
I was good at mathematics
I enjoyed mathematics as a subject
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
0 - Not Important
3 - Very Important
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Male
Female
2.5
3
2: I was good at GCSE mathematics
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Female
Male
10%
20%
30%
40%
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Very Important
Important
Quite Important
Not Important
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Stongly Agree
50%
I enjoyed mathematics as a subject at GCSE
70%
50%
30%
10%
Female
Male
10%
30%
50%
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Very Important
Important
Quite
Important
Not Important
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Stongly Agree
70%
Agreement
3: Strongly Agree : -3: Strongly Disagree
-3.00 -2.00 -1.00
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 ing
w 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 use
of ICT
I could show people how clever I w as by being good at
mathematics at GCSE level
I enjoyed challenges – mathematics had lots of interesting
questions 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 n
decisions about courses and career
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
My parents/guardian gave me confidence to make my ow n
decisions about courses and career
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
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
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Making Mathematics Choices for
the 6th Form
Jim Ridgway
jim.ridgway@durham.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 Underrepresentation 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
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
some strategic initiatives
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 contextsjim.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
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
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
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
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Making Mathematics Choices in
the 6th Form
Jim Ridgway
jim.ridgway@durham.ac.uk
I wanted to do AS maths (Agreement)
I wanted to do AS maths (Influence)
3
3
2
2.5
2
1
Maths
0
-1
-2
Male
Female
Non_Maths
Maths
1.5
Non_Maths
4
1
0.5
0
Male
-3
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Female
My teachers wanted me to do AS maths (Agreement)
My teachers wanted me to do AS maths (Influence)
3
3
2.5
2
2
1
Maths
0
Non_Maths
-1
-2
Male
Female
Maths
1.5
Non_Maths
1
0.5
0
Male
-3
jim.ridgway@dur.ac.uk
Female