UK Empirical Research Jim Ridgway and Sean McCusker Durham University [email protected].

UK Empirical Research

Jim Ridgway and Sean McCusker

Durham University

[email protected]

Context in England and Wales

A National Curriculum

National tests in English, science and mathematics at ages 7, 11, 14 and 16.

Compulsory education to age 16, subject based with expectations of breadth

Post compulsory education 16-18, subject based, often highly specialised (e.g. just mathematics and physics)

Research Evidence

• Interview with a policy maker• National data on performance• Surveys of attitudes towards mathematics

and subject choice in post-compulsory education– At school– At university

Research Spine (cont.)

• Interviews with high attaining students in post-compulsory education about their choices regarding mathematics– At school– At university

• Interviews with mathematics teachers• Interviews with university mathematics lectures• Interviews with women in the early stages of

their careers, who either had or had not pursued careers in STEM

UK Policy

Top priorities for education

• Faith school; Bullying; Truancy

• The whole structure of education for students aged 14 – 19 years– school structures– the whole curriculum (initiatives on functional

skills in Maths, English and ICT; specialised diplomas 14-19…)

UK Policy

Teaching of mathematics and science, and with student attainment?

• 25% of secondary teachers in mathematics and science are not specialists

• attainment is too low

• Take up is too low – especially by some groups (e.g.Afro-Caribbean boys from poor backgrounds)

UK Policy

• Low take up of STEM by girls?

• Very, very important

• Focus of major reports and initiatives

• Clear evidence that patterns of attainment can be changed

• Expectations of girls have changed. The way that maths is taught is also changing

• Identity issues are important

• Girls have more choices, and maths can be dull

UK Policy

• 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

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

National Data 2004A' Level Take Up Rates

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

2002 2003 2004 2002 2003 2004 2002 2003 2004

English Mathematics History

GCSE Year / Subject

Per

cen

tag

e o

f th

ose

elig

ible

, wh

o

take

up

op

po

rtu

nit

y

Boys Girls Total

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

National Data 2006

• Paste in performance at GCSE,

• Take up of A levels

Conclusions

• Strong ‘school effects’

• Girls– Little change over 3 years – perform relatively better in other subjects– have more ‘desirable’ choices than boys– Low attaining boys are more likely to continue

with maths than are low attaining girls

Survey of Attitudes and Influences (n=730, 6 schools)

-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

`

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

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

1: I enjoyed mathematics as a subject at GCSE

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%S

tong

ly A

gree

Agr

ee

Dis

agre

e

Str

ongl

yD

isag

ree

Not

Impo

rtan

t

Qui

te Im

port

ant

Impo

rtan

t

Ver

y Im

port

ant

Female

Male

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

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

Conclusions

• Students claim to be ‘empowered’ to make their own choices

• Mathematics is– Not very enjoyable (girls are more negative)– Not interesting (girls are more negative)

Interviews with 20 high attaining girls and boys about choices to take or not

take a maths course

Conclusions from Interviews

• 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

Conclusions from Interviews

• Decision making– Girls have more choices– Students claim to be ‘empowered’– Important factors

• Enjoyment• Past success• Identity (creativity, enjoyment)• ‘pull factors’• Subject combinations

Implications for Action

• Curriculum reform– towards more enjoyable and creative

mathematics

• Pedagogy– reward effort, engagement and understanding

• Communication– On the implications of different subject choices