increasing students’ motivational efforts in mathematics
TRANSCRIPT
Increasing students’ motivational Increasing students’ motivational efforts in mathematicsefforts in mathematics
What motivation in mathematics meansWhat motivation in mathematics means Motivated students:Motivated students:
– have positivehave positive attitudes – find mathematics interesting, attitudes – find mathematics interesting, enjoyable, do-able and relevantenjoyable, do-able and relevant
– believebelieve that making an effort will lead to success that making an effort will lead to success – wanwant to learn more and do well in attainment testst to learn more and do well in attainment tests– show show effort and perseveranceeffort and perseverance– seeseek out new challengesk out new challenges
What helps motivate students to put What helps motivate students to put effort into learning mathematics?effort into learning mathematics?
Two broad approaches worked:Two broad approaches worked:– helpinghelping students to see themselves as students to see themselves as
mathematicians mathematicians – ususe of innovative strategies, including ICT e of innovative strategies, including ICT
Seeing themselves as mathematicians Seeing themselves as mathematicians – the most important factor– the most important factor Believing they were poor Believing they were poor
mathematicians meant students mathematicians meant students saw mathematics as:saw mathematics as:– aa subject only ‘clever people’ do well subject only ‘clever people’ do well
inin– boringboring and irrelevant and irrelevant– nonot worth making an effort fort worth making an effort for
Helping learners develop a positive Helping learners develop a positive identity so that they worked harderidentity so that they worked harder Teachers needed to create:Teachers needed to create:
– a supportivea supportive classroom climate classroom climate– challengingchallenging and enjoyable activities and enjoyable activities – opportunitiesopportunities for students to collaborate for students to collaborate– deepdeep understanding understanding
Making use of ICTMaking use of ICT
ICT was motivating in two distinct ways:ICT was motivating in two distinct ways:– it mait made lessons enjoyable – which was de lessons enjoyable – which was importantimportant– it enhancedit enhanced deeper understanding of mathematics – deeper understanding of mathematics –
which was which was crucial crucial
Other effective ‘innovative’ approaches Other effective ‘innovative’ approaches
A range of other strategies helped too:A range of other strategies helped too:– cognitivecognitive acceleration in mathematics education acceleration in mathematics education
(CAME) or CAME-type lessons(CAME) or CAME-type lessons– oraloral/mental starters and whole-class interactive /mental starters and whole-class interactive
teaching teaching – assessmentassessment for learning practices for learning practices
The importance of teachers’ The importance of teachers’ professional developmentprofessional development For innovative approaches to be effective teachers needed For innovative approaches to be effective teachers needed
to: to: – havehave a good understanding of how an innovation could be effective a good understanding of how an innovation could be effective– workwork together and with external specialists to explore and evaluate together and with external specialists to explore and evaluate
the innovations togetherthe innovations together
What about setting?What about setting? The study highlighted the damaging effect on The study highlighted the damaging effect on
students’ motivation of being in the wrong set:students’ motivation of being in the wrong set:– inin high sets the work could be too difficult for some high sets the work could be too difficult for some
students, undermining their self-confidencestudents, undermining their self-confidence– inin too low a set the work could lack challenge too low a set the work could lack challenge
Who were the children in the study?Who were the children in the study?
Students aged 11-16 years in mainstream Students aged 11-16 years in mainstream classes in Englandclasses in England
How was the information gathered?How was the information gathered?
The researchers:The researchers:– identifiedidentified a question as a focus a question as a focus– sesearched for relevant studiesarched for relevant studies– screenedscreened the studies according to inclusion and the studies according to inclusion and
exclusion criteriaexclusion criteria– analysesanalyses the strength of the research design of the the strength of the research design of the
included studiesincluded studies– synthesisedsynthesised the findings of the final selection of 25 the findings of the final selection of 25
studies into a reportstudies into a report
How can teachers use the evidence in How can teachers use the evidence in this study?this study? The key ways of enhancing students’ motivation were The key ways of enhancing students’ motivation were
through helping students see themselves as mathematicians through helping students see themselves as mathematicians and using innovative approachesand using innovative approaches
Could you help students see themselves as mathematicians Could you help students see themselves as mathematicians e.g. by asking them to record all the different occasions in e.g. by asking them to record all the different occasions in which they and their families use calculations in a week?which they and their families use calculations in a week?
Could you develop new ways to use ICT to deepen students’ Could you develop new ways to use ICT to deepen students’ understanding, e.g. dynamic software that illustrates how understanding, e.g. dynamic software that illustrates how changing coefficients alters the graphs of functions?changing coefficients alters the graphs of functions?
How can school leaders use the How can school leaders use the evidence in this study?evidence in this study? The review highlighted the importance of teachers working The review highlighted the importance of teachers working
together and with the support of specialists to develop together and with the support of specialists to develop innovative practice innovative practice
How can you increase mathematics teachers’ opportunities to How can you increase mathematics teachers’ opportunities to work collaboratively to develop new teaching approaches, work collaboratively to develop new teaching approaches, such as using ICT to deepen pupils’ understanding?such as using ICT to deepen pupils’ understanding?
How could you support colleagues who want to evaluate the How could you support colleagues who want to evaluate the impact of innovative strategies on their students’ motivational impact of innovative strategies on their students’ motivational effort?effort?
Follow-up readingFollow-up reading
Study reference: Study reference: Kyriacou, C., & Goulding, M., Kyriacou, C., & Goulding, M., (2006)(2006) A systematic review of strategies to raise A systematic review of strategies to raise pupils’ motivational effort in Key Stage 4 pupils’ motivational effort in Key Stage 4 mathematics.mathematics. EPPI-Centre Social Science EPPI-Centre Social Science Research Unit, London: Institute of EducationResearch Unit, London: Institute of Education
Summary available at: Summary available at: www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/research/themes/Mathematics/Raisingmathsmotivation/
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