Secondary Students’ Mathematical Perceptions
Alina Rozenbaum
Center for Educator Preparation, School of Education, Colorado State University
Introduction and Background
❖ Achievements in mathematics are linked to motivation,
as desire reflects drive.
❖ Traditional approaches towards teaching mathematics
have stymied the development of interest and
utilization of the subject in low achieving students
❖ Most students in the class had little to no desire or
interest in pursuing any kind of mathematics beyond
what was required of them to graduate
❖ Sharing one’s enthusiasm for mathematics increases
students’ intrinsic motivation
Purpose
❖ Students’ perception of mathematics is skewed due to
a dull and lifeless instruction of mathematics, depicting
it as a necessity rather than an interesting study. As a
facilitator of science, rather than an art-form to be
pursued.
❖ To discover the reasoning behind the lack of personal
motivation in mathematics and if teaching
methodology could be a contributing factor
Methods
❖ Quantitative data was collected using a Google Forms
questionnaire containing 8 diagnostic questions and 8
4-Point Likert scale opinion based questions.
❖ Qualitative data was collected through the use of a
short answer question at the end of the questionnaire.
❖ The 4-point Likert scale range included: 1 = Strongly
Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Agree, and 4 = Strongly
Agree.
❖ Once averages were collected, an overall neutral
response would consist of a 2.5
❖ The diagnostic questions covered gender,
demographic qualifications, favorite subject, previous
teacher, previous math class, current grade in class,
and grade level.
Research Questions Results Student Responses
➢ Would teaching students mathematics through self- ❖ Q3: I enjoy learning mathematics Why do you like or dislike
discovery increase interest in mathematics? ❖ Q6: I rely on memorization in math class
❖ Q8: I would enjoy math more if it was presented with
mathematics?
➢ Does students’ perception of mathematics affect their open-minded questions to think about and discuss, rather
❖ It has always been my worst subject and I’ve
proficiency in it? than given formulas to memorize and apply to problems.
always been more into English or classes that have
❖ Q2: I am comfortable with Mathematics
hands on activities. I’m not horrible at math but I
➢ What stigma(s) about mathematics prevent students ❖ Q4: I enjoy going to math class
just don’t enjoy it.
from achieving proficiency in it? Q2 Q3 Q4 Q6 Q8
Average A: 3.17 2.83 2.67 3.50 2.50
❖ I like math especially now. However last year it was
Average B: 2.88 2.50 2.25 2.63 2.63 miserable (…) I hated math and never tried. I asked
Average C: 2.50 2.75 2.25 3.00 2.75 to get our homework back and because people
Average D: 2.00 1.56 1.89 2.56 2.78
Average F: 1.71 1.29 1.86 2.43 2.86
wernt doing it he took it away and that affected me.
Hypothesis Average Female: 2.42 2.11 2.26 2.74 2.53 I asked for help and he made me feel stupid.
Average Male: 2.40 2.07 2.00 2.80 2.93 Horrible teacher. I can strongly say I learned
Average all: 2.41 2.09 2.15 2.76 2.71
nothing from him.
❖ Based on the findings conducting the literature review
and previous experience in both middle school and
Figure 1: above depicts the average responses of the students to the labeled ❖ I don’t see the point in memorizing countless
questions based on gender and current grade in the class and gender. (N = 34)
high school classrooms, I predicted that students that equations and formulas only to use them on
are lower achieving in mathematics would prefer a ➢ The most interesting finding stems from the almost linear
homework that I hardly ever do, and tests. It’s
varied and different approach to learning the material. boring and doesn’t make class entertaining. I’d
and inverse correlation between the grade and Q8,
rather be home asleep and getting rest which is
suggesting a strong desire for inquiry-based learning
more beneficial to me personally
from low-achieving students.
➢ As predicted, students that are struggling find
Summary of Literature Review Significance
mathematics less enticing
❖ These data shows a need for the diversification of
➢ It is also interesting to note that males prefer inquiry
Dissatisfaction regarding mathematics the way mathematics is being taught in secondary
based learning over females.
education classrooms
❖ Students have a disaffection towards mathematics ➢ The trends for Q2 and Q4 are also predictable based on ❖ Lower achieving students greatly prefer alternative
because they believe it is a T.I.R.E.D. subject, previous literature and observations. teaching methods to standard teaching practices
consisting of: Tedium, Isolation, Rote learning, Elitism
and Depersonalization.
Reflection
❖ Learning environment, teacher enthusiasm and
❖ Short timeframe and limited resources
empathy, performance vs understanding oriented
classrooms, their journey through adolescence, and ❖ Answer choices should have been more focused
the approach in teaching method all influence
❖ Less and more direct/relevant questions
students’ intrinsic motivation and personal interest.
❖ Female students and students whose parents had not
gone to university had increased anxiety ratings in Action Plan
relation to mathematics.
❖ Implement a unit plan utilizing inquiry-based
Potential for growth in motivation
learning
❖ Continue to conduct surveys and make adjustments
❖ Teaching through inquiry-based approach feeds
students’ motivation for pursuing mathematics
❖ Students in minority demographics had an increased Acknowledgments
proficiency when a workshop model was utilized in the
classroom ❖ Bryan Eisele – Cooperating teacher
❖ Dr. Anne Sebald — Action Research Professor
❖ If math is taught as English, art or music is taught, as ❖ Dr. Gylton De Matta — Action Research Instructor
an artform to be pursued, letting students push the
boundaries, it would become more personable.
❖ Mathematics is not simply just an elite subject, nor is it
simply a tool for practicing science.