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Symptoms of the state of mathematics teaching#

See also: teaching-mathematics

Misc reports#

  • Engineers Australia warning - late 2023 News.com.au story citing an AMSI report showing drop in students taking intermediate (24% drop) and higher (20% drop) mathematics between 2008 and 2023.

  • 9.2% fo students doing specialist maths in 2020

  • In Qld Year 12, only ~30% girls in physics and 37% in specialist maths, 55% in math methods
  • why?
  • math anxiety
    • Yr 8 girls 57% dislike, 44% of boys
    • Yr 8 girls 10% really like, 17% of boys
  • How?
  • Cites one school focusing on fun activities - engage

Descreasing capability?#

Progression to senior school/advanced mathematics#

Nardi & Steward (2003)

In many countries, an increasingly smaller percentage of students appears to be pursuing the study of mathematics at upper secondary level and beyond (Holton et al.,2001).

Decreasing attendance#

Since the COVID pandemic significant drops in attendance at Australian schools (and elsewhere)

Nardi & Steward (2003) cite work going back to the late 1980s talking about student disaffection with school showing up as disruption and truancy. They identify two themes in the literature about how this can be addressed

  1. Curriculum and pedagogy compensating for local, family, cultural attitudes.

    But this may be less possible for many reasons, including knowledge (of various types) being more freely available in the outside world. 2. Unthreatening environment for self-discovery and development.

    Citing Schostak (1991) as this being the only plausible way.

Keyes & Fernandes (1993) cite factors associated with disaffection

  • disillusionment with and dislike of school;
  • lack of interest and effort in class and homework;
  • boredom with school and schoolwork;
  • dislike of certain teachers or types of teachers;
  • resentment of school rules;
  • belief that school would not improve career prospect;
  • low educational aspirations;
  • low self-esteem and
  • poor academic performance

References#

Nardi, E., & Steward, S. (2003). Is Mathematics T.I.R.E.D? A Profile of Quiet Disaffection in the Secondary Mathematics Classroom. British Educational Research Journal, 29(3), 345--367. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920301852