I thank my friend Jessica, who sat next to me on the first day of Zonnebloem I, for always being willing to talk to me about math, whether it was about homework or... I thank the interview participants from the University of Mississippi for sharing their stories of their triumphs and failures in mathematics. Joel Amidon, for his belief in my project, for his insistence on doing my best work, and for his always prompt assistance with thesis problems at any time.
I explored this question in two parts: distributing a survey to students from the University of Mississippi and then conducting interviews with students at the same university about their past feelings and emotions about mathematics. The five pathways that emerge from the data—Arrow, Improvement, Revelation, Sparkless, and Almost Revelation—offer a more individualized look at education and offer clues about how to help students change their minds and attitudes about math.
THE PROBLEM
Many of the comments were negative, ranging from dislike, fear and even hatred of the subject (Doyne, 2011). Given the current state of mathematics education, it is crucial to find ways to help students overcome their aversion to mathematics and build a more optimistic relationship with the subject. By building a better attitude towards mathematics, it may be possible to improve students' abilities in the subject as well.
Analyzing students' past encounters with and feelings about a subject can suggest ways to improve attitudes and performance. Typically, a mathematics autobiography consists of “personally significant episodes, significant persons, explanations, and the development of the individual's beliefs about learning and teaching mathematics” (Kaasila, 2007a,. It is impossible to list all the reasons why students may dislike the subject). .
Math anxiety can be defined as "feelings of tension, dread, and fear of situations involving math" (Park, Ramirez, &. Latterell and Wilson (2013) asked students from elementary school to college the following question: "What is math?" All groups' initial responses, even those of undergraduate math majors, were equivocal.Turning point, or similar positive math stories, are useful because they provide clues about how to help students improve their attitudes about math and like the subject.
In the case of the math majors, many claimed that these experiences drove them to study the subject. In her freshman year of college, she initially chose a different program, but her advisor praised her math grades and suggested she major in the subject. Although this study is small, it provides evidence for just how sensitive students' attitudes about mathematics – both positive and negative – are to outside influences, such as class content and teachers.
When Nicole struggled with her calculus course because of her teacher, she did not allow her negative experience to change her opinion of the subject. She loved their excitement when they finally understood something, and it gave her positive feelings about mathematics and teaching the subject. The teacher cannot be afraid of the subject or openly show doubts about his own abilities.
This more individualized approach suggests ways to help specific groups of students enjoy math; what works well for one group may not help another.
LITERATURE REVIEW
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The focus of the survey was to collect preliminary data from a group of students and determine their overall thoughts and feelings about mathematics, while the in-depth interviews focused on six individuals' stories and experiences with the subject. Interview participants were primarily mathematics education and/or mathematics students, all of whom were female. All research for this thesis was completed at the University of Mississippi, a public university located in rural Oxford, Mississippi.
This institution was chosen because I, the researcher, am a student of the university and am interested in how my peers at the institution view mathematics. At the end of the survey, participants were asked to indicate whether they would like to be contacted for a more in-depth interview. Two of the interview participants were recruited in this way; the remaining six who originally indicated interest did not respond to the emailed interview.
The other four interview participants were a convenience sample (known to the author and/or the advisor) who were personally invited to participate in the study. Interviews were conducted either at a quiet coffee shop off campus or via FaceTime at the request of the interviewees. Questions were asked from a 10-speed interview script, but the participants were free to discuss whatever they wanted.
This was done immediately after the interview to ensure that all data recorded was correct and as complete as possible. Details included memorable phrases, words and emotions used by the participant during the interview that were not recorded in the notes taken during the interview. The second round of coding marked all data from the interview notes, excluding the details filled in after the interview.
THE FINDINGS
Later in high school, she took a calculus course with a teacher who she said didn't teach. However, she explained that she hated statistics in high school because she didn't understand it. Although she never liked math, she didn't enjoy it until she met her freshman high school algebra teacher.
Placed in the gifted program at her school, Emily experienced frustration from an early age with mathematics due to her reputation as a "gifted student". She had trouble memorizing multiplication tables in third grade and struggled to understand other math concepts, but she felt her teachers didn't take her math difficulties seriously—they thought she just wasn't trying. She admitted that she cried when she found out about her assignment because it was math and she didn't want to teach that subject. I don't know what you did, but I spent money on tutors for her all those years,” she told one of the Emilys.
Megan claimed that she always "loved math and was good at it". She mentioned that she didn't really like the timed exercises she did in elementary school, one of which was 60 seconds to complete a problem page. Megan also claimed she wasn't good at geometry throughout her interview, but didn't elaborate on why she felt that way. Unlike the other participants discussed so far, Megan did not talk about any circumstances that she claimed made her fall in love with mathematics.
Furthermore, she claimed that she liked math, but she did not convey her enthusiasm with voice and facial expressions, as some other participants did. Therefore, even though Megan's story showed some change in attitudes toward math, it did not possess a spark that made her love the subject. She said she liked math when it was easy because she “enjoyed the feeling of figuring out something complicated,” but when it was difficult for her she called it “the bane of my existence.” She didn't remember much about her math classes in elementary and middle school, but thought it was a “good” experience.
Every day was a nightmare,” she claimed, saying: “[I] built my identity on being intelligent.” Even worse for Hayley was the fact that some of her classmates were doing well on the course. Note that although Hayley experienced a significant change in her feelings about mathematics, there was no spark that pushed her to pursue further study in mathematics, such as taking more classes.
FINAL CONCLUSIONS
When math gets tough (and it does for most, whether it's fractions in 4th grade or topology in senior year of college), passion for the subject will compel this type of student to continue pursuing her math goals . Like Nicole, their interest and love for the subject is unwavering, and they are motivated to do well in math. The necessary evil.” In both analyzed stories about the Path of Revelation, the student begins her path to a renewed love/appreciation for mathematics in the.
Necessary Evil” Phase – math is very bad at this point, but the student has no choice but to engage with the subject for her own personal goals. Tough love." After the student begins her experience in mathematics, however reluctantly, she encounters a kind of mathematical authority who does not accept her current position on the subject. The student realizes that perhaps her thoughts about its relationship to mathematics are not entirely accurate, which leads to the following subsection.
The moment of realization.” At this stage, the student makes a shocking discovery - that she is actually enjoying mathematics. Regardless of how the moment happens, the student realizes that she likes the subject and then has to decide what to do to achieve it. Happily Ever After” The final step is when the student decides to pursue mathematics further in whatever context she chooses.
The arc of revelation is complete and the student now enjoys mathematics and is determined to explore his newfound interest. Key components of the arc are the student's imposed position in a mathematical experience, the attitude of the mathematics authority, and finally the "show-and-tell". Of course, the motivation for a mathematical experience will not help the student much if her basic ideas about herself and mathematics are not questioned and ultimately rebuilt.
A mathematics authority figure, usually the teacher or instructor, must challenge what the student believes about her relationship with mathematics. The true purpose of helping students enjoy math is not simply for entertainment value, but rather to cultivate a spark, a passion for the subject in them.
