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Structure
• Outline of PREMA – an EU project
• UK data on choice and performance
• Conclusions
• Actions
• Introduction to the interviews– This school– The interview protocol– Web of influence
PREMA - Promoting Equality in Maths Achievement
To Understand Women’s Under-representation In STEM
• Processes of student decision making
• Pedagogical factors
• Socio-cultural factors
• Impact of ICT
http://prema.iacm.forth.gr/main.php
Research Spine
• Interview policy makers
• Examine national data on performance
• Survey attitudes towards mathematics and subject choice in post-compulsory education– At school– At university
Research Spine (Cont.)
• Interview high attaining students in post-compulsory education about their choices regarding mathematics– At school– At university
• Interview mathematics teachers• Interview university mathematics lectures• Interview women in the early stages of their
careers, who either had or had not pursued careers in STEM
Students Achieving GCSE Grades A*- C (2006)
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Mat
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atic
s
Eng
lish
Eng
lish
Lite
ratu
re
Dou
ble
Aw
ard
Sci
ence
Des
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& T
echn
olog
y
Fre
nch
His
tory
Art
and
Des
ign
Geo
grap
hy
Phy
sica
l Edu
catio
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Rel
igio
us S
tudi
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Info
rmat
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Tec
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ogy
Subject
Th
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Boys
Girls
A' Level Entries - 2006
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Mat
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Eng
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Psy
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ogy
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Sci
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His
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Art
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Che
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sS
tudi
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Geo
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Subject
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National Data 2004
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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 2004Maths Taken Up Beyond GCSE
0%
10%
20%
30%
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70%
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A* A B C
GCSE Grade
% O
pti
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Girls Boys
-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
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gly
Dis
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No
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po
rta
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Qu
ite Im
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rta
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Imp
ort
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Ve
ry Im
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rta
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Female
Male
I enjoyed mathematics as a subject at GCSE
70%
50%
30%
10%
10%
30%
50%
70%S
tong
ly A
gree
Agr
ee
Dis
agre
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Str
ongl
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isag
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Not
Im
port
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Qui
teIm
port
ant
Impo
rtan
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Ver
y Im
port
ant
Female
Male
Agreement3: Strongly Agree : -3: Strongly Disagree
-3.00 -2.00 -1.00 0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00
I enjoyed mathematics as a subject at GCSE
I w as good at GCSE mathematics
I w as interested in mathematics at GCSE
I am good at ICT
I did w ell in GCSE mathematics examinations
I liked the ‘certainty’ of mathematics at GCSE, know ingw here you w ere, and w hen you had learned things
I disliked the ‘routineness’ of maths at GCSE – too boring
I liked getting better results than others in GCSE maths
I thought advanced mathematics w ould make a lot of useof ICT
I could show people how clever I w as by being good atmathematics at GCSE level
I enjoyed challenges – mathematics had lots of interestingquestions at GCSE level
I thought I w ould need maths for my future career
I w anted to do AS maths
My parents/guardians w anted me to do AS maths
My teachers w anted me to do AS maths
I thought my friends w ould be studying maths at AS Level
My teachers gave me confidence to make my ow ndecisions about courses and career
My parents/guardian gave me confidence to make my ow ndecisions about courses and career
Conclusions
• Important factors– Enjoyment– Interest– Past success– ‘pull factors’ – future career– Subject combinations
• Students claim to be ‘empowered’
• Girls have more choices AND…
Conclusions (cont.)
• Mathematics is not very interesting or enjoyable
• Some professional women were influenced by school ‘women into STEM’ programmes
Implications For Action
• Make mathematics interesting and enjoyable– More creative; relate contexts to student interests
• Pedagogy– Pay appropriate attention to girls and boys in class– Increase the variety of teaching methods– Reward effort, engagement and understanding– Build student confidence
Implications For Action (Cont.)
• Communication– Careers using mathematics– On the implications of different subject choices– Wider applications of mathematics
• Teacher Education– Provide information on girls and STEM– Provide tools for classroom observation– Provoke reflection on practice
The School
• Mixed comprehensive school• Popular village in SW England• Mainly (not exclusively) middle class• Mainly ethnically ‘white English’
• Excellent OFSTED report• Excellent GCSE results• High ‘value added’ score• Oxbridge entrants every year – high expectation of uni education for most
students• Broad curriculum - languages, art, sports, and drama, as well as
mathematics and science
The School - cont
• A dynamic (female) head – ‘outstanding’ says OFSTED– E.g. knows most pupils by name– Lots of promotions to head teacher from senior staff
• Lots of pupil work on display around the school• Lots of newspaper cuttings showing school events
and school successes• Ethos - high attainment for all
The Student sample
• School– A or A* at GCSE mathematics– Half doing maths, half not– Girls and boys
• Gerry
• Becca
A: Open-ended exploration of trajectory
• How old were you when you decided whether or not you were good at mathematics?
• contributing factors?• Did you make active choices at AS/A2 or just go along with what was
expected?• Tell me something about why you chose the courses you are now taking.• What were the most important factors in deciding to/deciding not to take
an advanced course in mathematics?• Was taking/not taking an advanced course in mathematics an easy choice,
or did you have reservations?• Do you think that these factors are different for boys and girls?
Open Questions on Long term Goals
• Do you have a career plan in mind? – What is it?– Why?– What contributed to the decision?
• How would you feel about a career in a maths related area?– Good things?– Bad things?
• How do you see your life in 10 years time?
School Experiences
• Classroom activities– What were typical activities in maths classrooms?
• Classroom Roles– If there were girls and boys in class, did they have different
roles? [describe]• Teacher Behaviour
– Get different treatment from teachers? [describe]• What was YOUR role?
• Curriculum content– The most interesting part of maths was…….. because?– The most boring part of maths was…….. because?
Women Mathematicians
• Do you think there have been women mathematicians in history? [names?]
• Do you think there are famous women mathematicians today? [names?]
• Why/why not?
• Did you learn anything about them in your maths lessons?
Teaching
• Some – lets say 3 things that successful maths teachers do
• 3 things that unsuccessful maths teachers do
• Were there differences between male and female maths teachers?
• Give examples
Successful Students
• 3 things that successful maths students do
• 3 things that unsuccessful maths students do
Survey Attitudes And Things That Influence Choices Of Study
• Enjoyment• Past performance• Competence using computers• ‘Mathematical identities’• Long term plans• Personal influences – parents, teachers, friends• ‘Resilience factors’
Interviews I – With High Performers Qualified To Take
More Maths• Typical lessons, and uses of ICT
• Interest and enjoyment
• Girls’ and boys’ roles
• Socio-cultural questions
• Actions of successful and unsuccessful teachers
• Actions of successful and unsuccessful students
Interviews II – With High Performers Qualified To Take
More Maths• Development of mathematical identity
• Choices available; actually made; reasons
• Influences: parents, siblings, teachers, friends
• Long term plans
• What makes you good at maths and [X]?
• Why do you work hard at maths and [X]?
Interviews III – With High Performers Qualified To Take
More Maths• Analyses
– Socio-cultural factors– Pedagogical factors– Impact of the digital divide
• Understanding decision making– Motivation theories– Identity theories– Ego-defence theories– Gender theories
Influencing Women’s Under-representation In STEM
• Strategies to influence– Socio-cultural factors– Pedagogical factors– Impact of the digital divide
• Strategies to influence decision making– Motivation theories– Identity theories– Ego-defence theories– Gender theories
• Ambitions for PREMA: some sharing; maybe some strategic initiatives
UK Policy IVActions 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
Interviews with 20 high attaining girls and boys about choices to take or not take a
maths course
Conclusions From Interviews I• 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
Implications For Action• Curriculum reform
– towards more enjoyable and creative mathematics
• Pedagogy– reward effort, engagement and understanding
• Communication– Wider applications of mathematics– Careers using mathematics– On the implications of different subject choices
National Initiatives
• Very big national differences– England views this as a priority; – In some other countries it was hard to get policy
makers interested
Pedagogical Factors
• Curriculum structures and materials
• Teacher perceptions of boys and girls
• Student perceptions of boys and girls
• Perceptions of good teaching
• Perceptions of a good student
• Socio-cultural factors
• Impact of ICT
Curriculum Structures and Materials
• Big National Differences– e.g Poland
• Gendered courses (cookery vs woodwork)
• Portrayal of men and women in textbooks
– e.g. Austria• Not so
Teacher Perceptions of Boys and Girls I
• Big national differences– (Poland) belief in inherent differences
• Girls are worse at logical thinking
• Should girls really go into STEM?
– Austria and England - none
• Consensus that Girls…– are less confident– ask fewer questions– answer fewer questions– are less disruptive– work harder– Are better at detail– want to get good grades
• Big national differences in strength of beliefs
Teacher Perceptions of Boys and Girls II
• Girls– Study more– Try to be good in all subjects– Are more systematic– Are less disruptive– Answer fewer questions
• Big national differences in strength of beliefs
Student Perceptions of Boys and Girls I
Perceptions of Good Teaching
• Generic– Good explanation– Good subject knowledge
• Little agreement on good activities– (group work, discussions etc.)
Socio-cultural Factors
•Very big national differences Poland <> England– Beliefs in essential differences– Political campaigns– Parent pressure or support for autonomy– Supportive or unsupportive employment legislation
Pedagogical Factors• Portrayal in texts• Gendered courses (cookery vs woodwork)• School behaviour
– Work hard, persist, engage, are systematic and neat, help friends
• Classroom behaviour– Disrupt, volunteer, ask questions, are diligent,
competitive• Teacher beliefs (Poland) in inherent differences• Teacher questioning
Understanding: Decision Making
• ‘Pull’ and rational decision making are common claims
• Big national differences in the perceived influences of parents, other students, cultural influences such as the acceptability of a ‘career woman’
Impact Of ICT
• Computer studies is ‘masculine’
• ICT not much used in mathematics
• ICT not much expected in mathematics
• ICT has no effect on students’ relationship with mathematics
Implications For Action
• Monitoring educational changes– STEM and the rest
• Engaging policy makers (e.g. Greece, France)
• Better employment legislation
• Revised curricula (school and university)– the rest, as well as STEM
• content and pedagogy
Implications For Action I
• Policy makers should address the flight from STEM
• Monitor educational changes– STEM and the rest
• Sexist curriculum materials and practices should be changed
Implications For Action IV
• Influence Socio-cultural factors
• Political awareness of the differences in attainment and career choices by men and women – and the financial implications
• Publicise distinguished women mathematicians
• Look for and remove stereotyped images in text books
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
