A study of changes in mathematics achievement using data from
the first and second cycles of NEMP assessment
 
   

6. CHANGES IN ACHIEVEMENT FROM 1997 TO 2001

6.1
INTRODUCTION
Information on student’s attitudes, interests and liking for mathematics is given in the Mathematics Survey chapter of the report. There are three sections which contain comparison data from the 1997 and 2001 reports.
6.2 THREE FAVOURITES In this section students were asked to select their three favourite school subjects from a list of twelve subjects.

At year 4 there were no changes in the ranking of mathematics by students. Mathematics was the third most popular subject choice, and the subject was chosen as one of the three favourites by 42% of the students, in both 1997 and 2001.

At year 8, mathematics was also the third most popular choice in 1997, but dropped to fourth in 2001 behind technology. In 1997, 35% of students included mathematics in their three favourite subjects, but in 2001 this had dropped to 26%.

6.3 MATHEMATICS ACTIVITIES STUDENTS LIKE DOING AT SCHOOL In this section students were given a list of mathematical activities and asked to nominate up to three that they liked doing at school. However, there were thirteen activities to choose from in 1997 but only nine in 2001. Consequently the percentage choices are not comparable.
6.4 MATHEMATICS SURVEY

In this section students were asked to respond positively or negatively on a three or four point scale to statements designed to measure their enthusiasm for, and self-confidence in, mathematics.

Of the eight items which were included in both the 1997 and 2001 assessments, half seemed to be measuring enthusiasm and half self-confidence.

Two of the self-confidence items, involving how students thought their teachers and parents perceived their mathematical ability, contained and extra choice of don’t know.

In the question concerning teachers, 5% less students at year 4, and 9% less at year 8, chose this option in 2001 compared to 1997. This reflects well on teachers. There was very little change (1%) in the don’t know responses to the question relating to parents.

Weighted means (on a four point scale, the most positive response was multiplied by four, the next by three etc.) were calculated to indicate the changes.

The tables below shows the weighted means for each of the items (1997 score in brackets) and whether the change was positive or negative.

ENTHUSIASM         
ITEM
SCALE SIZE
WEIGHTED MEAN
YEAR 4
YEAR 8
Would you like to do more, the same
or less maths at school?
3
2.15(2.18)-
1.85(1.91)-
How much do you like doing maths at school?
4
3.23(3.28)-
2.81(2.91)-
How much do you like doing maths in your own time (not at school)?
4
2.73(2.89)-
2.04(2.28)-
Do you want to keep learning maths when you grow up?
3
2.43(2.49)-
2.32(2.39)- 

There is a small but consistent decline in enthusiasm at both levels.

SELF-CONFIDENCE         
ITEM
SCALE SIZE
WEIGHTED MEAN
YEAR 4
YEAR 8
How good do you think you are at maths?
4
3.23(3.23)
2.98(2.84)+
How good does your teacher think you are at maths?
4
3.51(3.41)+
3.05(3.08)-
How good does your Mum or Dad think you are at maths?
4
3.69(3.61)+
3.35(3.17)+
How do you feel about doing things in maths you haven’t tried before?
4
3.12(2.86)+
2.96(2.92)+

Again, the changes are small but self-confidence does seem to have increased.
6.5 CONCLUSIONS

The changes indicated by the data are:

w Mathematics was less popular in 2001, compared to other school subjects, among year 8 students.
w Fewer students at both year levels said they did not know how good their teacher thought they were at mathematics.
w At both year levels there were indications of a small decrease in enthusiasm for mathematics.
w At both year levels there were indications of a small increase in self-confidence in mathematics.

 

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