Less but Better? Teaching Maths in Further Education and Collateral Growth

The paper presents and explores the experience of maths students studying in a context shaped by a core concept maths curriculum. The three vignettes that illuminate experience are drawn from a larger research project that worked with five teachers and 630 learners aged 16–18 in Further Education cl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEducation sciences Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 61 - 71
Main Authors Nixon, Lawrence, Cooper, John B.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.03.2020
Subjects
Classrooms
Colleges & universities
Continuing Education
Curricula
curriculum
Education
Exit Examinations
Foreign Countries
further education
Learner Engagement
Learning
Mathematics Achievement
Mathematics Anxiety
Mathematics Curriculum
Mathematics education
Mathematics Instruction
Mathematics Teachers
maths teaching
Methods
Postsecondary Education
Secondary education
Secondary School Teachers
Student Attitudes
Student Experience
Students
Success
Teacher Attitudes
Teaching
Teaching Methods
wellbeing
United Kingdom
United Kingdom > UK
England
United Kingdom (England)
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Summary:The paper presents and explores the experience of maths students studying in a context shaped by a core concept maths curriculum. The three vignettes that illuminate experience are drawn from a larger research project that worked with five teachers and 630 learners aged 16–18 in Further Education classrooms in England. Analysis involved distinguishing different understandings of being good at maths, different views of a good maths curriculum and identifying enablers and barriers to being a ‘successful’ maths student. Dewey’s ideas about focused experience and collateral learning were used to deepen this analysis. The paper reports a surprising finding. In some cases, students recognize the positive impact learning maths had on developing their wider human capabilities. Maths teachers in England, working in the context of ‘new public management’, may find reasons to take heart from the accounts of teaching and learning presented. For the international reader who is grappling with the challenge of reengaging maths students, the accounts of what matters to students could spur a reconsideration of priorities and practice.
ISSN:2227-7102
2227-7102
DOI:10.3390/educsci10030061