Feeling Good and Functioning Well in Mathematics Education: Exploring Students’ Conceptions of Mathematical Well-Being and Values

• Published in: ECNU Review of Education Vol. 4; no. 2; pp. 349 - 375
• Main Authors: Hill, Julia L., Kern, Margaret L., Seah (佘伟忠), Wee Tiong, van Driel, Jan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.06.2021; Sage Publications Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Adult Basic Education; Adult Students; Correlation; Educational Experience; Educational Research; Emotions; Foreign Countries; Grade 8; Guidelines; Happiness; Learner Engagement; Learning; Mathematics; Mathematics Education; Psychology; Source studies; Student Attitudes; Student Development; Students; Values; Well Being; Australia; valuing; Mathematical values; mathematics education; mathematical well-being; student voice; theoretical model
• ISSN: 2096-5311; 2632-1742
• DOI: 10.1177/2096531120928084

Purpose: The high incidence of mathematics anxiety and disengagement in mathematics points to poor student well-being in many mathematics classrooms. Poor well-being may arise in part from poor alignment between student values and classroom experiences. Yet, what student well-being is and how to support it within specific subjects is poorly understood, and intersection between students’ values and well-being in mathematics education is unclear. This article proposes a seven-dimensional framework of student well-being in mathematics education and examines alignment between well-being and values. Design/Approach/Methods: One hundred nineteen eighth-grade Australian students responded to three open-ended questions investigating their conceptions of mathematical well-being (MWB) and what they valued most when learning or doing mathematics. Responses were analyzed using a combined deductive/inductive thematic analysis. Findings: Findings supported the MWB framework and confirmed an alignment between students’ values and well-being in mathematics education. Originality/Value: Our study provides a framework for conceptualizing student well-being in mathematics education, points to areas that aim to improve student well-being, and highlights congruences and discordances between well-being and values.