Organisation and Self-Concept in Year 6 and Year 7 Mathematics

<p>In New Zealand, schools use the term "tracking", "ability grouping", “setting” or “streaming” to define their class grouping and organisation for mathematics. This organisation of grouping may hinder students’ development of mathematical concepts in their primary and secondary school years. To group or not to group seems to be an important question facing many mathematical educators today. The aim of this study was to investigate if class organisation in regards to grouping affects female students’ mathematical self-concept. The research looks at possible factors affecting mathematical self-concept of students in a comparative study of their Year 6 and Year 7 mathematics learning by focusing on their attitudes to grouping in mathematics over a one-year period spanning two year levels. The Year 6 class organisation was mixed ability (within-class ability grouping for number strategies). The same cohort of girls was followed into Year 7 where three classes were taught using whole class teaching, with a cross-class ability grouping approach. This research draws from data collected from a purposive sample of one school in the Wellington area. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used in order to explore whether class organisation (cross-class or mixed ability grouping) affected students’ self-concept in relation to their mathematical learning. The underlying research paradigm was social constructivist, chosen in order to gain knowledge from students’ experiences and perceptions. Thirty-one questionnaires and nine one-to-one semi-structured interviews were used. The questionnaire answers were put into three categories of strategy groupings based on the expectations for Number from the New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2003a) in order to explore the responses from students of a broad range of abilities. Each semi-structured interview was recorded and transcribed in full for analysis. This study indicates that students are aware of their mathematical ability whether being taught in a small group or whole class situation. Year 6 students preferred learning within a small group ability approach. They felt that this way of organisation fostered an inclusive environment which allowed for individual differentiation, encouraged risk taking, collaboration, helping of others, and feeling confident to discuss ideas, strategies, and ask questions without feeling judged by their peers. Whole class contribution, test scores, and assessment was found to affect the Year 7 students’ mathematical self-concept negatively and positively. The students felt that learning within a whole class approach which was broadly ability grouped was a positive experience as all students could hear everyone’s questions, ideas, strategies, and points of view. Implications from this research include that more exploration is needed in New Zealand schools into the effects of class organisation on students’ mathematical self-concept in order to inform teacher practices of differentiation in relation to the organisation of small group and whole class situations. This and other such research can also inform professional development for teachers on effective ways to create inclusive mathematics learning community environments.</p>