Identitet og mestringsforventning hos lavtpresterende elever i matematikk.

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to survey how pupils who are considered as ‘low performing in mathematics’, express identity and self-efficacy in the subject. Different perspectives on identity will contribute to nuance the concept of identity and will add a rich understanding of how these pupils are and how they experience mathematics. The research question is: “Which nuances of identity is expressed by low performing pupils in mathematics, and how does this reflect in their self-efficacy?” The methods used in the study is participating observation and interview. First there was completed an observation consisting five to seven low performing pupils in mathematics at two different schools. After completed observation two pupils from each school where chosen for an interview, all together four cases: Annette, Benjamin, Christoffer and Dina. My study showed that pupils that are considered as ‘low performing in mathematics’, can be very different when it comes to identity and self-efficacy. Common for them was their thoughts and desires that the school day should be about having fun. Some of the informants didn’t express an understanding for the ‘school game’ and engages in mathematics with their ‘everyday discourse’. Others expressed learning as an essential part of life at school and showed a certain capacity to participate in the mathematics discourse. All the informants in my study expressed that they are not to be considered as clever in mathematics, but their desires to improve their knowledge in the subject was somewhat divided. Some of them expressed that they wanted to improve their mathematical knowledge, while others didn’t desire the same. Their selfefficacy turned out to be very different as well. Some expressed high self-efficacy and considered failing as a part of the acquisition process. Others showed signs of low self-efficacy and seemed to want to avoid the risk of failing by for instance choosing easier mathematics tasks.