| dc.description.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. | en |
