Influences of friendship groupings on motivation for mathematics learning in secondary classrooms

Deacon, D. and Edwards, J. (2012) Influences of friendship groupings on motivation for mathematics learning in secondary classrooms. Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics, 32 (2), 22-27. (In Press)

Record type: Article

Abstract

This small scale study examines the influence of friendship groupings in key stage 4 mathematics classrooms on students’ motivations to engage with mathematics. We use evidence from questionnaires and individual interviews to describe the motivational factors identified in two key stage 4 mathematics classes, and the influence of environmental factors on students’ understandings of their motivation to learn and their knowledge construction. Findings confirm the multi-faceted nature of motivation and suggest some gender differences in interpreting classroom relationships and differences between groups of close friends and those of friends by association. Our findings are interpreted in the context of mathematics classrooms organised by student levels of attainment.

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