Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the beliefs of elementary school students about mathematics and about themselves as mathematics learners. The participants, Israeli grade 4 and grade 6 students, completed questionnaires. Using an “animal metaphor” to tap beliefs, some students perceived mathematics as difficult and complicated, while for others, mathematics was connected to wisdom. The data from other questionnaire items indicated that students at both grade levels generally did not enjoy learning mathematics, but believed it was very important to study this subject. They also believed that they were good at mathematics, but the grade 6 students’ self-perceptions of achievement were lower than those of the grade 4 students. Compared to the boys, the girls in both grades 4 and 6 expressed lower perceptions of their mathematics achievement levels.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brunner, M., Krauss, S., & Kunter, M. (2008). Gender differences in mathematics: Does the story need to be rewritten? Intelligence, 36, 403–421.
Chapman, O. (1997). Metaphors in the teaching of mathematical problem solving. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 32(3), 201–228.
Dentith, A. (2008). Smart girls, hard-working girls but not yet self-assured girls: The limits of gender equity politics. Canadian Journal of Education, 31(1), 145–166.
Eccles, J. (1983). Expectancies, values, and academic behaviors. In J. T. Spence (Ed.), Achievement and achievement motives: Psychological and sociological approaches (pp. 75–146). San Francisco, CA: W. H. Freeman.
Else-Quest, N. M., Hyde, J. S., & Linn, M. C. (2010). Cross-national patterns of gender differences in mathematics achievement, attitudes, & affect: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 136, 103–127.
Erdogan, A., Yazlik, O. D., & Erdik, C. (2014). Mathematics teacher candidates’ metaphors about the concept of “mathematics”. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 2(4), 289–299.
Forgasz, H. J., & Leder, G. C. (1996). Mathematics classrooms, gender and affect. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 8(2), 153–173.
Forgasz, H. J., & Leder, G. C. (2008). Beliefs about mathematics and mathematics teaching. In P. Sullivan & T. Wood (Eds.), International handbook of mathematics teacher education: Vol. 1. Knowledge and beliefs in mathematics teaching and teaching development (pp. 173–192). Rotterdam/Taipei: Sense Publishers.
Forgasz, H., Leder, G., & Tan, H. (2014). Public views on the gendering of mathematics and related careers: International comparisons. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 87(3), 369–388. doi:10.1007/s10649-014-9550-6
Geist, E. A., & King, M. (2008). Different, not better: Gender differences in mathematics learning and achievement. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 35(1), 43–52.
Goldin, G., Rösken, B., & Törner, G. (2009). Beliefs—No longer a hidden variable in mathematical teaching and learning processes. In Beliefs and attitudes in mathematics education: New research results (pp. 9-28).
Guiso, L., Monte, F., Sapienza, P., & Zingales, L. (2008). Culture, gender and math. Science, 30, 1164–1165.
House, J. D. (2006). Mathematics beliefs and achievement of elementary school students in Japan and the United States: Results from the third international mathematics and science study. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 167(1), 31–45.
Lakoff, G. (1992). The contemporary theory of metaphor. Retrieved from https://georgelakoff.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/the-contemporary-theory-of-metaphor-in-ortony-andrew-ed-metaphor-and-thought-lakoff-1992.pdf
Latterell, C. M., & Wilson, J. L. (2016). Math is like a lion hunting a sleeping gazelle: Preservice elementary teachers’ metaphors of mathematics. European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 4(3), 283–292.
Leavy, A. M., McSorley, F. A., & Boté, L. A. (2007). An examination of what metaphor construction reveals about the evolution of preservice teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(7), 1217–1233.
Leder, G. C. (1990). Gender differences in mathematics: An overview. In E. Fennema & G. C. Leder (Eds.), Mathematics and gender (pp. 10–26). NY: Teachers College Press.
Leder, G. C. (1992). Mathematics and gender: Changing perspectives. In D. A. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning: A project of the National Council of teachers of mathematics (pp. 597–622). New York: Macmillan.
Leder, G. C., Forgasz, H. J., & Solar, C. (1996). Research and intervention programs in mathematics education: A gendered issue. In A. Bishop, K. Clements, C. Keitel, J. Kilpatrick, & C. Laborde (Eds.), International handbook of mathematics education, part 2 (pp. 945–985). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer.
Lupart, J. L., Cannon, E., & Telfer, J. A. (2004). Gender differences in adolescent academic achievement, interests, values and life-role expectations. High Ability Studies, 15(1), 25–42.
Marks, G. N. (2008). Accounting for the gender gap in student performance in reading and mathematics: Evidence from 31 countries. Oxford Review of Education, 34(1), 89–109.
Midgeley, W., & Trimmer, K. (2013). ‘Walking the labyrinth’: A metaphorical understanding of approaches to metaphors for, in and of education research. In W. Midgley, K. Trimmer, & A. Davies (Eds.), Metaphors for, in and of education research (pp. 1–9). Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Retrieved from http://www.cambridgescholars.com/download/sample/59592
Miller-Reilly, B. J. (2000). Exploration and modelling in a university mathematics course: Perceptions of adult students. In D. Corben, J. O'Donoghue, & G. E. FitzSimons (Eds.), Perspectives on adults learning mathematics (pp. 257–269). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Foy, P., & Arora, A. (2012). TIMSS 2011 international results in mathematics. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College.
National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation. (2012). TIMSS 2011 report (In Hebrew). Retrieved from http://cms.education.gov.il/EducationCMS/Units/Rama/MivchanimBenLeumiyim/TIMSS+2011.htm
National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation. (2013). PISA 2012 report (In Hebrew). Retrieved from http://cms.education.gov.il/EducationCMS/Units/Rama/MivchanimBenLeumiyim/PISA+2012.htm
Nisbet, S., & Warren, E. (2000). Primary school teachers’ beliefs relating to mathematics, teaching and assessing mathematics and factors that influence these beliefs. Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, 2, 34–47.
Noyes, A. (2006). Using metaphor in mathematics teacher preparation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22, 898–909.
OECD. (2015). The ABC of gender equality in education: Aptitude, behaviour, confidence. Paris: PISA, OECD Publishing. doi:10.1787/9789264229945-en
Oksanen, S., & Hannula, M. S. (2012). Finnish mathematics teachers’ beliefs about their profession expressed through metaphors. In M. S. Hannula, P. Portaankorva-Koivisto, A. Laine, & L. Näveri (Eds.), Proceedings of the MAVI-18 conference (pp. 315–326). Helsinki, Finland: Finnish Research Association for Subject Didactics. Retrieved from https://tuhat.helsinki.fi/portal/files/35130054/MAVI_18_proceedings.pdf
Penner, A. M., & Paret, M. (2008). Gender differences in mathematics achievement: Exploring the early grades and extremes. Social Science Research, 37, 239–253.
Preckel, F., Goetz, T., Pekrun, R., & Kleine, M. (2008). Gender differences in gifted and average-ability students: Comparing girls’ and boys’ achievement, self-concept, interest and motivation in mathematics. The Gifted Child Quarterly, 52(2), 146–159.
Reeder, S., Utley, J., & Cassel, D. (2009). Using metaphors as a tool for examining preservice elementary teachers' beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning. School Science and Mathematics, 109(5), 290–297.
Schinck, A. G., Neale, H. W., Pugalee, D. K., & Cifarelli, V. V. (2008). Using metaphors to unpack student beliefs about mathematics. School Science and Mathematics, 108(7), 326–333.
Schoenfeld, A. H. (1989). Explorations of students' mathematical beliefs and behavior. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 20(4), 338–355.
Soto-Andrade, J. (2014). Metaphors in mathematics education. In S. Lerman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education (pp. 447–453). Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Springer Science+Business Media. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-94-007-4978-8_113
Spelke, E. S. (2005). Sex differences in intrinsic aptitude for mathematics and science? A critical review. American Psychologist, 60(9), 950–958.
Thomson, S., Hillman, K., & Wernert, N. (2012). Monitoring Australian year 8 student achievement internationally: TIMSS and PIRLS 2011. VIC, Australia: Australian Council for Educational Research. Retrieved from https://www.acer.edu.au/files/TIMSS-PIRLS_2011-MonitorinAustralian-Year-8-Student-Achievement.pdf
Thomson, S., Hillman, K., Wernert, N., Schmid, M., Buckley, S., & Munene, A. (2012). Monitoring Australian year 4 student achievement internationally: TIMSS and PIRLS 2011. VIC, Australia: Australian Council for Educational Research. Retrieved from https://www.acer.edu.au/files/TIMSS-PIRLS_Monitoring-Australian-Year-4-Student-Achievement.pdf
Tsui, M. (2007). Gender and mathematics achievement in China and United States. Gender Issues, 24, 1–11.
Vale, C., & Bartholomew, H. (2008). Gender and mathematics: Theoretical frameworks and findings. In H. Forgasz et al. (Eds.), Mathematics education research in Australasia: 2004–2007 (pp. 271–290). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Weiner, B. (1974). Achievement motivation and attribution theory. Morristown, N.J: General Learning Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Markovits, Z., Forgasz, H. “Mathematics is like a lion”: Elementary students’ beliefs about mathematics. Educ Stud Math 96, 49–64 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-017-9759-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-017-9759-2