Here is a selection of research papers authored or co-authored by Observatory team members:
The mathematics pipeline in England: inclusion and the excellence stream
This paper is a follow-up to the Mathematics Pipeline report. While the original report contains summary statistics for participation and attainment in mathematics based on the sex, ethnicity and socio-economic status of students, this paper uses statistical modelling to investigate the intersectionality of these characteristics.
Mapping mathematical competences across subjects for advanced level qualifications in England
Post-16 mathematics is not just about A level Mathematics and Further Mathematics. Published in The Curriculum Journal, this paper offers a comprehensive view of the mathematics being learned in 19 A-level subjects, using a developed framework of general mathematical competences.
Reassessing the economic value of advanced level mathematics
With successive governments trying to increase post-16 mathematics participation, an important question is, “Does studying A level Mathematics result in higher earnings for an individual?” This paper reports the answer is ‘yes’, with an 11% uplift in earnings at age 34 compared to those who have taken other A level subjects.
Mathematics in England’s further education colleges: who is teaching what, and why it matters
Before this paper, little was understood about the mathematics teacher workforce in FE colleges. Many have transitioned into FE from other careers, curriculum areas or educational contexts, and consequently this workforce should be viewed as distinct from secondary teachers, partly because of their specific training needs.
Pattern in early years mathematics curriculum: a 25-year review of the status, positioning and conception of pattern in England
The concept of pattern has been given little attention in the early mathematics curriculum in England over the past 25 years despite it being key to mathematical learning, and a good predictor for later attainment. This paper makes the case for it being an essential and central tenet of early childhood mathematics education.
Practitioners' perspectives on spatial reasoning in educational practice from birth to 7 years
There is a growing evidence base for the importance of spatial reasoning for the development of mathematics. However, the extent to which this translates into practice is unknown. This paper found that whilst practitioners engage in a variety of activities that support spatial reasoning, most practitioners reported little confidence in their understanding of what spatial reasoning is.
Children’s lived experiences of ‘ability’ in the Key Stage One classroom: life on the ‘tricky table’
Many commonplace practices, such as grouping, are based on ‘ability’. However, not much of the research accounts for the perspective of the child which, according to this paper, is highly individual and shaped by a broader range of social, structural and pedagogic aspects of classroom life than previously thought.
Fostering purposeful engagement by building staff-student communities
This paper considered how a university mathematics department sought to preserve and enhance student engagement when delivering their programmes online. Successful approaches included study-buddy and peer-mentoring schemes to reduce isolation and anxiety but asynchronous learning made it harder for students to manage their time.
Study Habits and Attainment in Undergraduate Mathematics: A Social Network Analysis
This study looks at student-student interactions outside the classroom in the context of an undergraduate mathematics course. It uses social network analysis to understand who studies with whom, whether study habits are related to who you study with, and whether any of this predicts attainment.