Cognitive Activation in Mathematics Lessons: Links to Mathematics Interest, Self-Efficacy, and Achievement

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Cognitive Activation in Mathematics Lessons: Links to Mathematics Interest, Self-Efficacy, and Achievement Shaljan Areepattamannil1*, Myint Swe Khine1 and Michael Melkonian1 1 Emirates College for Advanced Education, United Arab Emirates There are growing concerns among educational policymakers and practitioners over the dwindling numbers of students choosing to study STEM subjects such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As a result, education systems across the world have been ‘frantically’ exploring ways to foster students’ interest in STEM subjects, and to encourage them to pursue a career in STEM-related fields. Of the STEM subjects, mathematics cuts across the other three subjects, and a high-level of content mastery in mathematics is considered indispensable to success in STEM-related careers. The present study, therefore, drawing on data from the fifth cycle of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), examined the relations of cognitive activation in mathematics lessons to mathematics interest, self-efficacy, and achievement among a nationally representative sample of over 5000 adolescents hailing from Shanghai-China. The results of the study revealed that mathematics teachers’ use of cognitive activation strategies in their lessons—asking students to apply what they have learned to new contexts, encouraging students to reflect on problems, helping students to learn from mistakes they have made, presenting problems with no immediately obvious method of solution, giving problems with multiple solutions, and asking students to use their own procedures for solving complex problems—was significantly associated with higher mathematics interest, self-efficacy, and achievement. The findings of the study shed light on the key roles that mathematics teachers’ use of cognitive activation strategies play in enhancing students’ mathematics interest, self-efficacy, and achievement. The results of the study also highlight the need to create a mathematics teaching force which is capable of effectively and efficiently employing varied cognitive activation strategies in their lessons. However, further research is warranted to investigate the validity and efficacy of these strategies in other cultures. Keywords: Cognitive activation, mathematics achievement, Mathematics interest, Mathematics self-efficacy, Mathematics lessons Conference: International Conference - Educational Neuroscience, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 28 Feb - 29 Feb, 2016. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Educational Neuroscience Citation: Areepattamannil S, Swe Khine M and Melkonian M (2016). Cognitive Activation in Mathematics Lessons: Links to Mathematics Interest, Self-Efficacy, and Achievement. Front. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: International Conference - Educational Neuroscience. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2016.92.00022 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 11 Feb 2016; Published Online: 23 Mar 2016. * Correspondence: Dr. Shaljan Areepattamannil, Emirates College for Advanced Education, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, sareepattamannil@ecae.ac.ae Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Shaljan Areepattamannil Myint Swe Khine Michael Melkonian Google Shaljan Areepattamannil Myint Swe Khine Michael Melkonian Google Scholar Shaljan Areepattamannil Myint Swe Khine Michael Melkonian PubMed Shaljan Areepattamannil Myint Swe Khine Michael Melkonian Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.