Abstract
AbstractThis is the second paper reporting the results of a study investigating student choices of optional post-16 advanced-level (A-level) Mathematics and Further Mathematics qualifications in the UK and their impact on the transition from school to university mathematics. Here, the opinions of non-mathematics Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) undergraduate students (all of whom had previously studied A-level Mathematics) were accessed via a survey and individual interviews. The study found that Further Mathematics qualifications are perceived as advantageous for non-mathematics STEM degrees by students once they are at university but not when making A-level choices. While the students often perceived mathematics positively, this appears to influence the choice of A-level Mathematics but not Further Mathematics. The lack of support from teachers and parents, the lack of perceived utility of Further Mathematics qualifications and a perception that Further Mathematics is only useful for studying a mathematics degree could all be factors affecting the uptake of Further Mathematics. The identified perceived impact of Further Mathematics on the university transition is linked to studying more pure mathematics which may give students a better understanding of how to apply mathematics in the context of their degree.Some comparisons between the findings in Parts 1 and 2 of the study are included which suggests that the Further Mathematics qualification is better serving students intending to study a non-mathematics STEM degree rather than mathematics itself.
Highlights
It is recognized that the mathematics students learn at school will form one of the ‘two pillars’ on which future success in scientific disciplines is built (Sadler & Tai, 2007)
The present research is concerned with the choices students make about the mathematics they study during their final years of secondary education and how they perceive these choices impact upon their transition to STEM university degrees
We focus on England and Wales together as they share a common structure to their qualifications with students typically studying for General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) qualifications in a range of subjects between the ages of 14 and 16 years and studying for advanced-level (A-level) qualifications in three or four subjects between the ages of 16 and 18 years
Summary
It is recognized that the mathematics students learn at school will form one of the ‘two pillars’ (together with subject specific knowledge) on which future success in scientific disciplines is built (Sadler & Tai, 2007). Over the past 20 years, there have been noted problems with the provision of Further Mathematics across England and Wales due to a range of problems including (but not limited to) a shortage of skilled mathematics teachers, low takeup of the qualification and financial constraints on schools (see Tanner et al, 2016, for a detailed discussion) To address these issues, the UK government established the Further Mathematics Support Programme (FMSP) in 2003 to strengthen the provision of A-level Further Mathematics across England through supporting schools to provide the qualification and offering blended online learning where this is not possible. Since the establishment of these programmes, there has been a substantial increase in uptake of Further Mathematics across both England and Wales (Tanner et al, 2016; Lyakhova & Neate, 2019) Within this context, we focus on how students choose to study A-level Mathematics and how they decide whether or not to study Further Mathematics before going on to study a non-mathematics STEM degree. This is the second of two papers and presents the results from those undergraduate students who were at university studying for a non-mathematics STEM degree and a comparison with the findings on undergraduate students who were studying for a mathematics degree which were reported in the first paper (Lyakhova & Neate, 2019)
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