Girls' and boys' perceived mathematics teacher beliefs, classroom learning environments and mathematical career intentions

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined the effects of students' perceived mathematics teachers' beliefs (expectations about students' ability and mathematics prestige), classroom goal orientations (mastery and performance-approach), and own mathematics motivational beliefs (success expectancies and task values) at grade 10 (T1), on girls' and boys' career intentions in mathematical fields at grade 11 (T2). Data were collected from 438 students (213 boys) in 5 metropolitan schools in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. Multilevel SEM revealed links between teacher beliefs, learning environments, student motivations, and mathematical career intentions; different predictors operated at individual and classroom levels. Girls perceived lower teacher expectations than boys, but higher teacher mathematics prestige beliefs. Teachers' expectations and students' motivations were positively related to students' reported prior (grade 9) mathematics achievement. Teacher expectations promoted student-perceived mathematics classroom mastery-goal orientation (MGO) and performance-approach goal orientation (PGO); teachers' mathematics prestige beliefs also promoted PGO. MGO enhanced students' mathematics value, which in turn predicted, together with PGO, their mathematical career plans. Mathematics career plans were positively predicted by aggregate teacher mathematics prestige beliefs and aggregate classroom MGO.