Learning Mathematics in an After-school Mathematics Club

Abstract

Learning mathematics is as much about developing relationships with mathematics as the development of mathematics concepts and skills. Mathematics clubs usually support learners to develop relationships with mathematics through engaging with challenging mathematics problems, exploring mathematical ideas, and communicating and sharing their ideas. This paper reports on research on such a mathematics club. Data sources included learners’ mathematics results, short written responses after club sessions and interviews with club learners. Data were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The study shows that club learners’ school results improved relative to non-club learners, that learners’ experiences of mathematics in club and class were very different from each other and that the club supported different relationships with mathematics than learners experienced in class. The study suggests that mathematics clubs can support learners’ positive relationships with mathematics.