Attending to Student Motivation through Critical Practice

Abstract

The authors discuss the relationship between math course placement policy in the United States and education inequity. Recent efforts to enroll more students in early Algebra aim to increase equity, meet 21st century goals, and close international achievement gaps. Research assessing the effects of these movements indicates that progress towards these goals has not been met. To broaden opportunities to learn in mathematics, educators must critically attend to student motivation to accommodate classroom diversity and to increase students’ effort, persistence, and choice to pursue mathematical learning. The objectives of this chapter are to: (a) discuss how Algebra policy revisions have fallen short of reaching their intended goals, (b) argue that educators must attend to student motivation to aid progress towards these goals, (c) deliver tools for educators to engage in critical analysis of motivation, and (d) provide critical practices to cultivate student motivation for mathematics. Future research directions and policy and support recommendations conclude.

Eighth-Grade Algebra Course Placement and Student Motivation for Mathematics

“…Driven by concerns about workforce readiness, global competitiveness, and equity in access, the United States has participated in a decades-long push to accelerate mathematics instruction (see Balfanz, Legters, & Jordan, 2004; National Research Council, 2011; Oakes, 2005). Much of the effort toward this has been through universal access to algebra during middle school—most commonly, by eighth grade (Simzar & Domina, 2014). Students who fail to master algebra in eighth or ninth grade face a blocked pathway to advanced mathematics and participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career opportunities (Attewall & Domina, 2008; Long, Conger, & Iatarola, 2012).…”