Changes in Achievement in and Attitude toward Mathematics of the Finnish Children from Grade 0 to 9—A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Recent years, Finland has been one of the countries of interest in education because of its success in international comparisons. Several attempts have been made to explain what could have been behind the positive results. However, some of the challenges of Finnish education, such as the productivity (achievement/costs) or its uniformity throughout the school years have not been emphasized. Further, it is under examined in Finland, as well as worldwide, the development of the performance and the attitude during the school years. Here, 3,502 stratified sampled Finnish students' achievement and attitude regarding mathematics were followed up from the beginning of the school (grade 0, age 7) to the end of the compulsory education (grade 9, age 16). The test scores from the different measurements were equated by using IRT modelling. The sharpest change in achievement happens during the lower grades and it evens out towards the upper grades. The achievement level of the student population entering the school is very heterogeneous. The actions during the first two years make the differences between the students disappear almost totally. The attitudes are declining during the years. During all the grades, boys feel themselves more self-efficacy in mathematics than the girls.

Factors explaining students’ attitudes towards learning in genetics and belief in genetic determinism

“…The shortened version is composed of three different dimensions, Liking, Self-concept and Experienced utility in a specific school subject, respectively. These three dimensions, each consisting of five items, which are strongly modified versions of the original scale, are also used in the large-scale Finnish national achievement test in lower-secondary schools by the Finnish Board of Education (Metsämuuronen, 2009;Metsämuuronen & Tuohilampi, 2014). Secondly, we used the Biohead-Citizen questionnaire (Carvalho et al, 2008;Castéra & Clément, 2014;Clément, Laurent, & Carvalho, 2007) to measure students' attitudes towards gene technology and belief in genetic determinism.…”

Impact of Teacher’s Actions on Emotional Atmosphere in Mathematics Lessons in Primary School

“…A Finnish longitudinal study found that pupils' attitude toward mathematics decreased over the course of comprehensive education (Metsämuuronen & Tuohilampi, 2014). This is alarming because these attitudes influence how they later respond to mathematics in their studies.…”

“…Longitudinal research by the Finnish National Board of Education found that students' mathematical self-efficacy and enjoyment of mathematics decreased over the course of comprehensive education (Metsämuuronen & Tuohilampi, 2014). Dahlgren and Sumpter (2010) compared Swedish second and fifth graders' conceptions of mathematics and mathematics teaching via drawings with a written questionnaire.…”

Young learners’ mathematics-related affect: A commentary on concepts, methods, and developmental trends

“…The developmental trend of affect has been well confirmed to be declining over the school years (e.g., McLeod, 1992), especially the transition from primary to secondary school being detrimental to mathematics-related affect (e.g., Michael, Panaoura, Gagatsis, & Kalogirou, 2010). Yet, for example, Metsämuuronen and Tuohilampi's (2014) data show a decline in affect already from grade three to grade six. In this special issue, Di Martino provides evidence for the negative development taking place already over the first years of school, between grade one and grade three in all the three components of attitude they examine: vision, emotional disposition, and perceived competence.…”