Research on mathematical literacy in schools - Aim, approach and attention

Frode Olav Haara 1 * , Oda Heidi Bolstad 1, Eirik S. Jenssen 1
More Detail
1 Department of Teacher Education and Sports, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway
* Corresponding Author
EUR J SCI MATH ED, Volume 5, Issue 3, pp. 285-313. https://doi.org/10.30935/scimath/9512
OPEN ACCESS   2680 Views   1301 Downloads
Download Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

The development of mathematical literacy in schools is of significant concern at the policy level, and research is an important source of information in this process. This review article focuses on areas of research interest identified in empirical projects on mathematical literacy, and how mathematical literacy in schools is approached by research. The following three main challenges are identified: both researchers and teachers are uncertain about how to develop students’ mathematical literacy, specific attempts to work directly with mathematical literacy through mathematics alone have not been successful, and teaching for mathematical literacy appears to require non-traditional methods for teaching mathematics. More qualitative research is called for, with emphasis, for example, on classroom studies focusing on teachers’ priorities regarding mathematical literacy, best-practice examples, or interventions in which teachers and researchers work together.
Keywords: mathematical literacy, review, empirical research

CITATION

Haara, F. O., Bolstad, O. H., & Jenssen, E. S. (2017). Research on mathematical literacy in schools - Aim, approach and attention. European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 5(3), 285-313. https://doi.org/10.30935/scimath/9512

REFERENCES

  • Aksu, G., & Güzeller, C. O. (2016). Classification of PISA 2012 mathematical literacy scores using Decision-Tree Method: Turkey sampling. Egitim ve Bilim, 41(185), 101–122.
  • Allerup, P., Lindenskov, L., & Weng, P. (2006). “Growing up” - The story behind two items from PISA 2003. In J. Mejding & A. Roe (Eds.), Northern lights on PISA 2003: A reflection from the Nordic countries (pp. 59–72). København: Nordic Council of Ministers.
  • Andrews, P. (2013). Finnish mathematics teaching from a reform perspective: A video-based case-study analysis. Comparative Education Review, 57(2), 189–211.
  • Andrews, P., Ryve, A., Hemmi, K., & Sayers, J. (2014). PISA, TIMSS and Finnish mathematics teaching: an enigma in search of an explanation. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 87(1), 7–26. doi:10.1007/s10649-014-9545-3
  • Areepattamannil, S. (2014). International note: What factors are associated with reading, mathematics, and science literacy of Indian adolescents? A multilevel examination. Journal of Adolescence, 37(4), 367–372. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2014.02.007
  • Bishop, A. J., Clements, M. A., Keitel, C., Kilpatrick, J., & Leung, F. K. S. (Eds.). (2003). Second international handbook of mathematics education. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
  • Chen, C. H., & Chiu, C. H. (2016). Collaboration scripts for enhancing metacognitive self-regulation and mathematics literacy. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 14(2), 263–280. doi:10.1007/s10763-015-9681-y
  • Colwell, J., & Enderson, M. C. (2016). “When I hear literacy”: Using pre-service teachers' perceptions of mathematical literacy to inform program changes in teacher education. Teaching & Teacher Education, 53, 63–74. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2015.11.001
  • De Lange, J. (2003). Mathematics for Literacy. In B. L. Madison & L. A. Steen (Eds.), Quantitative literacy. Why numeracy matters for schools and colleges (pp. 75–89). Princeton, NJ: The National Council on Education and the Disciplines.
  • Dewantara, A. H., Zulkardi, & Darmawijoyo. (2015). Assessing seventh graders' mathematical literacy in solving PISA-like tasks. Indonesian Mathematical Society Journal on Mathematics Education, 6(2), 39–49.
  • Edo, S. I., Hartono, Y., & Putri, R. I. I. (2013). Investigating secondary school students' difficulties in modeling problems PISA-model Level 5 and 6. Indonesian Mathematical Society Journal on Mathematics Education, 4(1), 41–58.
  • Gatabi, A. R., Stacey, K., & Gooya, Z. (2012). Investigating grade nine textbook problems for characteristics related to mathematical literacy. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 24(4), 403–421. doi:10.1007/s13394-012-0052-5
  • Höfer, T., & Beckmann, A. (2009). Supporting mathematical literacy: Examples from a cross-curricular project. International Journal on Mathematics Education, 41(1), 223–230. doi:10.1007/s11858-008-0117-9
  • Ilbagi, E. A., & Akgun, L. (2013). An Investigation of the mathematical literacy of students aged 15 in terms of PISA 2003 mathematical literacy questions: Results from Turkey. International Journal of Progressive Education, 9(3), 194–217.
  • İş Güzel, Ç., & Berberoǧlu, G. (2010). Students' affective characteristics and their relation to mathematical literacy measures in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003. Egitim Arastirmalari - Eurasian Journal of Educational Research(40), 93–113.
  • Jürges, H., Schneider, K., Senkbeil, M., & Carstensen, C. H. (2012). Assessment drives learning: The effect of central exit exams on curricular knowledge and mathematical literacy. Economics of Education Review, 31(1), 56–65. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2011.08.007
  • Kilpatrick, J., Swafford, J., Findell, B., Mathematics Learning Study, C., National Research Council Center for Education, D. o. b., & social sciences, e. (2001). Adding it up: Helping children learn mathematics. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
  • Koğar, H. (2015). Examination of factors affecting PISA 2012 mathematical literacy through mediation model. Egitim ve Bilim, 40(179), 45–55. doi:10.15390/EB.2015.4445
  • Kramarski, B., & Mizrachi, N. (2006). Online discussion and self-regulated learning: Effects of instructional methods on mathematical literacy. Journal of Educational Research, 99(4), 218–229. doi:10.3200/JOER.99.4.218-231
  • Kunnskapsdepartementet. (2006). Læreplanverket for Kunnskapsløftet. Retrieved from http://www.udir.no/laring-og-trivsel/lareplanverket/.
  • Kunnskapsdepartementet. (2015). Tett på realfag. Nasjonal strategi for realfag i barnehagen og grunnopplæringen (2015–2019). Retrieved from https://www.regjeringen.no/contentassets/869faa81d1d740d297776740e67e3e65/kd_realfagsstrategi.pdf.
  • Lin, S. W., & Tai, W. C. (2015). Latent class analysis of atudents' mathematics learning strategies and the relationship between learning strategy and mathematical literacy. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 3(6), 390–395.
  • Matteson, S. M. (2006). Mathematical literacy and standardized mathematical assessments. Reading Psychology, 27, 205–233.
  • Meaney, T. (2007). Weighing up the influence of context on judgements of mathematical literacy. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 5(4), 681–704. doi:10.1007/s10763-007-9093-8
  • Niss, M., & Jablonka, E. (2014). Mathematical Literacy. In S. Lerman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education (pp. 391–396). Dordrecht: Springer.
  • OECD. (1999). Measuring student knowledge and skills. A new framework for assessment. Paris: OECD Publications Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/edu/school/programmeforinternationalstudentassessmentpisa/33693997.pdf.
  • OECD. (2003). The PISA 2003 assessment framework – mathematics, reading, science and problem solving knowledge and skills. Paris: OECD Publications.
  • OECD. (2005). The definition and selection of key competencies. Executive summary. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/35070367.pdf.
  • OECD. (2009). PISA 2009 assessment framework. Key competencies in reading, mathematics and science. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/44455820.pdf.
  • OECD. (2012). PISA 2012 Assessment and analytical framework. Mathematics, reading, science, problem solving and financial literacy. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/PISA%202012%20framework%20e-book_final.pdf.
  • Ovayolu, Ö., & Kutlu, Ö. (2011). The range of scores in competency clusters of turkish students in mathematics sub-test according to pisa 2006. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 17–26. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.03.043
  • Papanastasiou, E. C., & Ferdig, R. E. (2006). Computer use and mathematical literacy: An analysis of existing and potential relationships. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 25(4), 361–371.
  • Pitici, M. (Ed.) (2014). The best writing on mathematics 2013. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  • Roth, W.-M., Ercikan, K., Simon, M., & Fola, R. (2015). The assessment of mathematical literacy of linguistic minority students: Results of a multi-method investigation. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 40, 88–105. doi:10.1016/j.jmathb.2015.01.004
  • Ryan, C. (2013). What is behind the decline in student achievement in Australia? Economics of Education Review, 37, 226–239. doi:10.1016/j.econedurev.2013.08.008
  • Sfard, A. (2014). Why mathematics? What mathematics? In M. Pitici (Ed.), The best writing on mathematics 2013. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  • Tai, W. C., & Lin, S. W. (2015). Relationship between problem-solving style and mathematical literacy. Educational Research and Reviews, 10(11), 1480–1486.
  • Tzohar-Rozen, M., & Kramarski, B. (2013). How does an affective self-regulation program promote mathematical literacy in young students? Hellenic Journal of Psychology, 10(3), 211–234.
  • Van Hoof, J., Janssen, R., Verschaffel, L., & Van Dooren, W. (2015). Inhibiting natural knowledge in fourth graders: Towards a comprehensive test instrument. ZDM - Mathematics Education, 47(5), 849–857. doi:10.1007/s11858-014-0650-7
  • Van Hoof, J., Vandewalle, J., Verschaffel, L., & Van Dooren, W. (2014). In search for the natural number bias in secondary school students' interpretation of the effect of arithmetical operations. Learning and Instruction. doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2014.03.004
  • Yılmazer, G., & Masal, M. (2014). The relationship between secondary school students’ arithmetic performance and their mathematical literacy. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 152, 619–623. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.09.253
  • Zhao, N., Valcke, M., Desoete, A., Verhaeghe, J., & Xu, K. (2011). A multilevel analysis on predicting mathematics performance in Chinese primary schools: Implications for practice. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 20(3), 503–520.
  • Zikl, P., Havlíčková, K., Holoubková, N., Hrníčková, K., & Volfová, M. (2015). Mathematical literacy of pupils with mild intellectual disabilities. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 2582–2589. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.936