Confident in my class: A secondary data study of maths motivation and students’ sociodemographic factors in grade three and four in Sweden.

Abstract

Aim: This thesis aims to point to how motivation as well as achievement in maths and students’ sociodemographic factors can correlate for grade three and four in Swedish schools. Theory: The two theories used in the thesis are Expectancy-value Theory by Eccles and Cultural Capital by Bourdieu. These theories are chosen to provide analytical lenses both from psychological and sociological research that relates to education. Both theories emphasise the importance of socialisation within education. Depending on students’ different contexts and the experiences, their motivation develops accordingly. Method: The co-constructing mathematics motivation project in education: A longitudinal study in six European countries (MathMot) investigates the development of motivation for mathematics in the elementary school classrooms and attempts to find out the impact of children’s motivational factors on other non-cognitive (e.g., identity) and cognitive outcome (math achievement). MathMot is based on Eccles’ expectancy value theory and supported by Pekrun’s control-value. The first wave data consists of surveys from compulsory school to 1904 students from grade three (N=939) and students from grade four (N=965). The students were distributed in different schools, some schools had various student groups participating and some schools had only one class answering the survey. The students of grade three were distributed in 64 different classes and 39 schools as well as the students of grade four were distributed in 62 classes in 42 schools in and around Gothenburg municipality. Results: The hypothesis of a relation between SES and perceived competence in maths could not be concluded statistically significant and thus a relationship cannot be confirmed. However, ethnicity was the strongest predictor among the students’ sociodemographic factors of perceived competence in maths, as well as the only statistically significant factor. Also, interest had the strong effect on maths achievement, but also identity in grade four. Utility showed a negative relation to maths achievement in grade four