Would Female Student Teachers at Primary Teacher Education Colleges Study Mathematics Were It Optional?

Autor/inn/en	Mwadzaangati, Lisnet; Kazima, Mercy
Titel	Would Female Student Teachers at Primary Teacher Education Colleges Study Mathematics Were It Optional?
Quelle	In: South African Journal of Education, 41 (2021), Artikel 2021 (10 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Mwadzaangati, Lisnet) ORCID (Kazima, Mercy)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0256-0100
Schlagwörter	Females; Preservice Teachers; Teacher Education Programs; Elementary School Teachers; Mathematics Education; Correlation; Mathematics Achievement; Sex Stereotypes; STEM Education; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Disproportionate Representation; Student Attitudes; Cultural Influences; Course Selection (Students); Malawi + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Weibliches Geschlecht; Elementary school; Teacher; Teachers; Grundschule; Volksschule; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Mathematische Bildung; Korrelation; Mathmatics sikills; Mathmatics achievement; Mathematical ability; Mathematische Kompetenz; STEM; Ausland; Geschlechterkonflikt; Schülerverhalten; Cultural influence; Kultureinfluss; Course selection; Student; Students; Kurswahl
Abstract	In this this article we discuss findings from an investigation of whether female student teachers would choose to study mathematics if it were optional for primary teacher education in Malawi. A mixed methods research methodology was used to collect data through survey and focus group discussions (FGDs). Five hundred and twenty three female students from 6 public teacher education colleges completed a questionnaire, and 160 of them participated in FGDs. A descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on the quantitative data while a thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data. The findings show that 68% of female students would choose to study mathematics while 32% would not. This correlated with the students' mathematics scores at the end of their secondary school national examination. Those students with high score passes opted for mathematics and those with low score passes did not, suggesting that performance at secondary school influenced their confidence in studying mathematics. Female student teachers' reasons for choosing or not choosing mathematics were it optional are classified into 5 categories: the perceived usefulness of mathematics, inner motivation to study mathematics, the nature of the college mathematics content, how mathematics courses are taught at colleges, and gender stereotype in mathematics lessons. We discuss these in relation to the Malawian government's agenda of increasing participation of females in mathematics, science, technology, and engineering. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Education Association of South Africa. University of Pretoria, Centre for the Study of Resilience, Level 3, Groenkloof Student Centre, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, George Storrar Road and Lleyds Street, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. Web site: http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/index
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01