Students’ Identities and Collaboration in Mathematics Group Work
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2018-05-29
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Abstract
In this study, we examined how students’ different identities, especially gender and students’ relationship with mathematics, influenced leadership and group work in math classrooms. This study took place in two linguistically and racially diverse middle schools in Canada. We collected student surveys, video-recorded group work interactions, and individual video-mediated interviews. We analyzed four mixed-gender groups and 12 interviews. Our analysis revealed that girls took on leadership roles equally as boys. Instead, we found that those who demonstrated a positive math identity tended to take on leadership roles in the group and those who demonstrated a negative math identity did not. We also identified how culturally-constituted gender norms can influence collaboration. Two girls expressed their preference to work with girls. Their preference influenced the way in which they interacted in the group with a boy. Our results complicated the role of gender identities in math by examining its intersection with other identities. We highlight the importance for educators and parents to collectively develop positive math identities among all students to in turn foster leadership and agency in math learning. We also question the common school practice where students are socialized into the unsustainable norm that boys and girls work separately.
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Valera, S., & Takeuchi, M.A. (2018, May). Students’ identities and collaboration in mathematics group work. Paper presented at the annual conference of Canadian Society for the Study of Education, Regina, Canada.