Jennifer Norris

Thesis Title: The ‘Hidden’ Mathematical Backgrounds of Undergraduate Social Science Students in England: Bridging the Quantitative Skills Gap(s)

There is ongoing concern over the quantitative skills of UK graduates, which are in increasing demand from employers. Even social science subjects at university can contain substantial quantitative content, yet existing research into students’ mathematical preparedness for university has been outdated by subsequent curriculum reform and frequently fails to consider the full range of students’ post-16 qualifications. This study will therefore investigate the range of mathematical competences intended to be taught within the current advanced level curriculum in England through the following research questions: 1. What role(s) does mathematics play within individual subjects at A-level? 2. What are the continuities and discontinuities between the mathematics in different A-level subjects? 3. What types of mathematics can you expect social science students to have encountered before entering university? The study will combine original quantitative analysis of secondary data on student qualification pathways and attainment, with curriculum document analysis. Framework analysis using an existing framework of General Mathematics Competences will be used to explore the mathematical content of a range of A-level subjects. This will be combined with quantitative analysis of targeted data taken from the National Pupil Database and the Higher Education Statistics Agency database to investigate the expected mathematical competences of different groups of students entering university. Research findings will aim to provide a much-needed common language for cross-curricular discussion of the types of mathematical learning offered in different subjects, with implications for curriculum alignment between post-16 and higher education across the disciplines.

Biography

Jennifer joined the University of Nottingham in 2020 as an ESRC funded doctoral student in the School of Education, working within the Centre for Research in Mathematics Education (CRME). Alongside this, she works as a STEM specialist within the Study Skills team at the University of Bristol, supporting students with their academic skills development. Having started her career as a secondary mathematics teacher, Jennifer moved on to work in mathematics support in a wide range of settings, including state and independent schools and alternative provision. Through recent experience working in Further Education, she developed an interest in the impact of national policy change on both students' experiences of mathematics and their mathematical skill development within post-16 education.

Publications

Norris, J. (2022). The positioning of GCSE and Functional Skills in Further Education: how do vocational students make sense of post-16 mathematics pathways? Research in Mathematics Education, 1-19.

Hordósy, R., and Norris, J. (2022). The relationship between research and teaching in Hungarian sociology – a comparison of student and lecturer experiences [translated title]. Educatio, 31(2), 249-263.

Memberships

British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM), British Educational Research Association (BERA)

Education

University of Nottingham

2020 Cohort, +3

jennifer.norris@nottingham.ac.uk

Supervisory Team

Andrew Noyes

Michael Adkins