Promoting Mathematics Resilience
Research students working on mathematical resilience:
Mary LugaliaLink opens in a new window (completed)
Chris ChisholmLink opens in a new window (completed)
Katie BakerLink opens in a new window (Coventry University)
Joyce NyamaLink opens in a new window (completed)
Holly Heshmati (completed)
Janet BakerLink opens in a new window (completed)
Aicha Hadji-Sonni
John Thomas
Ben Sinclair
Sarah King
The Shard Symposium
This symposium, held in January 2015, was convened to bring together practitioners, funders and researchers to discuss what was happening to enable learners and supporters of learning to develop Mathematical Resilience. The presentations are available at http://www.mathematical
resilience.org/blog%20a.htmLink opens in a new window
Thank you for your interest.
Evidence is accruing that developing Mathematical Resilience is fundamental to developing a numerate, empowered society.
Sue Johnston-Wilder of CES and Clare Lee of the Open University are collaborating with a range of partners including Warwick Centre for Lifelong Learning, The Progression Trust, ASDAN and two Maths Hubs (EnigmaLink opens in a new window and CentralLink opens in a new window) to support awareness and encourage the development of Mathematical Resilience among practitioners, funders, researchers, parents and learners through various projects and events.
Leaners who have acquired maths anxiety tend to stay in their mathematical comfort zone. In our work, we introduce learners to the growth zone, just outside the comfort zone, where they might feel challenged, need support, and learn from mistakes; they learn to distinguish this from the danger zone where, because their brains perceive a threat based on prior negative experience, they cannot think mathematically (Siegel, 2010). Learners often feel stupid as a consequence of this experience.
Learners often tell us their mathematical growth zone is 'too narrow'. We build on the work of others to help learners develop their growth zone; we also teach them how to manage their emotions if they find themselves in the danger zone (Benson, 2000). Bandura used the term 'resilient self-efficacy' and much of his work that we have read focusses on developing the learner's growth zone.
Further updates are available from:
blogs.warwick.ac.uk/maths_resilience/ Link opens in a new window and http://www.mathematicalresilience.org/
Hosted by The Open University; Convened by Clare Lee and Sue Johnston-Wilder
Hosted by The Open University; Convened by Clare Lee and Sue Johnston-Wilder
Hosted by The University of Warwick; Convened by Sue Johnston-Wilder and Clare Lee; supported by the Warwick ESRC Impact Acceleration Account, which made bursaries available to teacher participants.
Coaching for Mathematical ResilienceLink opens in a new window
This programme is for adults and older learners who are currently maths anxious or maths avoidant and would like to be able to support themselves and other learners to become re-included in learning mathematics.
Teaching for Mathematical ResilienceLink opens in a new window
This programme is for current teachers of mathematics; the programme has been extended to teaching for English Resilience.
Parenting for Mathematical ResilienceLink opens in a new window
This work is being carried out in collaboration with Dr Rosemary Russell and Dr Janet Goodall (Bath University) and also with Katie Baker at Coventry University,
Developing mathematical resilience in learners 1-1Link opens in a new window
This work is being carried out in collaboration with Ellen Marshall in Sheffield and with Dr Janet Goodall in Bath.
We are building an annotated bibliography.
Mathematics Anxiety among Existing Apprentices
Sue Johnston-Wilder and Susan Goodlad (CEI)
In partnership with the Progression Trust and Asdan, the Centre for Education Studies (CES) and the Centre for Education and Industry (CEI) conducted research into the prevalence of Mathematics Anxiety among apprentices across Coventry and Warwickshire. By surveying existing apprentices, the researchers explored the extent to which STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and non-STEM apprentices are affected by mathematics anxiety, the extent to which mathematics anxiety affects choice of apprenticeship, and to what extent STEM and non-STEM apprentices are mathematically resilient.
The project was commissioned and funded by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the final report can be accessed here