Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Investigation in Mathematics Learning
Publication Date
2024
Keywords
Elementary, mathematical disposition, mental functions, metaphor, middle school
Abstract
This study examined student-generated metaphors comparing food to math as a means of accessing and assessing components of prekindergarten through Grade 8 students’ (N = 306) mathematical disposition. Previous research provided insight into predominantly affective components of older students’ mathematical disposition (i.e. Grade 4 through college). However, we extend these findings to include nonaffective components and younger students. Our study highlights the value in conceptualizing mathematical disposition as the sum of three mental functions, namely cognitive (e.g., mental processes such as reasoning), affective (e.g., attitudes, feelings, beliefs about mathematics or oneself as a learner), and conative (e.g., effort, grit, or level of challenge), and whose components may span multiple categories of these mental functions. Our study also extends the research on mathematical disposition by revealing that it is conditional in addition to being complex. Furthermore, several notable grade-based trends from data emerged in relation to students’ enjoyment of mathematics as well as their views regarding the applicability, prevalence, and variety and complexity of mathematics.
Funding Source
This article was published Open Access thanks to a transformative agreement between Milner Library and Taylor & Francis.
DOI
10.1080/19477503.2024.2419291
Recommended Citation
Deal, E., Mooney, E., Cullen, A., Kroesch, A., Priya Bajwa, N., Corven, J., & MacDonald, B. (2024). Accessing and Assessing Components of Elementary and Middle School Students’ Mathematical Disposition Through Metaphors. Investigations in Mathematics Learning, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/19477503.2024.2419291
Comments
First published in Investigations in Mathematics Learning: https://doi.org/10.1080/19477503.2024.2419291
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.