Students' views on their transition from school to college mathematics: rethinking ‘transition’ as an issue of identity

Abstract

We examine the transition from school (compulsory education) to college (post-compulsory/pre-university) of students who are continuing their mathematical education. Previous work on transition between institutions suggests that transitional problems can be critical, and students often regard mathematics as ‘difficult’ during transitional periods. However, our analysis of students' interviews showed a more positive discourse, one of reported challenge, growth and achievement; transition was not seen as an obstacle but as an opportunity to develop a new identity. Particularly in relation to mathematics, this was reflected in a need for a better understanding of the subject, and for being more responsible for their learning. Thus, we propose to re-think transition as a question of identity in which persons see themselves developing due to the distinct social and academic demands that the new institution poses. Conceptualising transition in this way could have important practical implications for the way that institutions support students' transition.

Keywords:

• transition
• post-compulsory education
• identity

Acknowledgements

This research has been funded by the ESRC-TLRP10 under the project Keeping Open the Door to Mathematically-Demanding Programmes in Further and Higher Education (RES-139-25-0241) and by the ESRC under the project Mathematics Learning, Identity and Educational Practice: the Transition into Post-compulsory Education (RES-000-22-2890). We would like to acknowledge their continued support.

Notes

1. GCSE stand for General Certificate of Secondary Education, which is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in the UK.

2. A-level stands for ‘Advanced level’, which is a post-compulsory education qualification (normally taken at the age of 18) and the most popular route into higher education in England. A-levels can be chosen from various academic and applied subjects (normally 3 or 4 depending on interests and future plans). It usually takes two years full-time to complete an A-level, and each one is made up of AS (Advanced subsidiary – first year) and A2 (second year), each of which counts as 50 percent of the overall A-level grade.

3. The first project entitled Keeping Open the Door to Mathematically-Demanding Programmes in Further and Higher Education researched different mathematics programmes and practices At As Level. More Information About This Project Can Be Found in the following website: http://www.education.manchester.ac.uk/research/centres/lta/LTAResearch/transmaths/tlrp/ The second project entitled Mathematics Learning, Identity and Educational Practice: the Transition into Post-Compulsory Education studied the transition from maths GCSE to AS level. More information about this project can be found at the following website: http://www.education.manchester.ac.uk/research/centres/lta/LTAResearch/transmaths/into-college/

4. Note that in England, mathematics is not a compulsory subject at this level of education.

5. EMA stands for Educational Maintenance Grant, and is a government weekly allowance to encourage students from disadvantaged backgrounds to continue at school.

6. AS Use of Mathematics is a free-standing qualification. At the time when the project was done there was not a following-up A2 course. BTEC stands for Business and Technology Education Council, and their awards are work-related qualifications that tend to be based on practical work or coursework.

7. In this paper, we have used the following labels to identify students: S(number) for students on the ‘transition’ project and P(number) for students on the ‘widening participation’ project. In other papers in this issue we have preferred to use pseudonyms to identify students.

8. Further mathematics is an A-level qualification that is normally studied in addition to the mathematics A-level.

9. To blag is an expression used to denote that something important was obtained by putting in little effort; for instance, get a good grade by just revising the day before an exam.

10. The Educational and Social Economic Research Council (ESRC) is the UK's social research council that funds academic research in the social sciences, including Education. The ESRC, using university sponsorship, fund the Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP) to conduct educational research in teaching and learning for over ten years in multiple phases, including one on Widening Participation in Higher Education in 2005–08. See www.tlrp.org