Increasing student interest in secondary mathematics: student perspectives

Student enrolments in advanced senior mathematics courses have been declining in Australia during the last decade, leading to fewer students adequately prepared for university level STEM degrees despite increasing demand for STEM-trained professionals. While several factors may be contributing to this decline, such as perceived difficulty and lack of student confidence and perceived relevance, research has also shown that student interest is particularly salient for maintaining long-term enrolment and engagement in mathematics, a foundational subject in STEM disciplines. The junior secondary school years are a critical period for establishing positive attitudes towards mathematics, but there is evidence that students become less interested in mathematics during these years. Drawing on focus group (n = 41) data from 183 students in Grades 7–10 (~ 12–15 year-olds) across 21 schools in NSW, Australia, this study reports on student views about how mathematics could be made more interesting. Our analysis reveals a range of ideas for improving student interest in mathematics including more varied teaching approaches and tailoring learning activities to individual student needs, with a focus on increasing student perceptions of the relevance of mathematics. We argue that a greater focus on student-identified strategies could supplement existing teaching approaches to increase student interest in mathematics and potentially increase participation in post-compulsory mathematics courses.