"Why doesn't 'Johnny' like mathematics?" The voices of senior secondary students in Hong Kong

Lee, Chun-Yeung; Fok, Ping-Kwan

Abstract

While Hong Kong students excel at international tests in mathematics, they do not display corresponding attitudes toward mathematics learning. This study examined 10 Hong Kong Secondary 6 students’ perceptions of learning mathematics (experiential curriculum) and their perceived factors that limited the development of students’ positive attitudes toward mathematics learning in the New Senior Secondary mathematics curriculum by content analysis of their responses in the interviews. Although the participants in this study expected to learn mathematics by “conceptual learning” and the authentic applications of mathematics, they experienced rote-and-drilling-dominated learning approaches in mathematics education, which had succeeded in developing their numerical senses and problem-solving skills but failed to develop their sense of creativity and positive attitudes toward mathematics. The practical mentality and the examination-oriented culture in Hong Kong were the perceived factors that caused such situations.

Citation

Lee, C., & Fok, P. (2022). "Why doesn't 'Johnny' like mathematics?" The voices of senior secondary students in Hong Kong. Education Journal, 50(1), 1-30

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 1, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Jun 8, 2022
• Publication Date: Jun 8, 2022
• Deposit Date: May 11, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: May 16, 2024
• Journal: Education Journal
• Print ISSN: 1025-1936
• Publisher: Chinese University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 50
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 1-30
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/34634440
• Publisher URL: https://hkier.cuhk.edu.hk/en/publicationCategories/vol-50-no-1-2?page=1