Hur matematiklärare på introduktionsprogrammet arbetar för att stärka elevernas tilltro till den egna förmågan

Sammanfattning

The aim of this study is to explore how mathematics teachers in the Introduction Programme work to build students’ confidence in their ability in mathematics. The study is based on Bandura’s (1997) theory of self-efficacy and focuses on four main factors that affect how people see their own ability: previous experiences of success and failure, learning by watching others, verbal encouragement and feedback, and emotional and physical feelings. The study uses a qualitative approach and is based on semi-structured interviews with 12 mathematics teachers. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis with an abductive approach. This means that the material was first studied openly to find patterns and then connected to the theory. The results are presented in a combined results and analysis chapter. The results show that teachers work actively to build students’ confidence by adapting teaching to each student’s level, working step by step, and clearly showing progress. Experiences of success seem to be the most important factor. The study also shows that the relationship between teacher and student is very important, because students who feel safe and supported find it easier to accept help and feedback. Verbal encouragement, clear feedback, and work to reduce students’ stress and anxiety about mathematics are also important parts of this work. In conclusion, the study shows that helping students build confidence in their ability is an important part of teaching mathematics in the Introduction Programme