Publication Details
Hine, G. (2017). Exploring reasons why Australian senior secondary students do not enrol in higher-level mathematics courses. MERGA 40.
Abstract
In this research paper, I present the reasons why senior secondary students elect not to enrol in a higher mathematics course. All Year 11 and Year 12 mathematics students within Western Australian secondary schools were invited to participate in an online survey comprised chiefly of qualitative items. The key reasons espoused by students include an expressed dissatisfaction with mathematics, the opinion that there are other more viable courses of study to pursue, and that the Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranking (ATAR) can be maximised by taking a lower mathematics course. In addition, student testimony suggests that there are few incentives offered for undertaking a higher mathematics course.
Keywords
senior secondary students, enrolment higher mathematics course, Western Australia, Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranking (ATAR)