In April 2016 Manchester eScholar was replaced by the University of Manchester’s new Research Information Management System, Pure. In the autumn the University’s research outputs will be available to search and browse via a new Research Portal. Until then the University’s full publication record can be accessed via a temporary portal and the old eScholar content is available to search and browse via this archive.

Mathematics students’ aspirations for higher education: class, ethnicity, gender and interpretative repertoire styles

Hernandez-Martinez, P., Black, L., Williams, J S., Davis, P S., Pampaka, M ., Wake, G

Research Papers in Education. 2008;23(2):153-165.

Access to files

Full-text and supplementary files are not available from Manchester eScholar. Full-text is available externally using the following links:

Full-text held externally

Abstract

This paper reports how students talk about their aspirations in regard to higher education (HE) and their mathematics, what ‘repertoires’ they use to mediate this discourse, and how students’ predominant ‘repertoire style’ relates to their cultural background. Our analyses draw on an interview sample (n=40) of students selected because they are ‘on the cusp’ of participation or non-participation in mathematically demanding programmes in further and higher education. The interviews explored the students’ aspirations for their future in general and HE in particular, influences on these choices, and the place of mathematics in these. Thematic analysis revealed four interpretative repertoires commonly in use, which we call ‘becoming successful’, ‘personal satisfaction’, ‘vocational’, and ‘idealist’ repertoires. Most of the sample was found to use a single, predominant repertoire, which we call their repertoire ‘style’: what is more, this style is found to be strongly related to background factors independently obtained. The implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Keyword(s)

higher education aspirations mathematics identity interpretative repertoire styles

Bibliographic metadata

Type of resource:
Content type:
Publication status:
Published
Publication type:
Publication form:
Published date:
Language:
eng
ISSN:
Volume:
23
Issue:
2
Start page:
153
End page:
165
Total:
13
Digital Object Identifier:
10.1080/02671520802048687
Attached files Open Access licence:
Publishers licence
Attached files embargo period:
Immediate release
Attached files release date:
27th July, 2015
Access state:
Active

Record metadata

Manchester eScholar ID:
uk-ac-man-scw:1b5494
Created:
27th August, 2009, 07:30:38
Last modified by:
Kneen, Sarah
Last modified:
27th July, 2015, 15:54:26

Can we help?

The library chat service will be available from 11am-3pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). You can also email your enquiry to us.