Influences on Mathematical Agency in Collegiate Mathematics Education

Abstract: The construct of agency is widely cited as important in educational research, but is used in different ways, with differing underlying assumptions and implications. After reviewing multiple perspectives on agency from education research, I will develop an “agency as felt capacity” view. I will demonstrate how students’ felt capacity is jointly determined by contextual factors and internal narratives that expand or limit individuals’ perceived capacity to respond to challenges. My analysis draws from a study of students who are STEM majors at a large mid-western university who are transitioning to proof-based mathematics courses. I will present a grounded model comprised of external structures around course design, academic demands, and life context that shape agency, coordinated with personal narratives regarding mathematics, the role of mathematics in their future trajectory, their perception of their own learning processes and the way the see themselves in relation to sources of mathematical authority. This study brings to light the way K-12 and undergraduate settings spotlight a different set of issues when considering the role of agency in students’ learning. In particular, the model for factors influencing mathematical agency can guide the design of undergraduate learning environments and policies.

Ulteriori info: Il seminario rientra nell’ambito del Progetto “PPFDU- La Prospettiva Pedagogica per la Formazione del Docente Universitario” – Iniziativa finanziata nell’ambito del Programma per il Finanziamento della Ricerca di Ateneo (FRA) 2022 dell’Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II

Poster Mariana Levin