The Relationship Between Adolescents' Sense of Belonging to Mathematics and Learning

• In Event: Motivation in Underrepresented Populations: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and Students With Disabilities

Abstract

We examine the predictive utility of sense of belonging to math relative to other beliefs (i.e., self-concept, interest, importance, and entity view). A racially and ethnically diverse sample of U.S. public middle-schoolers (N=206) completed surveys and an algebra assessment before and after a classroom unit. Sense of belonging was the only significant predictor of learning of the beliefs measures. Underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students (URM) reported a markedly lower sense of belonging than non-URM students which partially explained their lower posttest scores, even when accounting for SES. URM and non-URM students did not differ on any other belief measures. We provide foundational knowledge of an understudied potentially malleable factor for improving URM students’ experience and opportunities in mathematics.

Authors

• Christina Areizaga Barbieri, University of Delaware

• Dana Miller-Cotto, University of Delaware