Xin Ma’s research while affiliated with University of Alberta and other places

This study examined gender differences in the rate of change in mathematics affect (attitude and anxiety toward mathematics and utility of mathematics) across middle and high school, using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth. Hierarchical linear models indicated no gender differences in the rate of decline in either attitude or utility, but females grew faster in anxiety than males. Schools were more responsible for variation in the male than female rate of change in mathematics affect. Student and school variables influenced the rate of change in mathematics affect in a quite different way between males and females.

The Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY) database was employed to examine the educational practice of early acceleration of students of mathematics on the development of their self-esteem across the entire secondary grade levels. Students were classified into three different academic categories (gifted, honors, and regular). Results indicated that, in terms of the development of their self-esteem, gifted students benefited from early acceleration, honors students neither benefited nor were harmed by early acceleration, and regular students were harmed by early acceleration. Early acceleration in mathematics promoted significant growth in self-esteem among gifted male students and among gifted, honors, and regular minority students. When students were accelerated, schools showed similar average growth in self-esteem among gifted students and regular students and a large effect of general support for mathematics on the average growth in self-esteem among honors students.

Using six waves of data (Grades 7 through 12) from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY), this study investigated the effects of expectation and influence of students, peers, teachers, and parents on participation in advanced mathematics. Results of survival analysis indicated a significant decline in participation rate in the transition from Grades 11 to 12. Students with higher future expectation were more likely to participate in advanced mathematics. Peer influence and teacher expectation did not have strong effects, and the effect of student future expectation was independent of peer and teacher effects. The effect of parent expectation and parent college plan for children were strong, and in their presence, the effect of student future expectation declined. Mathematics achievement and attitude toward mathematics were the most important factors affecting participation in advanced mathematics. With control over achievement and attitude, (a) the effect of student future expectation declined, (b) the effects of peer influence and teacher expectation disappeared, and (c) the effects of parent expectation and parent college plan for children were reduced. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Research on mathematics achievement has paid relatively little attention to exposure—the amount of instruction received by students and tire number of courses they take. This stud)' employs data from 6 waves of the Longitudinal Study of American Youth to discern when and why students drop out of advanced mathematics. The findings indicate that there are two critical transitions when large proportions of students drop out of advanced mathematics. The first is from Grade 8 to Grade 9, and at this point prior achievement plays a more important role than either attitude towards mathematics or socioeconomic status. The second transition is from Grade 11 to Grade 12, when students' attitude towards mathematics is tire most important factor. The findings support calls to raise mathematics standards for graduation anti to enrich the content of mathematics courses.