START WITH PYTHOGARAS & EUCLID
Disconnected from math, students call for real-world relevance in RAND’s first-ever youth survey
In research funded by the Gates Foundation, new national data show widespread disengagement in math, highlighting a need for more relatable instruction and higher-quality curriculum
RAND Corporation
According to the first-ever survey fielded to RAND’s new American Youth Panel (AYP), 49% of students in middle and high school grades reported losing interest in math about half or more of the time, and 75% of youths reported losing interest for at least some class time.
Loss of interest in math is consistent across genders and racial and ethnic groups.
In the fall of 2024, RAND asked youths in grades 5 through 12 about their math class experiences with plans to measure these math attitudes annually to track trends over time. This nationally representative report was fielded to a group of almost 2,000 youth ages 12-21 who regularly complete surveys via email and text message about their attitudes, behaviors, school experiences, and other issues affecting their lives.
Thirty percent of middle and high school students said that they have never considered themselves a “math person.” Those who did identify as math people developed this view during elementary school, suggesting that elementary school math teachers have a large role in cultivating positive math attitudes.
“Student feedback offers one of many likely reasons for the slow post-pandemic recovery: students are frequently bored with math,” said Heather L. Schwartz, vice president and director of RAND Education and Labor. “Although boredom is not unique to math, routine boredom is a problem. These findings emphasize the importance of boosting student engagement to improve academic outcomes.”
The RAND survey also found that students who lose interest in math often want fewer online activities and more real-world applications in their math classes.
“It may sound surprising in today’s high-tech environment, but online math activities might be less motivating than face-to-face instruction,” said Robert Bozick, senior research scientist at RAND, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization. “This emphasizes the need for high-quality math instruction, and we suggest a mix of engaging math activities combining face-to-face teacher-student interactions with a mix of offline and online activities and the use of more real-world applications in the classroom.”
This work was supported by the Gates Foundation
The AYP was launched in 2024 to augment RAND’s American Life Panel (ALP). Developed by RAND researchers in 2006, the ALP is a probability sample–based panel of approximately 8,000 regularly interviewed adults in the United States ages 18 and older. The AYP was developed to extend the age range of the ALP so that it can collect timely data on issues related to contemporary youths and their transition to adulthood.
Other authors of Losing Interest In Math: Findings from the American Youth Panel are Melissa Kay Diliberti and Sarah Ohls.
RAND Education and Labor conducts research on early childhood through postsecondary education programs, workforce development, and programs and policies affecting workers, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and decisionmaking.
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...AND THE SOLUTION IS
LEGO improves maths and spatial ability in the classroom
University of Surrey
A simple classroom activity involving a classic childhood staple, LEGO, could improve children’s maths and spatial ability, leading researchers to demand for policymakers to shake up the school curricula and teachers’ professional development.
A new study, led by the University of Surrey, tested incorporating LEGO building into the daily teaching curriculum, leading to tangible improvements and boosting abilities for students aged six to seven.
The study, which involved 409 children from schools in Surrey and Portsmouth, demonstrated that the six-week Spatial Cognition to Enhance mathematical learning (SPACE) programme - where teachers led LEGO-based activities - resulted in marked improvements in children's mental rotation skills (the ability to visualise and manipulate objects in their minds) and mathematics performance.
Professor Emily Farran, Professor in Cognitive Development at the University of Surrey and lead author of the study, said:
"We've known for some time that spatial reasoning and maths are closely linked, however, most spatial training has been conducted in laboratory settings. Our study shows that spatial training delivered by teachers in the classroom is effective, with positive outcomes for their students."
The SPACE programme involved training teachers on the importance of spatial reasoning and, via a booklet with visual instructions, how to guide their students through structured LEGO building exercises. Teachers were encouraged to prompt students to think spatially, for example, to visualise and mentally manipulate the blocks, fostering their spatial skills.
Professor Camilla Gilmore, Professor of Mathematical Cognition at Loughborough University and co-author of the study commented:
"Addressing underachievement and reducing disadvantage gaps in mathematics is an ongoing challenge for educators and policy makers. The results of this study were clear - children who participated in the SPACE programme showed significant improvements in their spatial and maths abilities compared to those who received standard instruction. This suggests that simple, hands-on spatial activities can have a powerful impact on learning and are an important avenue to improve children’s achievement and enjoyment of mathematics.
Professor Farran added:
"This research highlights the importance of spatial reasoning in mathematics education. By incorporating spatial activities into the curriculum, we will equip the next generation to meet the heightened demands for critical thinking, problem solving and data-use brought about by technological and AI-enabled change."
Spatial interventions such as SPACE have also been shown to support inclusion, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds and children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). In fact, children from disadvantaged backgrounds often show larger gains in mathematics competence compared with their peers, suggesting that opportunities to think and work spatially could contribute to closing attainment gaps.
[ENDS]
Professor Emily Farran is available for interview, please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange.
The full paper is available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mbe.70006
An image of Professor Farran is available upon request.
Journal
Mind Brain and Education
Article Title
Teacher delivered block construction training improves children’s mathematics performance.
Article Publication Date
17-Jun-2025
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