Reason categories | Advanced mathematics | Basic mathematics | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Choosing | Rejecting | Choosing | Rejecting | |
Usefulness: Useful for future studies, career, life | It is necessary for entering my preferred future study place. Also, I think in the future it is needed | Advanced mathematics is not useful for me and I will not need it in the future | In basic mathematics there is enough information for me. I’ll get good grades in basic mathematics course, so it keeps my study motivation high | I wanted to enter a good profession by sc. easy way |
Advice: Peer, family, friend, teacher advice | Some friends recommended it and said it is not that difficult. And it is not | My student counselor recommended me to take the basic mathematics due to my previous grades | [no responses] | My relatives recommended me to take the advanced mathematics courses |
Enjoyment, Interest: Enjoys/doesn’t enjoy | It appeared like a challenge worth of taking. I find mathematics also a rewarding subject | I did not find mathematics interesting, and I did not feel studying it comfortable or necessary | During the first course I felt that things were very difficult, and it is not worth trying to even start the advanced mathematics | Because I felt that basic mathematics might be too easy, and I want to challenge myself and take the advanced mathematics courses |
Logistics: Fits better with students’ study plan or timetable | I did not want to take advanced English test, so I chose advanced mathematics | I don’t have the strength to take 14 courses of a subject that I did not find interesting. I’d rather take basic math, which gives me good grades and learning is much nicer | It suited my needs better and gives me more time to better study those subjects I am interested in | I wanted to try the advanced courses first; it is possible to switch back to basic math courses if I want |
Self-efficacy, Ability, Competence | I think I am rather good in mathematics, and I wanted to learn more | Because I am not good in mathematics, I would have not made it in the advanced mathematics courses | The advanced mathematics would have been too challenging and stressful for me | I am good in mathematics, and short mathematics seemed to be easy |
Teaching: Methods, style, teacher likeable or dislikeable | In our school the teacher of advanced mathematics is better than the teacher of basic mathematics | The first course seemed difficult, because the topics were not explained properly | I didn’t like the flipped class method in the advanced mathematics | I don’t like the basic math teacher and I wanted to challenge myself in the advanced mathematics |