Conative factors of teaching mathematics in homogeneous and heterogeneous groups of students

Darjo Felda, Mara Cotič and  Milena Valenčič Zuljan in Amalija Žakelj

Summary:  The process of grouping students by ability and performing individualisation is guided by a professional reflection of how to identify and, based on proper organisation and a didactic approach, take account of the differences among individual students such that the teaching yields strong knowledge in each individual. This is closely linked to the assurance of efficiency and equity within school systems and has captured the attention of numerous academics in the international research sphere. This article presents an opinion survey that was administered to students from the last triennial education cycle of basic school, who were grouped into homogeneous and heterogeneous ability groups; the purpose was to establish how they assess their own abilities in learning mathematics and how they judge the teacher’s expectations regarding their learning achievements. The basic research approach involved the descriptive and causal non-experimental methods that are used in educational research. The sample comprised 960 ninth-grade pupils from 22 basic schools. On the one hand, the study indicated a statistically significant difference between students from the homogeneous and heterogeneous groups and between students of the different ability groups based on their self-assessment of their own abilities in learning mathematics. On the other hand, the evaluation of the teacher’s expectations regarding their learning achievements revealed no statistically significant differences either between the students of the different ability groups or between the students in the homogeneous and heterogeneous groups.