Understanding students' mathematical dispositions through metaphorical representations

Abstract

This study investigates Beijing middle school students' mathematical dispositions through metaphors, aiming to reveal emotional, cognitive, conative, and functional aspects of their dispositions, as well as how these are shaped within a specific educational context. A mixed-methods design combines quantitative Likert-scale scoring with qualitative thematic analysis of student-generated metaphors. Students' mathematical dispositions were generally neutral, although a declining trend was observed from Grade 7 to Grade 9. Metaphors reflect both recognition of mathematics' value and challenges such as negative emotional experiences, academic stress and fixed-ability beliefs. Through a structured metaphor-coding framework, this study provides a comprehensive account of how students make sense of mathematics and their learning experiences through culturally and experientially grounded metaphors, offering an interpretive lens for understanding mathematical dispositions beyond conventional self-report measures.