OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to explore the existence and prevalence of boredom due to being over- and under-challenged in mathematics, for which empirical evidence is lacking.
METHODS: We employed a sample of 1.407 students (fifth to ninth graders) from all three secondary school tracks (lower, middle and upper) in Bavaria (Germany).
METHODS: Boredom was assessed via self-report and achievement via a standardized mathematics test. We used latent profile analysis to identify groups characterized by different levels of boredom and achievement, and we additionally examined gender and school track as group membership predictors.
RESULTS: Results revealed four distinct groups, of which two showed considerably high boredom. One was coupled with low achievement on the test (i.e. \'over-challenged group\', 13% of the total sample), and one was coupled with high achievement (i.e. \'under-challenged group\', 21%). Furthermore, we found a low boredom and high achievement (i.e. \'well-off group\', 27%) and a relatively low boredom low achievement group (i.e. \'indifferent group\', 39%). Girls were overrepresented in the over-challenged group, and students from the upper school track were underrepresented in the under-challenged group.
CONCLUSIONS: Our research emphasizes the need to openly discuss and further investigate boredom due to being over- and under-challenged.
目的:本研究旨在探讨由于在数学中受到过度和不足的挑战而导致的无聊的存在和普遍性,缺乏经验证据。
方法:我们从所有三个中学课程(较低,中部和上部)在巴伐利亚(德国)。
方法:无聊是通过自我报告和通过标准化数学测试的成绩进行评估的。我们使用潜在的概况分析来识别以不同程度的无聊和成就为特征的群体,我们还研究了性别和学校跟踪作为组成员预测因素。
结果:结果显示四个不同的组,其中两个表现出相当高的无聊感。一个人在测试中成绩低(即“挑战过度的群体”,总样本的13%),其中一个伴随着很高的成就(即“受到挑战的群体”,21%)。此外,我们发现了一个低无聊和高成就(即“小康群体”,27%)和一个相对较低的无聊低成就组(即“冷漠组”,39%)。在过度挑战的群体中,女孩人数过多,在挑战不足的群体中,来自高中轨道的学生人数不足。
结论:我们的研究强调需要公开讨论和进一步调查由于挑战过度和不足而导致的无聊。