The first-time phenomenon: successful students’ mathematical crisis in secondary-tertiary transition

Abstract

The huge difficulties related to the transition from secondary to tertiary mathematics are documented by several official data. The analysis of these difficulties is a main issue in educational research at undergraduate level. It is of particular interest the case of the students who choose mathematics as a major. In fact, for the most part, they are students considered excellent in mathematics during secondary school, they seem to have the cognitive resources to succeed, but, in many cases, they encounter several difficulties during their university experience. Therefore, it appears particularly in- teresting to study also the affective sources and consequences of these difficulties. With this aim, we developed a qualitative and narrative study focused on students’ reflec- tions about their mathematical difficulties in the university experience.