Dr Rachel Marks

Dr Rachel Marks is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education (Primary) and Assistant Programme Leader for the PGCE Primary/PGCE 3-7 programmes. She teaches across the BA, PGCE, MA and EdD programmes in mathematics education and education research. She is a qualified primary teacher and has previously taught in inner-city and rural primary schools for five years.

Rachel completed her ESRC-funded PhD thesis on ability grouping in the primary mathematics classroom in 2012 and her book ‘Ability-Grouping in Primary Schools: Case Studies and Critical Debates’ was published in February 2016. She has worked on a diverse range of research projects within mathematics education including an international study into high-performing jurisdictions for the Nuffield Foundation, a review of the international evidence into best-practice for improving mathematics teaching in Key Stages 2 & 3 for the Education Endowment Foundation, and is currently engaged in a research review of BSRLM Conference Proceedings (2002-2017).

Dr Rachel Marks

Senior Lecturer (Primary Mathematics Education)

How I like to teach

I teach across a number of programmes within the School of Education, contributing to teaching on the following modules:

EdD Stage 1 & 2: Teaching (data analysis) and PDA/supervision
KV713 (MA Education): Research Project and Supervision
KV741 (MA Education): Critical Perspectives in Education
EP782: PGCE Primary Professional Knowledge and Enquiry (Maths)
EP781 / EP782: The Professional Enquiry
EM609 (BA Primary Subject Study and Specialist Mathematics): The Nature and Learning of Mathematics
EM602 (BA Primary 3-7 route): Year 3 Mathematics Curriculum Studies
EM603: (BA Primary 5-11 route): Year 3 Mathematics Curriculum Studies

My aim is to engage all students in current thinking in education as they develop as critically reflective practitioners. Across my teaching – which includes mature students, recent school leavers and workplace learners – I employ a variety of inclusive approaches with a strong focus on discussion. Much of my teaching draws on my experience as a classroom teacher and as an educational researcher, supporting students in engaging with up-to-date educational theory, policy and practice. My approach – particularly to mathematics teaching – is highly interactive and I expect all students to make full use of the opportunity to explore different representations available to them as they develop as confident and competent teachers of mathematics.

My research interests

My research interests include teaching and learning in primary mathematics, the social context of schooling, policy and assessment. My particular interests are in ability-grouping and equity issues.

Read the Children put in the bottom maths group at primary believe they'll never be any good article written by Dr Rachel Marks in The Conversation

Research activity

Current research

Principal Investigator on a research review of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics [BSRLM] Conference Proceedings (2002-2017).
A meta-analysis of the use of number-lines in mathematics teaching & learning (with colleagues from UCL IoE, Leicester and Cardiff universities).
I am involved with the Learning without Limits Network at Cambridge University exploring approaches to education (across sectors) which reject notions of fixed ‘ability’.
I presented work on teacher mindset following on from earlier research at a BERA Symposium (Leeds, 2016) and am currently pursuing avenues to extend this.

Previous research projects

Co-authored review of international evidence for the Education Endowment Foundation review: Improving Mathematics in Key Stages Two and Three: Guidance Report.
Nursing students' experiences of learning numeracy for professional practice: A joint project with King’s College London exploring the numeracy training of student nurses, published in Adults Learning Mathematics - An International Journal.
The Employment Equation: Why our young people need more maths for today’s jobs. A literature review of the mathematical requirements of employers today (2013) Sponsor: The Sutton Trust (Joint Investigator)
Towards universal participation in post-16 mathematics: lessons from high performing countries
An investigation into the factors related to high levels of participation in post-16 mathematics in countries performing highly in international comparisons, and their implications for the UK (2012-2013) - Sponsor: The Nuffield Foundation (Joint Investigator)

Research centres and groups

Education Research and Enterprise Group

Contact me

Rachel Marks
Senior Lecturer
School of Education
Checkland Building (B114)
University of Brighton
Falmer
Brighton
BN1 9PH

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 641148
Email: R.G.Marks@brighton.ac.uk

Biography

After training as a primary teacher, I taught for five years in both inner-city and rural primary schools. I completed my ESRC-funded PhD thesis on ability grouping in the primary mathematics classroom in 2012 at King’s College London. Subsequently I worked on a diverse range of research projects within mathematics education including an international study into high-performing jurisdictions for the Nuffield Foundation. I took up my current post at the University of Brighton in 2013 and teach across the BA, PGCE, MA and EdD programmes in mathematics education and educational research/enquiry.

Research output

Number of items: 19.

Marks, R, Barclay, N, Barnes, A & Treacy, P 2018, 'Reviewing 15 years of research in UK mathematics education: Continuity, change and lessons for the future' Paper presented at British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM) Conference, Swansea, United Kingdom, 9/06/18 - 9/06/18, .

Hodgen, J, Foster, C, Marks, R & Brown, M 2018, Improving mathematics in key stages two and three: evidence review. Education Endowment Foundation.

Marks, R 2016, 'Book review: transforming mathematics instruction - multiple approaches and practices' Research in Mathematics Education, vol 18, no. 2, pp. 214-218.

Marks, R Children put in the bottom maths group at primary believe they'll never be any good.

Marks, R 2016, Ability grouping in primary schools: case studies and critical debates. Critical Guides for Teacher Educators, Critical Publishing, Northwich, UK.

Marks, R 2016, Primary pupils' perceptions of mathematical ability. in 9th Congress of European research in mathematics education. Prague, Czech Republic, pp. 0-0, 9th Congress of European research in mathematics education, 1/02/16.

Marks, R, Hodgen, J, Coben, D & Bretscher, N 2016, 'Nursing students' experiences of learning numeracy for professional practice' Adults Learning Mathematics - An International Journal, vol 11, no. 1, pp. 43-58.

Marks, R 2014, 'Key ideas in teaching mathematics: research-based guidance for ages 9–19' Research in Mathematics Education, vol 16, no. 3, pp. 326-330.

Marks, R & Onion, A 2014, Assessment in mathematics education: key debates. in H Mendick & D Leslie (eds), Debates in mathematics education. Debates in Subject Teaching, Routledge, London, pp. 175-185.

Marks, R 2014, 'Educational triage and setting in primary mathematics: a case-study' Research in Mathematics Education, vol 16, no. 1, pp. 38-53.

Marks, R 2014, 'The dinosaur in the classroom: what we stand to lose through ability-grouping in the primary school' Forum: For Promoting 3-19 Comprehensive Education, vol 56, no. 1, pp. 45-54.

Marks, R 2013, '"The blue table means you don't have a clue": the persistence of fixed-ability thinking and practices in primary mathematics in English schools' Forum: For Promoting 3-19 Comprehensive Education, vol 55, no. 1, pp. 31-44.

Hodgen, J & Marks, R 2013, The Employment Equation: Why our young people need more maths for today’s jobs. The Sutton Trust, London.

Hodgen, J, Marks, R & Pepper, D 2013, Towards universal participation in post-16 mathematics: lessons from high performing countries. Nuffield Foundation, London.

Marks, R 2012, 'How do pupils experience setting in primary mathematics?' Mathematics Teaching, vol 230, pp. 5-8.

Marks, R 2012, "I get the feeling that it is really unfair": educational triage in primary mathematics. in Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics. vol. 32, Online, pp. 58-63, Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics, 1/06/12.

Marks, R 2011, '‘Ability' in primary mathematics education: patterns and implications' Research in Mathematics Education, vol 13, no. 3, pp. 305-306.

Marks, R 2011, Ability ideology and its consequential practices in primary mathematics. in Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics. vol. 31, Online, pp. 0-0, Proceedings of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics, 1/06/12.

Hodgen, J & Marks, R 2009, Mathematical ‘ability' and identity: a sociocultural perspective on assessment and selection. in L Black, H Mendick & Y Solomon (eds), Mathematical relationships in education: identities and participation. Routledge, London, pp. 31-42.

This list was generated on Sunday, 21 October 2018.

Other publications, reports and professional journal articles

Hodgen, J., Foster, C., Marks, R. & Brown, M. (2017). Improving Mathematics in Key Stages Two and Three: Guidance Report. London: Education Endowment Foundation

Marks, R (2016) Children put in the bottom maths group at primary believe they'll never be any good. The Conversation [online], 22 March.

Hodgen, J. & Marks, R. (2013) The Employment Equation: Why our young people need more maths for today’s jobs. London: The Sutton Trust

Hodgen, J., Marks, R., & Pepper, D. (2013) Towards universal participation in post-16 mathematics: lessons from high performing countries. London: Nuffield Foundation

Marks, R. (2012) How do pupils experience setting in primary mathematics? Mathematics Teaching 230, Sept. 2012, pp.5-8

Keynotes and conferences

Marks, R. (2016) The challenge of changing mindsets. Paper presented within the ‘Teacher Mindsets and Segregation’ Symposium, British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, University of Leeds, September 2016.

Marks, R. (2016) Primary pupils' perceptions of mathematical ability. In: Proceedings of the 9th Congress of European research in mathematics education, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic, 4-8 February 2015.

Marks, R. (2015) Learning without Limits: what does it mean and why is it needed? Keynote address to the ‘Troops to Teachers’ programme, University of Warwick, December 2015.

Marks, R. (2015) Educational Triage: Ability grouping and the trajectory of the ‘urgent’, ‘safe’ and ‘hopeless’ cases in primary mathematics. The Janet Duffin Award Lecture, University of Durham, June 2015.

Marks, R. (2015) Learning without limits: A living legacy. Invited address to the Learning Without Limits Symposium at the Brian Simon Memorial Day, UCL Institute of Education, London, March 2015.

Marks, R. (2015) Primary pupils’ perceptions of mathematical ability. Research seminar presented to the Mathematics Education Research Group, Sheffield Hallam University, January 2015.

Marks, R. & Peacock, A. (2015). How can we move beyond ‘fixed-ability thinking’ to create learning without limits in schools? Research seminar presented to the Education Research Centre and School of Education, University of Brighton, January 2015.

Marks, R. (2014). “Some people are just not born clever”: The implications of fixed-ability thinking in primary mathematics. Keynote address given to the South West Maths Advisors Professional Development Day, Exeter, December 2014.

Marks, R. (2014). “Some people are just not born clever”: The Implications of fixed-ability thinking in mathematics. Keynote address to the Oxford Maths Subject Leaders Conference, Kassam Stadium Conference Centre, Oxford, June 2014.

Marks, R. (2013) Impact and Intent: Fixed-ability thinking and practices in primary mathematics education. Invited address to the National Association of Mathematics Advisers CPD Day, Manchester, June 2013.

Marks, R. (2013) "Some people are just not born clever": The implications of fixed-ability thinking in primary mathematics. Paper presented to the National Association of Mathematics Advisers Annual Conference, Birmingham Aston Conference Centre, Birmingham, March 2013.

Marks, R. (2013) "I get shouted at; Joe gets a pat on the back"; Ability, labelling and equity in elementary mathematics. Research seminar presented to the Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, California, March 2013.

Marks, R. (2013) Ability and setting in primary mathematics: consequences and impacts. Invited keynote address to the Wandsworth Senior Leader Professional Development Day, The Wandsworth Professional Development Centre, London, February 2013.

Marks, R. (2012) Ability grouping in primary mathematics education: mirroring secondary mathematics. Paper presented to the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, Manchester University, September 2012.

Marks, R. (2012) Well-meant intentions: ability-grouping in primary mathematics. Paper presented to the London Mathematics CPD Network Meeting, National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, Institute of Education, London, July 2012.

Marks, R. (2011) Who gets which space? 'Ability' grouping and the allocation of educational spaces in the primary school. Paper presented at the Education, Identities and Social Inclusion Seminar run on behalf of the British Educational Research Association Social Justice Special Interest Group, Brunel University, April 2011.

Poster presentations

Marks, R. (2012) Heading for the Morgue: Educational Triage in Primary Mathematics. Poster presented at the European Educational Research Association Summer School, University of Birmingham, June 2012.

Consultancy

I support the Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Brighton, having contributed towards, or contributing to, the following courses/projects:

Hastings Academy Trust: Mathematics Professional Development Project 2015-2016
Developing subject knowledge and classroom mathematics practice for NQTs
Enhancing subject knowledge and classroom mathematics practice for NQTs and Early Career Teachers.

PhD students


Name	Thesis
Ben Margetts (EdD Stage 1)	Mathematics Self-efficacy

Roles

Executive Board Member and Membership Secretary, British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM) (2015 – 2018)
Vice-chair of the Editorial Board for FORUM journal (for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education)
Book reviews editor for FORUM journal (for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education)
PGCE Primary support tutor
PGCE and BA placement & intervention tutor

Awards

British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM) Research Review of BSRLM Conferene Proceedings (2002-2017) Due for completion January 2019, £4,000 (2018-2019)
Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Co-Investigator: Systematic Review of Evidence on Teaching Mathematics, led by University of Nottingham (£23,360) (2017)
Janet Duffin Award: for the most outstanding contribution to Research in Mathematics Education in the previous year (2015)
British Educational Research Association Conference Bursary (2012)
Charitable Trust Grants, secured five competitive grants totalling £10,300 towards final PhD year (2010-11)
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) PhD Studentship (2006-10)