AND SELF-EFFICACY IN MATHEMATICS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THEIR MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE JOHN MARK F. BONDOC AMELIA DAQUIOAG WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES Background and Objectives
Performances in Mathematics are often
influenced by the students’ self-efficacy and anxiety in the subject. High level of mathematics anxiety and lower level of self-efficacy are real problems both teachers and students face nowadays. What is Mathematics self-efficacy ?
It is the belief in one’s ability to learn and
succeed in school mathematics. It is a student’s conviction that adopting certain behaviors will result in achievement in the mathematics classroom however the student defines it. What is mathematics anxiety?
According to Mark H. Ashcraft (2002),
mathematics anxiety is a state of a sinking feeling, uncertainty and despair at doing arithmetic and mathematics. It is an important factor that affects
students’ achievement and attitude
towards the subject. Research has demonstrated that many students have learning difficulties and show poor performance in mathematics. According to Kazelskis (2000), one of the attributed reasons is the anxiety that an individual may have towards mathematics. Cates and Rhymer (2003) found that students with higher levels of mathematics anxiety had significantly lower computational fluency in all areas of mathematical computations; these students, in turn, had lower levels of achievement in mathematics. Questions?
Do students with high levels of
mathematics self-efficacy have low levels of mathematics anxiety? If college instructors reduce their students’ mathematics anxiety, will the students’ self-efficacy in mathematics increase? Focus
Level of Students’ Anxiety in
Mathematics Level of Self-Efficacy in Mathematics Mathematics Performance Research Objectives The study sought to investigate the following: a). Profile of the respondents described in terms of sex, high school graduated from, age, course, family income, father’s educational attainment and mother’s educational attainment; b). Respondents’ mathematics’ background; c). Respondents’ level of self-efficacy in mathematics; d). Respondents’ level of anxiety in mathematics be; e). Respondents’ performances in mathematics; f).Significant relationship between the students’ profile and the levels of their self-efficacy, anxiety, and performance in mathematics; g). Significant relationship between the respondents’ level of anxiety and the level of their self-efficacy in mathematics; and h). Significant relationship between the respondents’ levels of anxiety and self-efficacy and their mathematics performance. METHODS The descriptive-correlational research design was used in this study with questionnaire as the principal instrument to gather data. The study gathered data from 82 sophomore students studying at the Wesleyan University – Philippines. Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Anxiety Questionnaire (MSEAQ) by DIANA K. MAY (2006) Major Findings Moderate high level of self-efficacy and anxiety in mathematics. Respondents’ sex and course were significantly related to the level of their anxiety, self-efficacy and performance in mathematics. Family income was significantly related to performance; Mother’s educational attainment was significantly related to students’ mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics performance. Female respondents were more anxious in mathematics and had low performance in mathematics than males. Female respondents had high level of anxiety, low level of self-efficacy and mathematics performance. Respondents’ level of self-efficacy was significantly and negatively related to the level of their anxiety in mathematics. Anxiety was significantly and positively related to mathematics performance. The positive relationship of the respondents’ level of anxiety to their mathematics performance meant that the higher the level of anxiety, the lower the respondents’ performance in mathematics. The result showed that the higher the level of self-efficacy, the higher the respondents’ performance in mathematics. Conclusion Students’ levels of anxiety, self-efficacy, and performance in mathematics were being influenced by many factors. It included the students’ sex, course, family income and parents’ educational attainments. Students who had high mathematics anxiety and low self-efficacy tended to perform fewer score in mathematics performance while students who had low mathematics anxiety and high self-efficacy performed higher score in mathematics. Further research study should be conducted to further analyze the relationship between the students’ profiles and the levels of their anxiety, self- efficacy and performance in mathematics. Students should develop their positive attitudes toward mathematics by participating in mathematics tutorial sessions through online learning sites or other form of peer tutoring. Teachers should help the learners develop their high self-belief to perform in mathematics by employing creative teaching and learning strategies that will make the learners more interested to learn math concepts and theories. Parents should take part on helping the learners develop positive perceptions about mathematics by guiding their children in studying mathematics. School administration should support the advocacy of some groups who help the students in developing mathematics performance like organizations who give tutorial sessions for the students. Teachers should create positive learning environment to alleviate mathematics anxiety by enabling the learners feel that they are on the safe learning environment where they are accepted and respected regardless their differences. Thank you and God bless!
Relative Effects of Parents' Occupation, Qualification and Academic Motivation of Wards On Students' Achievement in Senior Secondary School Mathematics in Ogun State