Anxiety, Attitude towards Mathematics and Mathematics Achievement of Tenth Grade Students at Government and Private Schools in kolfe keranio sub city of Addis Ababa
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Date
2015-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate differences in attitudes towards mathematics,
mathematics anxiety, and mathematical achievement due to sex, and school type, and to
display how well anxiety and attitude towards mathematics determine students’
mathematical achievement controlling for sex and school type. Attitude and anxiety
mathematics scales were administered to 307 tenth grade students (128 private and 179
government) and the data collected were analyzed using statistical techniques of mean,
standard deviation, independent samples t-test and multiple regression analyses.
Results revealed significant differences in attitude, in anxiety and in mathematics
scores with respect to type of schools, but no significant sex differences with respect to
private schools, government schools and both types of the schools combined together.
The multiple regression analysis displayed that sex, school type, attitude towards
mathematics and mathematics anxiety had statistically significant contribution on
students’ mathematics achievement explaining 45.8% of the variance in mathematics
achievement. Of the variables treated in the study, attitude towards mathematics and
mathematics anxiety were the best predictor variables of the student mathematics
achievement. Based on the findings, valuable suggestions were forwarded for
stakeholders. Thus, to decrease the students’ negative attitude towards mathematics
and mathematics anxiety students, parents, teachers, school administrators and
education planners work together cooperatively; government schools learn best
practices from private schools especially in the use of instructional time and teachers
create student-centered teaching methods.
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Keywords
Mathematics, Achievement, Anxiety