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Students' Beliefs About Mathematics Learning and Problem Solving: The Case of Grade Eleven Students in West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Received: 20 May 2016    Accepted: 26 May 2016    Published: 30 June 2016
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Abstract

Currently, there is a strong political focus in Ethiopia on science, engineering, and mathematics. This to be efficient and practical strong mathematics knowledge, which is built through effective mathematics learning and problem solving, is momentous. For this in turn students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving play an important role; since students’ beliefs are vital forces in students’ mathematics learning and problem solving. Therefore, investigating students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving is essential in educational research. To address the problem quantitative approach using survey design was employed. The data was collected from four schools in West Arsi Zone using multistage sampling. The quantitative data obtained was analyzed using mean and independent samples t-test. Consequently, this study displayed that students’ beliefs about mathematics learning, and students’ beliefs about mathematics problem solving, were neutral; and there was statistically significant difference in students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving according to stream, and parents’ residence. However, even though the mean of students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving for male students was greater than that of female students, there was no statistically significant difference between male and female students in their beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving.

Published in Education Journal (Volume 5, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.edu.20160504.14
Page(s) 62-70
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Beliefs, Mathematics, Learning, Problem Solving

References
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[2] Mapolelo, D. C. (2009) Students’ experiences with mathematics teaching and learning: listening to unheard voices. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 40 (3), 309–322.
[3] Presmeg, N. (2002) Beliefs about the nature of mathematics in the bridging of everyday and school mathematical practices. In G. Leder, E. Pehkonen, & G. Torner (Eds.), Beliefs: A hidden variable in mathematics education? (pp. 293-312).
[4] Schoenfeld, A. H. (1992) Learning to think mathematically: Problem solving, metacognition, and sense making in mathematics. In D. A. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning, New York: Macmillan, pp. 334-369.
[5] Schoenfeld, A. H. (1988) When good teaching leads to bad results: The disasters of "well-taught" mathematics courses, Educational Psychologist, 23 (2), pp. 145-166.
[6] Nibbelink, W. H., Stockdale, S. R., Hoover, H. D., & Mangru, M. (1987) Problem solving in the elementary grades: Textbook practices and achievement trends over the past thirty years. Arithmetic Teacher, 35 (1): 34-37.
[7] Shields, D. J. (2005) Teachers have the power to alleviate math anxiety. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 9 (3), 326-330.
[8] Ozturk T. & Guven B. (2016). Evaluating Students’ Beliefs in Problem Solving Process: A Case Study. Karadeniz Technical University, TURKEY; Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 2016, 12 (2), 411-429.
[9] NAE (2010) Ethiopian Baseline National Learning Assessment of Grades 10 & 12 Students. Addis Ababa: NOE/MOE
[10] Asfaw, E., Otore, D., Ayele, T., & Gebremariam, Z. (2009) Science and mathematics secondary education. An Option paper presented at the Technical Workshop on Science and Mathematics Secondary Education in Africa (SEIA) Follow-up Program, Tunis
[11] Atnafu, M. (2010) Relation between Tenth Grade Students’ Attitude and Components of Attitude in Algebra with Algebra Achievement of Addis Ababa Secondary Schools, International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, Ethiopia.
[12] Belachew, T. (2015) Students’ Beliefs In Mathematics Education: The Case of West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia (Doctoral dissertation, Addis Ababa University).
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[15] Leech, N. L., Barrett, K. C. & Morgan, G. A. (2005) SPSS for Intermediate Statistics; Use and Interpretation (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. New Jersey, London. Breiteig, T., Grevholm, B., & Kislenko, K. (2005) Beliefs and attitudes in mathematics teaching and learning. Vurdering i matematikk-Hvorfor og hvordan, 129-138.
[16] Zimmerman, B. J., and Campillo, M., (2003) Motivating Self-Regulated Problem Solvers, in Janet E. Davidson and Robert J. Sternberg (eds.), The Psychology of Problem Solving, New York: Cambridge University Press. Causapin, M. G. A. (2012) Mathematics self-efficacy and its relation to proficiency-promoting behavior and performance (Doctoral dissertation, Columbia University).
[17] Pintrich, P. R., & Schunk, D. H. (2002) Motivation in education: Theory, research, and applications (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.
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[19] Causapin M. G. A (2012). Mathematics Self-Efficacy and its Relation to Proficiency-Promoting Behavior and Performance. PhD dissertation, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University.
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  • APA Style

    Mulugeta Atnafu Ayele, Tesfu Belachew Dadi. (2016). Students' Beliefs About Mathematics Learning and Problem Solving: The Case of Grade Eleven Students in West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. Education Journal, 5(4), 62-70. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20160504.14

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    ACS Style

    Mulugeta Atnafu Ayele; Tesfu Belachew Dadi. Students' Beliefs About Mathematics Learning and Problem Solving: The Case of Grade Eleven Students in West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. Educ. J. 2016, 5(4), 62-70. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20160504.14

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    AMA Style

    Mulugeta Atnafu Ayele, Tesfu Belachew Dadi. Students' Beliefs About Mathematics Learning and Problem Solving: The Case of Grade Eleven Students in West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. Educ J. 2016;5(4):62-70. doi: 10.11648/j.edu.20160504.14

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  • @article{10.11648/j.edu.20160504.14,
      author = {Mulugeta Atnafu Ayele and Tesfu Belachew Dadi},
      title = {Students' Beliefs About Mathematics Learning and Problem Solving: The Case of Grade Eleven Students in West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia},
      journal = {Education Journal},
      volume = {5},
      number = {4},
      pages = {62-70},
      doi = {10.11648/j.edu.20160504.14},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.edu.20160504.14},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.edu.20160504.14},
      abstract = {Currently, there is a strong political focus in Ethiopia on science, engineering, and mathematics. This to be efficient and practical strong mathematics knowledge, which is built through effective mathematics learning and problem solving, is momentous. For this in turn students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving play an important role; since students’ beliefs are vital forces in students’ mathematics learning and problem solving. Therefore, investigating students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving is essential in educational research. To address the problem quantitative approach using survey design was employed. The data was collected from four schools in West Arsi Zone using multistage sampling. The quantitative data obtained was analyzed using mean and independent samples t-test. Consequently, this study displayed that students’ beliefs about mathematics learning, and students’ beliefs about mathematics problem solving, were neutral; and there was statistically significant difference in students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving according to stream, and parents’ residence. However, even though the mean of students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving for male students was greater than that of female students, there was no statistically significant difference between male and female students in their beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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    AU  - Mulugeta Atnafu Ayele
    AU  - Tesfu Belachew Dadi
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    AB  - Currently, there is a strong political focus in Ethiopia on science, engineering, and mathematics. This to be efficient and practical strong mathematics knowledge, which is built through effective mathematics learning and problem solving, is momentous. For this in turn students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving play an important role; since students’ beliefs are vital forces in students’ mathematics learning and problem solving. Therefore, investigating students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving is essential in educational research. To address the problem quantitative approach using survey design was employed. The data was collected from four schools in West Arsi Zone using multistage sampling. The quantitative data obtained was analyzed using mean and independent samples t-test. Consequently, this study displayed that students’ beliefs about mathematics learning, and students’ beliefs about mathematics problem solving, were neutral; and there was statistically significant difference in students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving according to stream, and parents’ residence. However, even though the mean of students’ beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving for male students was greater than that of female students, there was no statistically significant difference between male and female students in their beliefs about mathematics learning and problem solving.
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Author Information
  • Department of Science & Mathematics Education, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Department of Mathematics, Medda Walabu University, Oromiya, Ethiopia

  • Department of Mathematics, Medda Walabu University, Oromiya, Ethiopia

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