| Peer-Reviewed

Pupils’ Attitude Towards Learning Mathematics Subject in Nkasi District Primary Schools

Received: 16 May 2019     Accepted: 16 April 2020     Published: 28 April 2020
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

An attitude is all about emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a particular object, person, thing, or event. It is the result of experience. Attitude has a powerful influence over learning. The study aimed at determining attitudes of pupils towards learning mathematics, and thereupon establish possible linkages between attitudes and performance. A cross-sectional survey study was employed to answer two research questions. The questionnaires, focused group discussion, semi-structured interviews and documentary review were used to gather information from 320 pupils and 77 teachers. The descriptive statistics in contingence tabulation used to test the association of the results at 5% level of association. The findings show that the majority of pupils have positive attitude toward learning mathematics subject. Similarly, a large number of teachers have positive attitude towards pupils learning mathematics subject. Nevertheless, pupils’ attitude towards learning mathematics was not directly linked to their academic performance. Poor performance was found to be caused by poor teaching and learning environment in primary schools. In due regard, further research is needed in the same study in other districts of Tanzania for comparative reason and generalization. For the immediate action, the government should facilitate empowerment of mathematics teachers through short courses, seminars, workshops and any other professional development programmes in order to improve their ability in teaching the subject. Furthermore, teaching and learning environment should be improved for effective learning.

Published in International Journal of Education, Culture and Society (Volume 5, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11
Page(s) 20-25
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), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Pupils’ Attitude, Learning Mathematics, Mathematics Performance, Professional Teachers

References
[1] URT (2009). Basic Education Statistics in Tanzania National Data, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.
[2] Akinsola, M. K. & Olowojaiye, F. B. (2008). “Teacher Instructional Methods and Student Attitudes Towards Mathematics”, International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, GOKKUSAGl. Volume 3, No. 1, www.ieime.com Retrieved on Tuesday, 6th October, 2009.
[3] Baloğlu, M. (2001). “Matematik Korkusunu Venmek”, Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğitim Bilrmleri Dergisi, Volume 1, No. I, pp 59-76.
[4] Peker, M. & Mirasyedioğlu, S. (2007). “Pre~service Elementary School Teachers' Learning Styles and Attitudes towards Mathematics”, Eurasial Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Volume 4, No. 1, pp 21-26. www.ejmste.com Retrieved on Saturday, 17th October, 2009.
[5] Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory, New York, General Learning Press.
[6] Newbill, P. L (2005). Instructional Strategies to Improve Women’s Attitudes towards Science. Unpublished PhD in Curriculum and Instruction Thesis, Virginia, Polytechnic Institute and State University.
[7] Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
[8] Bandura, A. (1999). “A social Cognitive Theory of Personality", in Pervin, L. & John, O. Handbook of Personality. New York, Guildford publications. pp 154-196.
[9] Park, S. H.; Levine, R. T.; Westerman, K. Y. C.; Orfgen, T. & Foregger, S. (2007). “The Effects of Argument Quality and Involvement Type on Attitude Formation and Attitude Change: A Test of Dual-Process and Social Judgment Predictions", Human Communication Research, Volume 33, pp 81-102, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/11853507/PDFSTART Retrieved on Monday, 19th October, 2009.
[10] Sherif, M. & Hovland, C. (1961). Social Judgment, Assimilation and Contrast Effects in Communication and Attitude Change, New Haven, Yale University Press.
[11] Sherif, C., Sherif, M. & Nebergall, R. (1965). Attitude and Attitude Change. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders.
[12] Valery, N. (2014). Attitude of secondary school students towards mathematics and its effects on their performance in Bagamoyo district, Tanzania. M. A. (Education) Thesis, Dar es Salaam, University of Dar es Salaam.
[13] Mwakitalima, B. A. (2008). Influence of Attitudes and Norms on Students’ Mathematics Learning: A Case Study of Meta and Mbeya Secondary Schools in Mbeya Region, M. Ed (Science Education) Dissertation, Dar es Salaam, University of Dar es Salaam.
[14] Rukando, N. D. (2006). Girls' Attitude and Performance in Mathematics: A Comparative Study Between Rural and Urban O-level Secondary Schools in Mora region, Tanzania, M. A. (Education) Thesis, Dar es Salaam, University of Dar es Salaam.
[15] Ngenzi, S. S. (2005). Girls' Attitudes and Performance in Science and Mathematics in Selected Low and High Performing Schools in Tanzania, M. Ed (Science Education) Dissertation, Dar es Salaam, University of Dar es Salaam.
[16] Marcoulides, G. A., & Hershberger, S. L. (1997). Multivariate Statistical Methods: A First Course, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erilbaum Associates Publishers.
[17] Comrey, L., & Lee, H. (1992). A Furst Course in Factor Analysis. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
[18] Kaiser, H. F. (1960). “The Application of Electronic Computers to Factor Analysis", Educational and Psychological Measurement, Volume 20, pp 141-151.
[19] Rummel, R. J. (1970). Applied Factor Analysis, Evanston: Northwestern University Press.
[20] Bhalalusesa, E. P. (2003), “Beyond Access: Analysis of Girls and Women’s Participation and Performance in Education in Tanzania", Paper in Education and Development, Dar es Salaam, KAD Associates, Volume 23, pp 69-85.
[21] Mensah, J. K., Okyere M. and Kuranchie, A. (2013). Student attitude towards Mathematics and performance: Does the teacher attitude matter? Journal of Education and Practice, ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol. 4, No. 3, Retrieved on Wednesday, 15th April, 2020.
[22] Phonguttha, R., Tayraukham, S. & Nuangchalerm, P. (2009). “Comparisons of Mathematics Achievement, Attitude towards Mathematics and Analytical Thinking between Using the Geometer's Sketchpad Program as Media and Conventional Learning Activities”, Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, Volume 3, No. 3, pp 3036-3039, INSI net Publication.
[23] Olatoye, R. A. (2001). A Causal Model of School Factors as Determinants of Science Achievement in Lagos State Secondary Schools. Unpublished PhD Thesis, lbadan, University of lbadan.
[24] Adesokan, C. O. (2002). Students attitude and Gender as Determinants of Performance m JSS integrated Science. Nigeria Unpublished B. Ed project, University of Ado-Ekiti.
[25] Olatude, Y. P. (2009). “Students Attitude towards Mathematics and Academic Achievement in Some Selected Secondary Schools in Southwestern Nigeria“, European Journal of Scientific Research, EuroJournals Publishing, lnc. Volume 36, No. 3, pp 336-341, http://www.eurojournals.com/ejsr.html Retrieved on Friday, 19th March, 2010.
[26] Lewis, R. H. (2010). Mathematics: The Most Misunderstood Subject, New York, Rose Hill Campus Bronx, http://llwww.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/mathematics_deartme/wha_math/index.asp Retrieved on Friday, 9th April, 2010.
[27] Mohammed Khalid (1 Oct 2017) How to Reduce Poverty in Developing Countries. Retrieved on Friday June 1, 2018 from https://borgenproject.org/reduce-poverty-in-developing-countries/
[28] Heider, F. (1958). The Psychology of Interpersonal Relations, New York, Wiley.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Geofrey Mwanahanja, Frank Tilya. (2020). Pupils’ Attitude Towards Learning Mathematics Subject in Nkasi District Primary Schools. International Journal of Education, Culture and Society, 5(2), 20-25. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Geofrey Mwanahanja; Frank Tilya. Pupils’ Attitude Towards Learning Mathematics Subject in Nkasi District Primary Schools. Int. J. Educ. Cult. Soc. 2020, 5(2), 20-25. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Geofrey Mwanahanja, Frank Tilya. Pupils’ Attitude Towards Learning Mathematics Subject in Nkasi District Primary Schools. Int J Educ Cult Soc. 2020;5(2):20-25. doi: 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11,
      author = {Geofrey Mwanahanja and Frank Tilya},
      title = {Pupils’ Attitude Towards Learning Mathematics Subject in Nkasi District Primary Schools},
      journal = {International Journal of Education, Culture and Society},
      volume = {5},
      number = {2},
      pages = {20-25},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijecs.20200502.11},
      abstract = {An attitude is all about emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a particular object, person, thing, or event. It is the result of experience. Attitude has a powerful influence over learning. The study aimed at determining attitudes of pupils towards learning mathematics, and thereupon establish possible linkages between attitudes and performance. A cross-sectional survey study was employed to answer two research questions. The questionnaires, focused group discussion, semi-structured interviews and documentary review were used to gather information from 320 pupils and 77 teachers. The descriptive statistics in contingence tabulation used to test the association of the results at 5% level of association. The findings show that the majority of pupils have positive attitude toward learning mathematics subject. Similarly, a large number of teachers have positive attitude towards pupils learning mathematics subject. Nevertheless, pupils’ attitude towards learning mathematics was not directly linked to their academic performance. Poor performance was found to be caused by poor teaching and learning environment in primary schools. In due regard, further research is needed in the same study in other districts of Tanzania for comparative reason and generalization. For the immediate action, the government should facilitate empowerment of mathematics teachers through short courses, seminars, workshops and any other professional development programmes in order to improve their ability in teaching the subject. Furthermore, teaching and learning environment should be improved for effective learning.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Pupils’ Attitude Towards Learning Mathematics Subject in Nkasi District Primary Schools
    AU  - Geofrey Mwanahanja
    AU  - Frank Tilya
    Y1  - 2020/04/28
    PY  - 2020
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11
    T2  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
    JF  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
    JO  - International Journal of Education, Culture and Society
    SP  - 20
    EP  - 25
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-3363
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijecs.20200502.11
    AB  - An attitude is all about emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a particular object, person, thing, or event. It is the result of experience. Attitude has a powerful influence over learning. The study aimed at determining attitudes of pupils towards learning mathematics, and thereupon establish possible linkages between attitudes and performance. A cross-sectional survey study was employed to answer two research questions. The questionnaires, focused group discussion, semi-structured interviews and documentary review were used to gather information from 320 pupils and 77 teachers. The descriptive statistics in contingence tabulation used to test the association of the results at 5% level of association. The findings show that the majority of pupils have positive attitude toward learning mathematics subject. Similarly, a large number of teachers have positive attitude towards pupils learning mathematics subject. Nevertheless, pupils’ attitude towards learning mathematics was not directly linked to their academic performance. Poor performance was found to be caused by poor teaching and learning environment in primary schools. In due regard, further research is needed in the same study in other districts of Tanzania for comparative reason and generalization. For the immediate action, the government should facilitate empowerment of mathematics teachers through short courses, seminars, workshops and any other professional development programmes in order to improve their ability in teaching the subject. Furthermore, teaching and learning environment should be improved for effective learning.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of General Studies, Water Institute, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

  • School of Physical Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania

  • Sections