PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS AS DETERMINANTS OF STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS
BY
Adekoya Emmanuel Olusegun
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of psychosocial factors on the achievement secondary school students in mathematics. The variables that were addressed include test anxiety, locus of control, self concept, motivation, study habit and peer influence.
The population for the study included all Senior Secondary School 2 (SSS 2) students in Ogun State. Two hundred (200) SS 2 students were randomly selected from four administrative zones in Ogun State. Seven instruments namely: Test Anxiety Questionnaire (TAQ), Self Concept Questionnaire (SCQ), Motivation for Achievement Questionnaire (MAQ), Peer
…show more content…
The National Policy on Education (FGN 2004) emphasizes the teaching of mathematics to pave way for scientific and technological development of the nation. It is important then to say that mathematics is the key to science and technology; which has played a great role in the creation and development of the modern technological advancement around the globe. It is no doubt that mathematics is the root of all other science disciplines which cuts across all aspects of human life. Mathematics which encapsulates science of numbers and computation (Arithmetic), the language of symbols and relations (Algebra), the study of shapes, sizes and shape (geometry) the measure of distances and analysis of oscillations (trigonometry), the science of interpreting data and graphs (statistics) and the study of change, infinity and limits (calculus) is an indispensable component of school curriculum.
The study of mathematics in most private and some public secondary schools begins at the junior secondary school level and is handled mostly by graduates of Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) because this category of teachers are mostly employed at the junior secondary school level. In the past, consciously and unconsciously, mathematics, though in form of Arithmetic were done by the use of different parts of human body such as fingers and toes, objects like stones, drawing of lines and marks on surfaces of papers were also employed. At the primary
From birth, it is important for practitioners to support the early years’ mathematical development. Children learn emergent maths which is a “term used to describe children construct mathematics from birth” (Geist, 2010). The Early Years Statuary Frameworks (EYFS) (Department of Education) states that maths is one of the specific areas.
It is crucial to develop in children the ability to tackle problems with initiative and confidence…mathematics has changed from careful rehearsal of standard procedures to a focus on mathematical thinking and communication to prepare them for the world of tomorrow (Anghileri, 2006, p.2).
To address this phenomenon, researchers have proposed different theories of test anxiety to account for the effects of test anxiety on the deficits of academic performance. According to scholars such as Schmidt and Riniolo (1999), the cognitive aspects of test anxiety - worry and task-relevant thinking - are also present in social anxiety. Therefore, students who experience test anxiety may also suffer from other types of psychological and cognitive problems such as self-esteem, cognitive development, social skills and memory. Essentially, the students who suffer from test anxiety are individuals who are unable to cope with any types of stress. Considering the stressful nature of
Mathematical activities at Ysgol Dolafon are delivered in accordance with pupil’s individual needs and great deal of emphasis is given to continuity of learning. Ample opportunity is provided for pupils to discuss their understanding of concepts as they progress and teachers are aware of the importance of eliminating any gaps in the children’s mathematical knowledge. The Welsh Assembly Government guideline for Mathematical Development maintains that: ‘It is crucial that gaps in children’s mathematical learning are avoided, so that children do not miss out on essential elements in their understanding of mathematical concepts’ (WAG 2008) and Ysgol Dolafon fully agrees with that statement.
This text proposes to display the results of a study that was conducted by selecting a random sampling of students. Information was gathered and scored about their study habits and their anxiety levels at exam time. The goal was to determine whether or not there was a significant level of correlation between the numbers of hours that students studied in relation to the level of anxiety that the students experienced at exam time. As researchers the aim was to disprove the null hypothesis that states there is no correlation between the two variables and to prove the alternate hypothesis that states that the anxiety at exam time is directly
Geometry and Algebra are so crucial to the development of the world it is taught to every public high school in the United States, around 14.8 million teenagers each year (National Center for Education Statistics). Mathematics is the engine powering our world; our stocks, economy, technology, and science are all based off from math. Math is our universal and definite language “I was especially delighted with the mathematics, on account of the certitude and evidence of their reasonings.” (Rene Descartes, 1637).
This assignment will discuss the challenges and benefits for pupil’s learning when Mathematics is connected to Science. This cross-curricular link has been chosen as I wish to further deepen my understanding of Science and its cross-curricular links to Mathematics. The essay will explain what role Mathematics and Science play within the National curriculum, what cross-curricularity means followed by the discussion of the challenges and benefits including examples of how these are applied in work-based practice at primary school within upper key stage 2.
the students to do well and pass with a satisfactory score gives students an overwhelming amount of anxiety and in return makes
The purpose of this research is to examine perceptions of student test anxiety in elementary school.
Mathematics, study of relationships among quantities, magnitudes, and properties and of logical operations by which unknown quantities, magnitudes, and properties may be deduced. In the past, mathematics was regarded as the science of quantity, whether of magnitudes, as in geometry, or of numbers, as in arithmetic, or of the generalization of these two fields, as in algebra. Toward the middle of the 19th century, however, mathematics came to be regarded increasingly as the science of relations, or as the science that draws necessary conclusions. This latter view encompasses mathematical or symbolic logic, the science of using symbols to provide an exact theory of logical deduction and inference based on
In today’s society mathematics is a vital part of day-to-day life. No matter what a person is doing at home or at the workplace, he/she is constantly using different mathematics skills to simply function. Then what does this mean for mathematics education? When someone needs to utilize a skill every day then he/she needs a strong background in the skill. Therefore, today’s students need more than a just a working knowledge of mathematics or enough knowledge to pass a test. Today’s students need to understand how mathematics works and how to utilize mathematics skills in the best way possible.
Maths is ubiquitous in our lives, but depending on the learning received as a child it could inspire or frighten. If a child has a negative experience in mathematics, that experience has the ability to affect his/her attitude toward mathematics as an adult. Solso (2009) explains that math has the ability to confuse, frighten, and frustrate learners of all ages; Math also has the ability to inspire, encourage and achieve. Almost all daily activities include some form of mathematical procedure, whether people are aware of it or not. Possessing a solid learning foundation for math is vital to ensure a lifelong understanding of math. This essay will discuss why it is crucial to develop in children the ability to tackle problems with initiative and confidence (Anghileri, 2006, p. 2) and why mathematics has changed from careful rehearsal of standard procedures to a focus on mathematical thinking and communication to prepare them for the world of tomorrow (Anghileri).
What is mathematics? What is the distinct definition for it? Something that always has bewildered me is what maths really is.
Mathematics, like every creation of man, have evolved without really knowing how far you can get with them: the scope of the computer, physics, chemistry, algebra, all are evidence of this. Every aspect of our culture is based in some way or another in Mathematics: language, music, dance, art, sculpture, architecture, biology, daily life. All these areas of measurements and calculations are accurate. Even in nature, everything follows a precise pattern and a precise order: a flower, a shell, a butterfly, day and night, the seasons. All this makes mathematics essential for human life and they can not be limited only to a matter within the school curriculum; here lies the importance of teaching math in a pleasure, enjoyable and understandable way. Mathematics is an aid to the development of the child and should be seen as an aid to life and not as an obstacle in their lifes.
Mathematics is the one of the most important subjects in our daily life and in most human activities the knowledge of mathematics is important. In the rapidly changing world and in the era of technology, mathematics plays an essential role. To understand the mechanized world and match with the newly developing information technology knowledge in mathematics is vital. Mathematics is the mother of all sciences. Without the knowledge of mathematics, nothing is possible in the world. The world cannot progress without mathematics. Mathematics fulfills most of the human needs related to diverse aspects of everyday life. Mathematics has been accepted as significant element of formal education from ancient period to the present day. Mathematics has a very important role in the classroom not only because of the relevance of the syllabus material, but because of the reasoning processes the student can develop.