RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TO MATHEMATICS AND THEIR PERFORMANCE

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this study were to find out the relationship between attitude of senior secondary school student’s towards mathematics and their academic achievement in mathematics, find out gender difference in the students’ attitude towards mathematics.380 sample made up of 247 male and 133 female out of the total population of 27,176 students. The sample was conveniently selected from ten (10) out of the thirty seven (37) senior secondary schools in the study area. The instrument used in collecting the data for the study was Attitude toward mathematics scale (ATM-scale). The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test of independence and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient respectively. The findings in the study revealed that male students have more positive attitudes toward mathematics than the female students and vice versa. Moreover, the study also revealed that there was a strong positive relationship between attitude towards mathematics and academic achievement in mathematics among senior secondary school students of the study area. The school environment, teacher’s attitudes and beliefs, teaching style, parental attitudes, and peer influence were identified as the main factors that account for student’s attitudes toward mathematics. Recommendations have also been made on how to enhance and promote positive attitudes toward mathematics among both teachers and students.