An investigation into undergraduate students’ difficulties

in learning trigonometric identities.

Rationale of the study

Many students regardless of their programs are struggling with plane
trigonometry especially the trigonometric identities. The study aims to investigate the
difficulties of the undergraduate students experience in trigonometric identities. This study
is important, because this can be use by teachers who teaches plane trigonometry. They
can possibly revise their strategies that affects the learning of the students in the said
topic. The target population for this study included second, third- and fourth-year students
of College of teacher education enrolled or who previously completed the plane
trigonometry course, where the trigonometric identities content is covered. In selecting
students for the study, the simple random sampling technique was employed. A mixed
method designed was adopted for this study. A total of 70 students will participate in this
research study. All students who participate in the study will have a short test on
trigonometric identities designed by the researcher and then filled in a questionnaire.
The results showed that undergraduate students have difficulties in learning
trigonometric identities. This is because just looking at the functions of sine, cosine,
tangent, cotangent, cosecant and secant most of them wouldn’t give at least an effort to
answer or prove the identities because they already set up on their mind that trigonometric
identities is difficult. Based on the results, the study recommended that emphasis should
be placed on the basic and foundational knowledge of the plane trigonometry and its
applications. The study also recommends educators teachers to give emphasis and
simplify the teaching of trigonometric functions.
The study also aimed to answer the following research questions on the
difficulties of undergraduate students encounter in the learning of trigonometric identities.
1. What are the reasons why undergraduate students have difficulties in learning
trigonometric identities?
2. Finding the reasons why they’re experiencing such difficulties?
3. Does the teachers strategies affects the learning of the students?