Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Background of the Study

“My role as a mathematics teacher is to spark the interests of my students

and excite them about mathematics and its usefulness in our world”

~ Daniel Brahier

This comment sums up the researchers’ belief that for students to be motivated

and to see the usefulness of mathematical concepts, they must make the personal

connections between school mathematics and how these concepts might be

encountered in their life outside of school. The works of Malmivuori (2006) and

Elliott, Oty, McArthur, and Clark (2001) indicate some students’ attitudes are affected

by the personal applicability, or lack thereof, of mathematics to their lives and

possible future careers. Usually, the way that Mathematics is represented in the

classroom and perceived by the students, even when teachers believe they are

presenting it in authentic and context dependent way it tends to alienate many students

from mathematics (Barton, 2000; Furringhetti and Pekhonen, 2002). Previous

researches have also concluded that attitudes influence the participation rate of the

learners.

Students’ attitudes toward a certain lesson may either be negative or positive.

These positive and negative attitudes are for always and unchangeable beliefs of

students which they acquired from their own experiences during their learning

process. According to Moenika & Zahed-Babelen, 2010, mathematical attitude is

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among the predictors of achievement in mathematics. The idea that there cannot be the

same learning for all students, informs us that students have different learning styles

some of which have become determinants of the pace of their learning capacity.

Students have different perceptions of Mathematics affected by their prior

attitudes towards the subject. Attitude towards mathematics plays a vital part in the

teaching and learning process. According to Len & Chris 2010, one of the most

important factors of this attitude is the emotional response given to a certain situation.

This shows that the productiveness of the instructors and overall class environment

affects the attitude of the students towards Mathematics. A study conducted by Singh,

Granville, and Dika (2002) determined students’ school and class attendance as well

as their preparedness for mathematics classes directly influences their motivation.

Consequently, this influence on motivation affects students’ attitudes toward

mathematics (e.g., students who were prepared for class displayed behavior associated

with high motivation and positive attitudes toward mathematics, while students who

were not prepared for class exhibited behavior associated with low motivation and

more negative attitudes toward mathematics). Similarly, Hemmings and Kay (2010)

indicate that the effort, in addition to the motivation, of 10th grade mathematics

students is positively and significantly related to their mathematics attitudes.

In line with this, the researcher felt that a student’s negative attitude toward

mathematics as a subject can have a negative effect on their performance in the class.

This study seeks to determine the effect of learning attitudes that the UMDC Senior

High School students have towards their academic performance in mathematics.

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Statement of the Problem

This section presents the purpose of the study and the variables in interrogative

statement.

1. What is the level of attitudes of the students in learning mathematics?

2. What is the level of academic performance of the students in learning

mathematics?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the attitudes and academic

performance of the Senior High School students of UM Digos College towards

Mathematics?

Hypothesis

The null hypothesis tested at 0.05 level of significance.

Ho1: There is a significant relationship between the attitudes and academic

performance of the Senior High School students of UM Digos College towards

Mathematics.
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Review of Related Literature

This section presents a collection of literature and related researches that are

relevant to the subject of investigation of the study.

Nature of Students’ Attitude toward Mathematics

Students’ attitude toward Mathematics is one thing that can help to

develop the learnings, performances and achievements of the students and also the

way of teaching of the teacher in mathematics. This attitude of the students was

recognized by many researchers. Majeed et al., (2013) stressed that through learning

experiences the attitude of can be change because attitude is an unplanned behavior of

a students. Furthermore, Lianghuo et al., (2005) cited Neale (1969) emphasized that

the attitude and performance of each students can affect each other.

Moreover, Bandura (1989) proposed that the changes of students’

behavior eventually precede change the in students’ attitude.

The Affective Domain

Historically, research has classified mental processes into three modes:

cognitive, conative (or volition), and affective. English and English (1958) define

cognitive mental functions as processes (perceiving, recognizing, conceiving, judging,

and reasoning) where an organism obtains knowledge of an object. The second mental

process, 46 conative, involves conscious tendencies to act (e.g., impulses or volitions).

This mental function contains one’s disposition toward mathematics (e.g., persistence,

effort, desire). In the National Research Council’s Adding it up: Helping children

learn mathematics, Kilpatrick et al. (2001) define one’s productive disposition toward

mathematics as “the habitual inclination to see mathematics as sensible, useful, and

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worthwhile, coupled with a belief in diligence and one’s own efficacy” (p. 5). The first

Standard for Mathematical Practice in the CCSSM (CCSSO & NGA, 2010), “Make

sense of problems and persevere in solving them” (p. 6), also addresses student

disposition. Finally yet importantly, the affective domain, the third mental process

defined by English and English, involves feelings, attitudes, emotions, or a feeling

response toward a particular object or idea; it is the general reaction to something

liked or disliked.

Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Mathematics

While learning mathematics is a cognitive process, affect (attitudes, emotions,

and beliefs) also plays an important part in a student’s mathematical learning

environment. Students’ past beliefs, successes, failures, and attitudes may influence

how much effort and time they are willing to put into learning specific topics and how

useful they may find these topics.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the majority of the research on student attitudes toward

mathematics was conducted through a quantitative lens (Aiken, 1972; Fennema-

Sherman, 1976; Sandman, 1980), using Likert-type surveys to generate numerical

values on pre-surveys and post-surveys and determining if a significant difference in

student attitudes toward mathematics existed. Ma and Kishor (1997) also posit that the

variable ‘attitude’ is one of the most potent factors relating to mathematics

achievement. The results from this study indicate, at a statistically significant level,

that prior achievement predicts later attitude for students in grades 7-12. However,

prior attitudes of these students did not predict later achievement. In a different study,

Ma and Xu (2004), determined that attitude has an effect on later attitude (both
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positive and negative attitude) and prior achievement has an effect on later

achievement; the effect of prior achievement being the stronger of the two effects.

While these results indicate a uni-directional relationship between achievement in

mathematics and attitudes toward mathematics, Schiefele and Csikszentmihalyi

(1995) suggest a cyclic influence between achievement and attitude based on a study

they conducted at the secondary level. “Although there is some disagreement about

which variable possesses more weight, the majority of authors conclude that affect and

achievement do influence one another” (p. 177).

Generally, in the reviewed studies that have been researched by some

researchers, they concluded that the attitudes of the students can be positive or

negative reactions (Mata, 2012). The students’ attitude may result from a repeated

emotional reaction to Mathematics subject or there are already attitude that exist in a

particular task that assigned to the learner (Majeed et al., 2013 cited in McLeon,

1992). The investigator feels that the study is significant contribution to the field of

education. Both Philippines and foreign studies are on different level/categories of

people, thus the present study is different and significant from the investigators point

of view reveals in itself. The present study differs from the above studied in terms of

area, population and sample. Hence the present study is different from studies that

have been already done. The present study reads achievement and performances in

mathematics, and the attitudes of UMDC SHS student towards the subject.
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Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

This part of the study will discuss the theories and concepts that guides the

development of the variables of the study. This study is anchored on the theories that

were related in this research.

Set or Attitude Theory. This theory was proposed by Edward Lee

Thorndike(1935). This theory articulated that what the students’ attitude to the

conditions of their learnings. This set was possibly affects the attitude of the students

in the learning environment. This learning may be through the instructions and

experiences which are also connected with prior experience. Moreover, set was also

affects the student’s expectation about the learning task that will be given by the

teacher. Thus, if the students are prepared to learn and has a positive attitude and a

courage about learning something therefore the students can achieve the learnings

successfully.

Social Learning Theory. This theory was also known as “Observational

Learning” and was planned by Albert Bandura, (1977). This theory states the

significance of modelling and observing the attitudes, behaviors and emotional

reactions of the other people. Moreover, it concludes that the learnings of the children

is extremely relying on observation. In addition, this theory stated that the learners can

understand and learn by observing the behavior of the other people and the results of

the behaviors. It also describe that every learners are more prefer to take on a behavior

that is modelled if it is a like with the learner’s behavior. Hence, the most significant

thing is the students will follow the modelled behavior only if it is helpful and has a

useful value.
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Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Academic Performance in
Student’s Attitudes Mathematics

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram Showing the Variables of the Study

Significance of the Study

The finding of the study is significant to the following:

Teachers. This may serve as a guide and at the same time, awareness on

dealing with different attitude of the students towards mathematics. And by the help of

this study the teacher would be able to understand why students have a different level

in academic performance in mathematics.

Students. This study will provide the students with some knowledge and

realization that their attitude towards mathematics can affect their academic

performance.

Academic Institutions. This study will be beneficial to the different academic

institutions since it will serve as future reference for the future betterment of the
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institution’s approach towards teaching Mathematics.

Future Researchers. This research will be a useful reference for the researcher

who would plan to make any related study. And this can serve as their guide and

inspiration as well.

Definition of terms

This section presents the key term used in the study. They were defined

conceptually for better understanding of the study.

Attitudes towards mathematics. This refers to the disposition towards an

aspect of mathematics that has acquired by an individual through his or her beliefs and

experience but which could be changed.

Academic Performance. This refers to the achievements of the students in a

particular subject specifically in mathematics subject. The term is defined as back to

the extent to which a student has executed their quick or lengthy-time period

educational desires (Koshal et. al, 1996). This may result a good or poor performance.

It is also the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieve their short or

long-term educational goals. As used in this study, the academic performance of the

UMDC SHS students has been looked upon.

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Chapter 2

METHOD

This chapter presents research methods and procedures that the researcher used in

conducting the survey, which covers the research design, research subjects, research

instrument, data gathering procedure and data treatment and analysis, used in the

study.

Research Design

This study applies the correlation quantitative approach. Correlational research

examines the relationship between two variables, performing correlational studies is

accomplished to set up what the effect of one on the opposite might be and how that

influences the connection (Klazema, 2014). This research design will use surveys to

gather data in response to the relational questions. Moreover, this study needs to

research the impact of the level of attitude and the academic performance of the

respondents towards Mathematics. Specifically, this study will use a survey

questionnaire.

Research subjects

The study will be conducted in University of Mindanao Digos College Senior

High School. The respondents are all grade 12 students who have enrolled in class

with Mathematics subject during the second semester of the School Year 2018 – 2019.

The said participants will be given a survey questionnaire to determine their level of
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attitudes and their level of academic performance in learning Mathematics.

Research Instruments

The instrument was anchored from the definition of attitudes towards

mathematics given by Ma and Kishor (1997). The four main clauses in the definition

namely – liking and disliking; tendency to engage in or avoid mathematical activities;

a belief that one is good or bad in mathematics; and a belief that mathematics is useful

or useless were the latent constructs in the study. They are the proposed factors

composing the attitudes of students toward mathematics. The scale was presented

before a panel of test development specialist for comments and suggestions. Some

statements were deleted, some were rephrased. All the suggestions given were noted

and incorporated before finalizing the instrument. Table 1 shows sample items from

each of the factors. All thirty-two statements were jumbled in the final scale, with the

four proposed factors not indicated.

The following scale is provided for respondent reference.

Table 1
Sample Items by Factors
Item Number and Content by Factor
Liking or Disliking Mathematics
7. I like working on word problems in Mathematics.
26. I get anxious when its time for me to study Mathematics.
Tendency to Engage in or Avoid in Mathematics Activities
11. I look forward to our next class meetings in Mathematics.
14. I get overjoyed when my Mathematics class is called off.
A Belief That One is Good or Bad in Mathematics
5. I do not feel confident about my answers in Mathematics seat works.
15. I can easily solve complex problems.
A Belief that Mathematics is Useful or Useless
12. Studying advanced topics in Mathematics is just a waste of time.
20. My knowledge in Mathematics can help me solve real-life problems.
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The SATM is 32-item scale. It is constructed using a Likert-scale format

with the following anchors: 1 strongly disagree, 2 disagree, 3 moderately disagree,
4 moderately agree, 5 agree, and 6 strongly agree.

To measure the level of academic performance on Mathematics, a scale is

used as reference:

Percent Grade Scale Meaning

1.5 – 1.00 95 - 100 excellent
2.1 – 1.6 89 - 94 very good
2.6 – 2.2 84 - 88 good
3.5 – 2.7 75 – 83 fair
Below 3.5/ 5.0 74 below Needs
improvement/failed

Based on the National Assessment Standards of the National Educational

training and research Center (NETRC).

Data Gathering Procedure

This section presents the steps in the process of writing the research paper.

1. Seeking permission to conduct study. The researcher asked permission

from the Assistant Vice President of the University of Mindanao Digos College to

Conduct Study.

2. Selection of respondents. The researcher seek approval to the registrar’s

office to have the names of the officially enrolled as regular Grade 12 senior high

school students of UM Digos College.

3. Administration of Questionnaire. The researcher asked the AVP of UM

Digos College to distribute questionnaire regarding the impact of the level of attitude
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and the academic performance of the respondents towards Mathematics. The

researcher personally distributes and administers the questionnaire to the respondents.

The researcher personally retrieves the survey questionnaire after it was answered.

Statistical Treatment of Data

This section presents the statistical tools used in the study.

Mean. This was used to determine the impact of the level of attitude and the

academic performance of the respondents towards Mathematics of Grade 12 senior

high school students of UM Digos College.

Pearson r. the impact of the level of attitude and the academic performance of

the respondents towards Mathematics of Grade 12 senior high school students of UM

Digos College in answer to sub problem number 3.