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Proceedings of the 9 Symposium on Applied Science, Business & Industrial Research – 2017
ISSN 2279-1558, ISBN 978-955-7442-09-9

Effects of Students’ Attitudes Towards Their Performance in Mathematics

Ganegoda GRNES, Wickramasinghe WMPM, Appuhamy PADAN
Department of Mathematical Sciences, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
nisha.ganegoda@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The main objective of this study is to identify how the students’ attitudes affect their
achievements in mathematics. Target population of this study was grade 11 students in
Giriulle zone and the representative sample was selected using multi stage sampling.
Ordinal logistic regression method was used to model the impact of attitudes towards
mathematics achievement. Students’ likeness in Mathematics, students’ value of
Mathematics and students’ confidence in Mathematics were used as attitudes. The results
show that there is a significant relationship between the female students’ attitudes and
their achievements while the male students’ achievements do not have a significant
relationship with the students’ value in Mathematics. Also, there is a significant
relationship between the gender and the students’ likeness to Mathematics. There is an
effect of mother’s education level for the students’ value in mathematics while father’s
education level has not any effect with all three attitudes. Further, it is found that there is
an effect of students’ likeness in mathematics and students’ confidence in mathematics for
their mathematics achievement. That is in order to have higher marks for Mathematics,
the students should possess great likeness and confidence. Students’ attitude towards
mathematics is an important factor which affects the students’ achievement. If the
educational authorities can launch the program to stimulate students’ likeness and
confidence in Mathematics, it would help to obtain high performance in mathematics.
KEYWORDS: Attitudes, Giriulla zone, Mathematics achievement

between students’ attitudes and students’
1 INTRODUCTION
performance shows a positive relationship
At present, Mathematics plays a according to the studies done by Mohd,
superior role in students’ performance. Mahmood, & Ismail, 2011; Bramlett &
Educational researchers have spent more Herron, 2009; Nicolaidou & Philippou,
time and energy to reveal the possible causes 2003; Papanastasiou, 2000. Attitudes are
of students’ poor attitudes and performances based on knowledge, feelings and behavior
in Mathematics. In improving Mathematics of the students. Hence, this study is an
education, researchers’ recognized that attempt to recognize how students’ attitudes
attitudes behalf, interest and other affective affect their performance in Mathematics at
variables play a key role in students’ the G.C.E Ordinary Level Examination.
achievement. In the past, attitudes towards
mathematics and achievement outcomes of The main objective of this research
mathematics were studied extensively. was to model the impact of attitudes towards
Several studies and researches have been mathematics achievements. Also examine
done in many countries to find the factors gender differences in attitudes towards
that influence the students’ performance in Mathematics and Mathematics achievements
mathematics. and the impact of parents’ level of education
that effect on students’ positive attitude
Among these factors, students’ towards mathematics achievement. In Sri
attitudes towards mathematics are one Lanka there is no evidence of proper study
important factor that has been consistently conducted to identify the influence of
studied. Often, the studies on relationship attitudes towards Mathematics for their

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