Abstract
Abstract This article focuses on a two-level model analysis of attitudes and beliefs affecting students’ higher order thinking (HOT) skills in mathematics in Aceh, Indonesia. The data used are nested within the hierarchical ordering of both student (level 1) and teacher (level 2). The variables used at level 1 in the study include liking mathematics, valuing mathematics, confidence in mathematics, and individual judgement of mathematics ability, as well as beliefs concerning mathematics related to lower order thinking (LOT) and higher order thinking (HOT). The variables at level 2 involve beliefs concerning mathematics teaching related to LOT and beliefs concerning mathematics teaching related to HOT. The analysis reveals that there are four variables at level 1 contributing to student HOT skills in mathematics: liking mathematics, individual judgement of mathematics ability, beliefs concerning mathematics related to LOT, and beliefs concerning mathematics related to HOT. At level 2, the one variable affecting student HOT skills in mathematics is teacher beliefs concerning mathematics related to HOT.
Highlights
Recent research in the field of mathematics education has highlighted the need to investigate belief and attitude constructs as well as the need to investigate how these contribute to the students’ mathematics performance
The variables analyzed at student level are (a) liking mathematics (LIKE MATH); (b) valuing mathematics (VALUE MATH); (c) confidence in learning mathematics (MATH CONF); (d) individual judgement of mathematics ability (IND JUD); (e) beliefs concerning mathematics related to higher order thinking (HOT) (SBM H) and (f) beliefs concerning mathematics related to lower order thinking (LOT) (SBM L)
*LIKE MATH; VALUE MATH; MATH CONF; IND JUD; SBM H: SBM L; TBMT H; TBMT L
Summary
Recent research in the field of mathematics education has highlighted the need to investigate belief and attitude constructs as well as the need to investigate how these contribute to the students’ mathematics performance. Beliefs play crucial roles in mathematics learning and the interactions between beliefs and performance have been analyzed (DI MARTINO; ZAN, 2011). Students’ beliefs towards mathematics have a meaningful impact on their attitudes toward mathematics (KLOOSTERMAN, 2002). Studies have been conducted to determine whether there is a causal relationship between students’ positive attitudes and their mathematics performance (DI MARTINO; ZAN, 2011), with a positive attitude being associated with a positive mathematics performance. It is crucial to study the students’ beliefs in relation to their attitude towards mathematics and mathematics performance while taking into account the roles of the teachers’ beliefs
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