Math Attitudes Research Articles

Parental Expectation, Attitudes, and Home Numeracy Environment in Korea and in the U.S.: Potential Sources of Asian Math Advantages

This present study examined relations among parental math attitudes, expectations, and practice, and preschool children’s math achievement (i.e., parental math practice as a mediator) that may differ between Korean and U.S. samples. We examined measurement invariance to minimize the bias and inaccurate estimates in scores in two samples, which is a common barrier in cross-cultural studies. The Korean sample comprised 232 children (mean age = 54.58 months) and their parents from large urban cities and two other provinces. The U.S. sample included 146 preschool children (mean age = 52.49 months) and their parents in an urban area. We utilized measurement invariance to investigate whether the parental math practice has the same meaning across the two samples, along with mediation group comparisons. U.S. parents tended to have more positive math attitudes and higher expectations, while Korean parents were likely to be more involved in math practice with children at home. Korean children scored significantly higher on math achievement than the U.S. children. Among the Korean sample, higher parental math expectations were associated with higher levels of parental math practice, which was, in turn, associated with higher levels of child math outcomes after controlling for child age and SES. On the contrary, parental math expectations were unrelated to their math practice or child math outcomes in the U.S. sample. Parent math attitudes were not associated with any variables in both samples. These findings explain Asian math advantages that emerge early and offer insights into cultural processes (i.e., the importance of parental math practice) that may play a different role in children’s math outcomes.

The impact of motivation on mathematics achievement of Saudi students using structure equation method and mediation analysis

This study focuses on the decline in math scores among fourth-grade students in Saudi Arabia, which is a significant concern. The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education is taking steps to improve education and provide students with the necessary skills for their future careers. Understanding what affects student achievement is key to solving this problem. Motivation in education is a critical factor that influences students' attitudes and their success in school. This research looks at how academic motivation affects educational success through a process called mediation analysis. It considers how self-concept and values, which come from motivation, play a role. The study uses the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation to create a model that explores how motivation and other factors like school bullying, feeling connected to school, and perceptions of teachers interact and affect each other. Mediation analysis helps examine the direct and indirect effects these factors have on student achievement. Data from the trends in international mathematics and science study (TIMSS) for fourth graders in Saudi Arabia is used to see if the theory fits with the experiences of Saudi students. The findings show that self-confidence is crucial for academic performance, affecting students' motivation, readiness to face challenges, and overall learning attitude. However, math attitude does not directly influence self-concept. School bullying is identified as a significant negative factor in math achievement. These outcomes stress the need to address school bullying to improve math scores and highlight the importance of self-concept and motivation in boosting academic success.

Positive math attitudes are associated with greater frontal activation among children from higher socio-economic status families

Math learning is explained by the interaction between cognitive, affective, and social factors. However, studies rarely investigate how these factors interact with one another to explain math performance. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to understand the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the interaction between parental socioeconomic status (SES) and children's math attitudes. To this aim, 57 children solved multiplication problems inside the scanner. We measured parental SES by creating two groups based on parents' occupations and measured children's math attitudes using a questionnaire. We ran a cluster-wise regression analysis examining the interaction between these two variables while controlling for the main effects of SES, math attitudes, and full IQ. The analysis revealed a cluster in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), which was due to children with positive math attitudes from high socio-economic status families showing greater IFG activation when solving large multiplication problems as compared to their negative attitudes high SES peers, suggesting that they exhibited more retrieval effort to solve large multiplication problems. We discuss how this may be because they were the only ones who fully engaged in math opportunities provided by their environment.

Multiplying Disadvantages in U.S. High Schools: An Intersectional Analysis of the Interactions Among Punishment and Achievement Trajectories

We examined recent process models of accumulated disadvantage with an intersectional lens in order to provide a more complete picture of how disadvantages across punishment and math trajectories can accumulate over time and disparately affect marginalized race-gender groups. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) with a nationally representative longitudinal study of high school students (HSLS-09), we found that punishment trajectories were influenced by math and vice versa, as well as that these relationships differed across math performance and various aspects of math attitudes, including efficacy, utility, and identity. Furthermore, we found that gender, race, and race-gender groups experienced significantly different relationships. When considering the intersection of punishment and math disadvantages, these differences appear to not only accumulate disadvantages within punishment and math trajectories but also across them for marginalized race-gender groups. This was especially true for Black males. We conclude with a discussion of implications for policy and practice.

‘Am I to blame because my child is not motivated to do math?’: Relationships between parents’ attitudes, beliefs and practices towards mathematics and students’ mathematics motivation and achievement

Research on parental involvement is broad and specifies diverse kinds of parental practices that have specific associations with children’s learning outcomes. However, the involvement of parents in education, the dynamics of parent–child interactions and the actions and practices they employ and their impact on student’s motivation and achievement are intricate processes characterised by numerous intervening variables that require further clarification.In this study, we aimed to examine the association between parental beliefs and involvement and their children’s motivation and mathematics achievement. Data were collected from 8071 third- and fourth-graders from six European countries and their parents. Students fulfilled the Expectancy-Value Scale, self-reporting on motivational aspects towards mathematics and performed two math tests to assess their performance. Parents also reported on their math attitudes, mindsets and involvement practices with their children.Data analysis was performed using structural equation modelling. Several theoretically meaningful associations were found in the tested model, showing the detrimental impacts of a fixed mindset on parents’ practices. Furthermore, we found significant relationships between parents’ attitudes towards mathematics, their practices and students’ perceptions of math-related values and cost. Finally, associations between parental practices, the child’s outcomes and the association between children’s mathematics motivation and achievement were also observed. Some implications are presented, particularly concerning interventions with parents.

Family math engagement with preschoolers in rural contexts

With the aim of broadening our understanding of math engagement among families who are often underrepresented in research, the current study examined math engagement among 187 families with children aged 3–5 years old in two rural regions of the United States. Caregivers responded to open-ended questions regarding their preferred activities to engage in with their preschoolers and how they view math opportunities within the activities. Caregivers also responded to close-ended items regarding frequency of math activities and math attitudes. Coding of caregivers' open-ended responses revealed a heterogeneous range of family activities and perspectives regarding opportunities to engage in math. Correlations between open-ended and close-ended items revealed that open-ended items may tap into dimensions of family math engagement not captured by traditional close-ended inventories. Findings may help to inform future work aiming to create inclusive and accessible family math measures and interventions.

Measuring Implicit STEM and Math Attitudes in Adolescents Online with the Brief Implicit Association Test

Despite societal efforts toward enhancing gender equality, females are still underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). Prominent explanations draw on gender differences in attitudes about STEM (with females holding more negative attitudes than males), which result from the gender stereotype that STEM is a male domain. While a lot of research has focused on explicit attitudes, little is known about implicit attitudes toward STEM. The present research sought to examine implicit attitudes among adolescents, and how they relate to other STEM cognitions. We measured implicit attitudes about the STEM concept as a whole, and about math in particular. For this purpose, we developed two Brief Implicit Associations Tests (BIATs) and administered them online in a sample of adolescents (N = 517). We additionally measured a variety of self-reported motivational and social-psychological variables (interest, aspiration, self-concept of ability, and sense of belonging to the math and STEM community, respectively), which previous research has identified as factors contributing to the gender gap in STEM participation. Our findings confirm the reliability and validity of both the STEM BIAT and the Math BIAT. Moreover, implicit STEM attitudes predicted interest in and aspiration for STEM, self-concept of STEM ability, and sense of belonging to the STEM community. Similarly, implicit math attitudes predicted interest in and aspiration for math, and sense of belonging to the math community (but not self-concept of math ability). Our findings confirm that our novel online BIATs are efficient measurement tools of implicit attitudes in adolescents. Moreover, our findings underscore the significance of implicit attitudes in the STEM domain.

Math attitudes and math anxiety predict students' perception of teacher support in primary school, but not vice versa.

Both teacher support and math attitudes have been identified as associated with math anxiety in primary school children. However, little is known about how they are interrelated longitudinally. The study was designed to examine the associations among perceived teacher support, math attitudes, and math anxiety in Chinese primary school students. The sample included 1802 students (56.16% boys) initially in the third and fourth grades in two public schools in China. A three-year cross-lagged panel design was conducted to examine the associations among perceived teacher support, math attitudes, and math anxiety. Moreover, a multigroup analysis was used to examine whether the associations varied by gender. There were reciprocal associations over time between math attitudes and math anxiety. Meanwhile, both math attitudes and math anxiety significantly predicted perceived teacher support one year later, but not vice versa. Further, the association between T1 math anxiety and T3 perceived teacher support was mediated by T2 math attitudes; the association between T1 math attitudes and T3 perceived teacher support, on the other hand, was mediated by T2 math anxiety. Moreover, there were no significant gender differences in these associations. Math anxiety and math attitudes objectively affected each other, and both of them significantly predicted later perceived teacher support, but not vice versa. This study demonstrates that children are not merely passive recipients of environmental influences and offers theoretical guidance for intervention practices that aim to reduce the risk of math anxiety.

Math Attitude and Math Anxiety of STEM Students Needs More Attention

Math Attitude and Math Anxiety of STEM Students Needs More Attention

Math Attitudes and Identity of High Schoolers Impacted through Participating in Informal, Near-peer Mentoring

Research in mentoring has shown that students may at times be more willing and able to absorb information that is delivered to them by their near-peers, rather than by traditional figures of authority, like teachers and professors. In this study, underrepresented minority high school students participated in an informal learning experience that was led by college students who were "near-peers" to the high schoolers. Students were engaged by participating in interactive MathShows, following a Math Social Media Campaign, and attending a summer Math Internship. Participants in the quantitative component of the study included N = 559 U.S. high schoolers who were from predominantly (99%) Hispanic ethnic backgrounds. The qualitative component of the study involved another 19 students from the same school. The mixed methods study addresses associations between high schoolers’ attitudes toward mathematics and their identity alignment, as well as classes of reasons that students gave for their identity alignment. Interactions with the college near-peers that occurred during the experiential learning intervention are also discussed. Results of this study address the goal of broadening participation of underrepresented student groups in STEM careers.

Examining the Impact of Math Anxiety, Scaffolding, and Math Attitude on Working Memory: A Comparative Analysis between Islamic Boarding Schools and Public Schools

The goal of this research is to investigate models relating to psychological aspects of mathematics learning, such as math anxiety, scaffolding, math attitude, and working memory. This study included 548 junior high school students from public schools and Islamic boarding schools. The analytical method utilizes analysis of variance, bivariate product moment supported by SPSS, and Smart PLS 3 for path analysis. Model fit criteria (SMSR < .05; RMS Theta < .102; NFI > .9). The model fits based on the SRMR value .000 < .10 dan NFI 1 > .90. The findings show that students from public schools and Islamic boarding schools are different in terms of math anxiety, scaffolding and math attitude. Path analysis shows that math attitude mediates the interaction between math anxiety and scaffolding on working memory. Furthermore, scaffolding has a direct impact on working memory. The implications of the study's findings have been discussed in this article.

ADVERSE MATH ATTITUDES IN THE POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION OF RIVER STATE, NIGERIA: CAN METACOGNITION DO THE MAGIC?

There is growing concern about the increasing adverse attitude towards mathematics in Nigeria's educational system. Numerous research has underscored appropriate steps to address the challenge of mathematics attitudes. However, little is known about the role of metacognitive teaching in promoting healthy math attitudes. The present study employed a quasi-experimental design to examine the effect of the metacognitive instruction approach on students' mathematical attitudes in River State. Ninety-one (n = 91) students comprising males and females between the ages of 10 and 14 years with a mean age of (M=9.14) and (SD= 1.24) were randomly selected from different public secondary schools in River State as the study participants. The participants were grouped into two and were subjected to a pre-test and post-test study. The independent t-test conducted on the data following the pre-test and post-test studies proved that Metacognition enhanced the participants' mathematical attitudes at MD = 13.65 (95% CI, 8.91 to 16.17), t (89) = 6.328, p = .001. Thus, the result supported the study's hypothesis. It was concluded that Metacognition is effective in enhancing students' mathematics attitudes. The study recommends that teachers be regularly trained in using the metacognitive approach in the classroom.

ADVERSE MATH ATTITUDES IN THE POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION OF RIVER STATE, NIGERIA: CAN METACOGNITION DO THE MAGIC?

There is growing concern about the increasing adverse attitude towards mathematics in Nigeria's educational system.Numerous research has underscored appropriate steps to address the challenge of mathematics attitudes. However, little is known about the role of metacognitive teaching in promoting healthy math attitudes. The present study employed a quasi-experimental design to examine the effect of the metacognitive instruction approach on students' mathematical attitudes in River State. Ninety-one (n = 91) students comprising males and females between the ages of 10 and 14 years with a mean age of (M=9.14) and (SD= 1.24) were randomly selected from different public secondary schools in River State as the study participants. The participants were grouped into two and were subjected to a pre-test and post-test study. The independent t-test conducted on the data following the pre-test and post-test studies proved that Metacognition enhanced the participants' mathematical attitudes at MD = 13.65 (95% CI, 8.91 to 16.17), t (89) = 6.328, p = .001. Thus, the result supported the study's hypothesis. It was concluded that Metacognition is effective in enhancing students' mathematics attitudes. The study recommends that teachers be regularly trained in using the metacognitive approach in the classroom.

Charting a path for growth in middle school students’ attitudes toward computer programming

ABSTRACT Background and Context Differences in children’s and adolescents’ initial attitudes about computing and other STEM fields may form during middle school and shape decisions leading to career entry. Early emerging differences in career interest may propagate a lack of diversity in computer science and programming fields. Objective Though middle school is recognized as a formative period in the development of career interest, there appears to be a gap in research considering growth disparities in students’ attitudes towards computer programming. We examine outcomes related to students’ use of an e-learning platform designed to promote exposure to computer science content. We consider growth in middle school students’ attitudes towards computer programming during an academic year while controlling for variation in key baseline factors. Method We tracked growth in attitudes towards computer programming among middle school students (N = 610; Mage = 12.07) in schools serving underrepresented minority (URM) students (74.7% URM) during an academic year in which they used an online platform curating computer programming educational content. Findings We found baseline differences in students’ interest and aspirations toward computer programming on the basis of gender and underrepresented status, after controlling for math attitudes. There was evidence of initial growth in all four domains of computer programming attitudes, irrespective of gender or underrepresented status. Implications These findings provide a framework for studying changes in students’ computer programming attitudes, which may help in addressing workforce participation disparities. Future work is needed to promote early computer programming attitudes among all students.

A Multi-Informant Approach Testing an Expanded Home Numeracy Mode

The role of home numeracy activities in the development of numeracy skills is receiving growing interest, although some mixed results highlight the need to consider models that include different contextual variables. The present study was aimed at investigating, using a multi-method and multi-informant approach, how parents’ educational levels, parents’ numerical attitudes, home numeracy, and expectations toward their offspring’s numeracy attitudes concurrently predict children’s early numeracy abilities as measured with early numeracy tasks and through teachers’ evaluations. The sample includes 430 preschoolers, their parents, and 56 teachers. The children’s early numeracy competence was assessed using digit recognition and digit-quantity association tasks and via a proxy-report questionnaire administered to their teachers. The parents were then administered a questionnaire investigating their educational levels, home numeracy activities, math attitudes, and expectations toward their child’s numeracy ability. The results of the structural equation models revealed that both children’s performance in numeracy tasks and the teachers’ evaluation of their math skills were directly predicted by their parents’ educational levels. In contrast, the parents’ math attitudes were indirect predictors via the mediation of home numeracy. These results contribute to understanding the relationships between the investigated environmental variables and the children’s early math skills. Additionally, the implications for early family-based interventions are discussed.

Biased teachers and gender gap in learning outcomes: Evidence from India

We investigate the effect of stereotypical beliefs of teachers on cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes of secondary school students in two states of India. We measure teacher’s bias through an index capturing teacher’s subjective beliefs about the role of gender in academic performance. We tackle the potential endogeneity of teacher’s subjective beliefs by controlling for teacher fixed effects in a value-added model that includes lagged test scores of students. We find that a standard deviation increase in the biased attitude of the math teacher increases the female disadvantage in math performance by 0.09 standard deviation over an academic year. We also find significant impacts on the gender gap in students’ math attitude, academic self-confidence, and effort as potential mechanisms for the effect on math score. We do not find any significant effect of English teachers’ gender bias on English learning of the students.

Math Attitudes, Engagement, and Performance of High School Students on High and Low-stakes Tests of Statistics Knowledge

Understanding the extent engagement and math attitudes predict performance in statistics courses could inform educational interventions in this subject area, which has growing demand. We examined direct and indirect associations between course engagement-related constructs, math attitudes, and learning outcomes. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate scores from measures of these constructs with a sample of high school students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) statistics (N = 720, mean age = 16.8 years, SD = 0.82). Structural equation models were fitted to the data to examine relations between these constructs on a subsample (N = 220). A greater proportion of variation was explained in a high-stakes learning outcome (R2 = 0.54) than a low-stakes learning outcome (R2 = 0.24). We found some evidence of indirect effects of academic procrastination and course engagement on the learning outcome by way of math attitudes. The findings shed light on opportunities for intervention on academic maladaptive behaviors, such as procrastination, which could lessen negative effects on math attitudes and learning. These findings highlight the importance of testing stakes when examining associations between engagement, math attitudes, and learning, particularly in the context of high school statistics, a growing and yet understudied STEM learning context.

The impact of affective skills toward on the mathematics learning outcomes at senior high school students

Affective skill is one of the factors that students must possess and are the key to successful learning; affective skills are also one of the skills needed in the world of work in the future. This research aimed to analyze the influence of affective skills and their influence on learning outcomes and the dominant influencing variables. This quantitative survey was conducted in January-March 2021, involving 155 students (61 males and 94 females). The variables consisted of exogenous variables, namely affective skills (math interest, math anxiety, math self-efficacy, beliefs, and math attitude), while endogenous variables are learning outcomes. The instrument used to measure exogenous variables were questionnaires including math interest, math anxiety, math self-efficacy, beliefs, and math attitude that met the validity and reliability tests. While the endogenous variable, namely understanding results obtained from the value of documentation of student learning outcomes at school. The data was processed by descriptive and inferential analysis through structural equation modeling (SEM). The study results concluded that math self-efficacy and math attitude were in the high category, beliefs and math interests were suitable. Math anxiety was of a low sort. Furthermore, math interest, math self-efficacy, beliefs, and math attitude were found to have no significant effect on learning outcomes, which means that math interest, self-efficacy, ideas, and math attitude were not sufficient to provide evidence that they could significantly influence learning outcomes.

Factors Affecting Attitude Toward Learning Mathematics: A Case of Higher Education Institutions in the Gulf Region

Mathematics is an important subject that plays a crucial role in constructing mental discipline among students. There has been a great focus on investigating students’ attitudes toward mathematics in higher education settings. The current study is aiming to explore the factors that affect attitudes toward math among higher education students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Math Attitude Questionnaire MAQ was adapted from Prokop et al. to fulfill the study objectives. Gender and math course levels were the proposed variables that could influence students’ attitudes toward learning mathematics in six different dimensions. Data analysis demonstrated that higher education students in the UAE show a positive attitude toward math in most MAQ dimensions. The T-test for Independent Sample revealed that gender does not affect students’ attitudes toward learning mathematics. Moreover, the ANOVA test revealed that mathematics course levels have a significant impact on students’ attitudes toward math in the six dimensions of MAQ. The math instructor and equipment dimensions were found to have a significant effect on students’ attitudes among the students taking advanced math courses. The findings of this study could benefit the higher education system in the context of enhancing mathematics teaching and assessment.

Appraisals of previous math experiences play an important role in math anxiety.

Math anxiety affects many people, from young children through to older adults. While there has been debate concerning the developmental trajectory of math anxiety and negative math attitudes, little attention has been given to the role of appraisals of previous math experiences. We surveyed 308 adults (mean age = 27.56years, SD = 11.25) and assessed self-reported measures of math anxiety, mathematical resilience, math attitudes, and appraisal of previous math experiences. As hypothesized, all variables were found to be interrelated. Math anxiety was significantly negatively related to appraisal of previous math experiences, mathematical resilience, and math attitudes. Moreover, appraisal of previous math experiences was shown to mediate the relations between (1) math anxiety and math attitudes, and (2) mathematical resilience and math attitudes. The findings demonstrate the importance of considering current appraisals of previous math experiences and are consistent with an interpretation account of math anxiety. This may help inform cognitive-based interventions that focus on one's interpretation of past events to support current and future math learning and engagement.