The development and evaluation of a study orientation questionnaire in mathematics

[摘要] The failure rate in mathematics at school is high, not only in South Africa, but alsointernationally. Furthermore, learners with an apparently high general ability oraptitude for mathematics sometimes underachieve in the subject, while somelearners with an apparently low general intellectual ability or aptitude for mathematicssometimes achieve well in the subject. Little attention is nonetheless given tolearners' study orientation in mathematics, in spite of the fact that research hasindicated that school mathematics is one of the best predictors of success in tertiarystudies.An investigation into some epistemological approaches to the learning process inmathematics confirms that learners' achievement in mathematics is significantlyaffected by their study orientation in mathematics.The primary aim of this thesis was the development and evaluation of a study orientationquestionnaire (SOM) in mathematics. Data processing procedures especiallyreferred to the following two primary aims with the study:(a) Standardisation of the questionnaire.Steps carried out to evaluate the questionnaire psychometrically, include factor anditem analysis. In the case of Grade 8 and 9, three fields (Study habits in mathematics,Mathematics anxiety and Study attitudes in mathematics) were identified. A fourth field, Locus of control regarding mathematics, was identified only in the case oflearners in Grade 1 0 and ll. It was established that the SOM apparently has criterionrelated validity, as well as content and construct validity for the three languagegroups as a whole. Reliability coefficients for the SOM can in most cases beregarded as satisfactory.(b) Comparative studies to determine the applicability of the SOM.Analysis of variance techniques were used to determine where significant differencesbetween groups (including grade-, mother tongue and sex groups) lay.Where MANOV AS showed significant differences, further investigation was carriedout to determine in respect of which individual fields (single variables) groupsdiffered significantly. By means of LSM it was determined which groups differedsignificantly in regard of the separate fields. Some of the findings include:* It seems that African language speakers in both grade groups are really tryingto achieve in mathematics, but that their best efforts are not successful.* It would appear that girfs' level of Mathematics anxiety drops in Grade l 0 andll.* Learners in Grade l 0 and ll show lower levels of Mathematics anxiety andmore sufficient Study habits in mathematics than their counterparts in Grade 8and9.* Perhaps the most significant finding is the phenomenon that African languagelearners in Grade l 0 and l l achieved much worse in regard of Locus of controlthan Afrikaans and English-speaking learners. A number of factors probablycontribute towards this state of affairs, including language problems, teacherswho are underqualified, African language learners' less than optimal socioeconomicstatus (SES) in general, a lack of facilities and text books anddisruption which is still being experienced in rnnny traditionally black schools. Itis recommended that these matters ·are attended to in an effort to createcircumstances for more sufficient achievement in mathematics by learnersfrom all language groups.

[发布机构] University of Pretoria