The Impact of Math Journals on Students' Mathematics Performance and Self-Efficacy

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Mathematics teaching nowadays has become formidable for teachers since most students find the discipline difficult to learn. A teacher should exhaust all means, as to pedagogy and content, so that none of his learners will be left behind. The purpose of this experimental study is to determine the impact of Math Journals on students' Mathematics performance and self-efficacy. Specifically, the study is intended to identify the level of students' performance and self-efficacy in Mathematics before and after the intervention which is journal writing (Math Journal) in Mathematics and the perception of students on Math Journals.

METHODS

This study employed the quasi-experimental method specifically the matching-only pretest-posttest control group design. Purposive sampling was used to determine the respondents of the study. The respondents who participated in this study were 80 grade 10 students of Sta. Catalina National High School in the school year 2017 -2018 which was divided into two groups, the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received both instructions and treatment for eight weeks while the control group received instruction only. Both independent and dependent t-test were utilized to determine the significant difference between the pretest and posttest results of the experimental and control groups.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that both experimental and control groups have low level of Mathematics performance and self-efficacy before the treatment (Math Journals) but significantly increased after the treatment. Both experimental and control groups posted high level of Mathematics performance and self-efficacy. Results also indicated that there is a significant difference in the levels of Mathematics performance and self-efficacy between the experimental and control groups. The experimental group showed higher performance and self-efficacy in Mathematics. Further, the experimental group signified that they really benefited from journal writing. Thus, math journals have a significant and positive impact on students' mathematics performance and self-efficacy.

DISCUSSIONS

Since results reported that math journals have a positive impact on students' mathematics performance and self-efficacy, there is a need for a school-wide implementation of this not only in mathematics but to other subject areas as well.