Perception in Mathematics: it's Relation to Academic Performance of Grade 8 Students of WTNHS

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Mathematics plays a fundamental role in the scientific and technological progress of any nation, and as such, mathematics is taught at all levels of education. Students' perception and attitude towards mathematics play a crucial role in the teaching and learning processes of mathematics. It affects students' achievement in mathematics. The teaching method, the support of the structure of the school, the family and students' attitudes towards school affect the attitudes towards mathematics. The researcher concluded that perception towards mathematics predicts the students' attitude in mathematics.

METHODS

The self-administered survey questionnaire and informal interview will be the methods to be used in gathering data of this study. A self-constructed semi-structured interview guide will be used for each interview. In the interview guide, questions and prompts used to explore the interviewees' perceptions towards Mathematics subject and how those perceptions affect their academic achievements.

RESULTS

The respondents' differences considering gender, age and math performance were analyzed. The result showed that younger students present higher motivational scores when compared with their older colleagues. Gender differences are recurrent in math studies in particular. Math is often considered to be a domain in which boys are higher achievers, both in terms of attitudes and self-concept. Contrary to this, findings show that math school achievement and age do not differ significantly between boys and girls.

The same pattern is presented with achievement since students with low marks present lower scores in all dimensions when compared to medium and good achievers, and good achievers have the highest scores.

DISCUSSIONS

From the data collected, it is shown that 63% of the Grade 8 students' responded that they will pass the subject but no lesson learned from it. Students who displayed school behavior associated with low interest (coming late to school, skipping classes, coming unprepared without books and homework) had a more negative attitude toward mathematics. In connection to this, since the students are not interested in the subject they become dependent on their leaders and classmates with 46%. While students' interest has been affected by their perception in mathematics with the percentage rate of 43%. And with that, most of the respondents receive low grades in a 37% percent rate of the responses of the respondents and sometimes failing grades.