African Educational Research Journal - Full Length Research Paper - Effects of selected affective variables on mathematics achievement

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford

This study determines the direct and indirect effects of affective variables on mathematics achievement among freshman science and engineering students at Hawassa University. Survey data from 245 students across five departments measured mathematics self-efficacy and attitudes using adopted instruments. Reliability was assessed via Cronbach’s α, means compared with t-tests, and direct/indirect effects analyzed through gender and path analysis procedures. Attitudes and self-efficacy showed moderate levels, with significant correlations to achievement and a gender difference in achievement, plus indirect influence from confidence in doing mathematics.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Statement of the problem

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 3(4), pp. 255-268, December 2015 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper Effects of selected affective variables on mathematics achievement of freshmen science and engineering students: The case of Hawassa University Menna Olango Hawassa University, Ethiopia. Accepted 17 November, 2015 | ABSTRACT
This study was conducted mainly to determine the direct and indirect effects of affective variables on mathematics achievement of freshman science and engineering students of Hawassa University. Descriptive survey data were obtained from 245 (201 male, 44 female) students from five departments of science and engineering faculties. Data were acquired through adopted instruments for measuring mathematics self-efficacy and attitudes towards mathematics. Cronbach’s α was obtained for checking reliability of reduced factors. The t-test was employed to compare means; path analysis procedures were used to analyze direct and indirect effects of gender and affective variables on mathematics achievement scores. The results show that the factor structures of self-efficacy and attitude variables were more or less in agreement with the literature; the level of attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics self-efficacy are moderate for the study groups; more specifically, students’ motivation towards mathematics was just below average; both confidence in mathematics and enjoying doing mathematics were marginally high. On the other hand, students have high scores in valuing mathematics and high problem solving self-efficacy and engagement in mathematics self-efficacy. Some attitude subscales and all self-efficacy subscales were highly correlated with mathematics achievement. Results depict that there is significant gender difference in mathematics achievement and only in two of self-efficacy subscales, mathematics capability self-efficacy and engagement in mathematics self-efficacy. Although the amount of variance in mathematics achievement explained by the motivational variables is low, the direct effects of gender and the self-efficacy variables on mathematics achievement were significant at 0.05 level of significance; and confidence in doing mathematics showed significant indirect effect on mathematics achievement. It seems that the self-efficacy variables contribute direct effects on mathematics achievement while the attitude variables have indirect effects through the self-efficacy variables and possibly other predictors not included in the model. Recommendations were forwarded for teaching personnel in the area of mathematics and engineering, academic departments, and the university administration with regard to the necessary supports to girls and marginally performing students.
Keywords: Mathematics achievement, mathematics self-efficacy, mathematics attitudes, path analysis, direct and indirect effects. | | --- | | [E-mail: mennaolango@yahoo.com](E-mail: mennaolango@yahoo.com). | INTRODUCTION Several mathematics courses are compulsory in all programs of science and engineering students in higher education institutions. The justification for teaching mathematics at college level education in science and engineering fields is to enable students to handle, use, and interpret quantitative relationships of variables and deal with data in research in their own fields of study. Mathematical knowledge and reasoning skills prepare students to deal effectively with analytical and statistical tasks of the world of work. Although instructors of mathematics courses put a lot of efforts to simplify the subject , freshmen students usually face considerable difficulties in doing the courses ( Bandura et al. , 2001 ; Tobias, 1995) . Our experience also shows that these difficulties are prevalent in our university students at Hawassa. Attitudinal research in the field of mathematics has dealt almost exclusively with anxiety or enjoyment of subject matter, excluding other factors (Tapia

FAQs

What is the main goal of the study?

To determine the direct and indirect effects of affective variables—mathematics self-efficacy, mathematics attitudes, and motivation—on mathematics achievement of freshman science and engineering students at Hawassa University.

How were data collected and reliability checked?

Data were collected from 245 students using adopted instruments measuring mathematics self-efficacy and attitudes. Cronbach’s α was used to check the reliability of reduced factors.

What statistical methods were used to analyze the relationships?

t-tests compared means, while path analysis procedures were used to estimate direct and indirect effects of gender and affective variables on mathematics achievement scores.

What did the results indicate about gender and affective variables?

There was a significant gender difference in mathematics achievement, and only two self-efficacy subscales showed gender differences. Direct effects of gender and self-efficacy on achievement were significant, while confidence in doing mathematics had a significant indirect effect.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford