COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ATTITUDE OF MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS TO MATHEMATICS AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

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COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ATTITUDE OF MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS TO MATHEMATICS AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the comparison of male and female Senior Secondary School students’ attitude towards mathematics. The study employed descriptive research design of the survey type. The population for the study consisted of staff in selected secondary schools in Uyo. The sample for the study was 200 staff purposive random sampling techniques .The mathematics attitude scale constructed and validated by the researchers was adopted and used as instrument for gathering data . The study shows that the attitude of students towards mathematics did not depend upon sex. Therefore, it is recommended that sex should not be considered as a factor influencing the attitude of students towards mathematics and those teachers should teach mathematics freely among the students of different sexes

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Nigeria is aware of the need to become self-reliant technologically and scientifically. Therefore attention has to be given to Mathematics as the language of science. National Policy on Education (NPE) (2006 p.1) states that “there will be equal educational opportunities for all’’. It was discovered that, the female’s gender that forms about 48% of the Nigerian population census (2006) was not found in the school. This was due to societal pressure on females such as early marriage, distribution of girls from schooling by other factors. Bandele (1988) revealed that “the differences in students’ performance are always attributed to environmental or process variables. This is in line with section 18 sub sections 1 and 3 of the Nigerian constitution which guarantees education as a right for every Nigerian child”. In realization of the importance of mathematics, science and technology, the NPE stipulates that “Education will be used as an instrument for scientific, technological and cultural development of the society’’. Oladunni (1995) opined that “there was no significant difference between achievement of males and females in mathematics”. However, perceived attitude of students towards success in mathematics affect the idea of mathematics as a subject. Again fear of future failure or experience of past failure in mathematics is also a serious problem working against mathematics education. Academic problems affecting teaching and learning of mathematics in Nigeria secondary schools include unparallel hatred, indifference and poor attitude toward mathematics among others (Adebule 2004). Improving instruction in mathematics education has been a major topic of interest for teachers, researchers, administrators and the public (Popoola, 2004). According to Adedoyin (1998), poor state of mathematics in the country was brought to a sharp focus and was partly seen as a long- term effect of playing down of affective domain in mathematics lessons, very often, many mathematics teachers tend to over-look this affective domain in their teaching to the detriment of the learners. Adebule (2004) explained that various factors affecting the teaching and learning of mathematics in Nigeria especially at the secondary school level include: political, economic and academic problems. He stressed further that the academic problem include students unparalleled hatred, indifferences and poor attitude towards mathematics among others. Attitudes are affective variables of paramount importance for the well being of the individuals and the society. Individuals have to acquire the right types of attitudes towards self, work, other people and objects. There has always been an interest in the development of positive students’ attitude towards mathematics. The objectives of teaching and learning mathematics include fostering favourable feelings towards mathematics as well as imparting cognitive knowledge. Gender has being one of the major factors perceived to be influencing performance of students in mathematics, perhaps, the reason why males are pursuing mathematics related disciplines and professions than females. However, the view by a cross-section of people that mathematics is a male dominated subject is devastating especially on parts of women folk. At secondary school level, experience shows that girls deliberately or erroneously shy away from mathematics on the flimsy excuse that their “heads” are not made for mathematics (Aborisade, 2009). Gire (1988) stated that “the more a student believes that mathematics is a male or female domain, the lower the performance will be” according to him, some people also feel that mathematics and sciences are of male students and that female students are destined to pursue languages and arts related subjects.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Sex disparities in mathematics education, is like geographical disparities have historically been prevalent in almost all societies and in different aspect of learning. Female students fell that they cannot compute with their counterpart male students in learning Mathematics. However, the gender differences in Mathematics lead to our females to become backward unsuccessful personals in the area of science and technology. Many researches were conducted in the field of gender issues on mathematics and still reported that there is a gap between males and females. There is need to encourage females not to fear mathematics in their life and make it simple for them to become self-reliant, self-esteem, take care of their family and equated with wider knowledge in science and technology. In fact the present study was “A comparative analysis of males and females students attitude towards mathematics at secondary school.

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