EFFECT OF GENDER, AGE AND MATHEMATICS ANXIETY ON COLLEGE STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN ALGEBRA

Year 2014, Volume: 1 , 57 - 61, 01.09.2014

Owolabi Josıah Etuk-iren Olubunmi Adejoke

Abstract

Mathematics is a very
important subject. It is the language of science and technology and so it is a
force to reckon with in the development of any nation. Several studies on
factors that affect mathematics achievement have been conducted. However, studies
on factors that affect mathematics achievement among College students in
Nigeria seems to be rare. This study therefore sought to investigate the
effects of gender, age and mathematics anxiety of College students on their
achievement in Algebra. The study adopted an expost-facto design since no
variable was manipulated. The participants of the study are mathematics teacher
trainees in the Federal Colleges of Education in Lagos and Ogun states of
Nigeria. The data for the study was from a questionnaire which elicited
information on gender and age of respondents, a mathematics anxiety scale
(r=0.82) and participants’ achievement score in an Algebra course coded MAT
111. The achievement score in Algebra is the dependent variable while gender,
age and mathematics anxiety formed the independent variables of the study. The
data collected were analysed using mean, standard deviation, independent t-test
and One-way ANOVA. The results of the analyses showwed average performance in
the Algebra course. Besides, the differences in achievement across gender,age
and mathematics anxiety groupings (low, medium and high) were all
non-significant. Since the participants are on their first semester in the
college and their performance is generally on the average, it is recommended
that proper orientation be given to new students on how to be
high achievers on the programme. Besides, their lecturers should be as simple
as possible in their instructions.

Keywords

Gender, age, anxiety, mathematics, achievement

References

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