STUDENTS ATTITUDE TO MATHEMATICS AS CORRELATES TO ATTITUDE AND PERFORMANCE IN CHEMISTRY

Year 2017, Volume: 8 , 40 - 45, 10.12.2017

Sabainah Oyebola Akinoso

Abstract

Requirement for basic knowledge of some subjects has
been considered as prerequisite for students in depth knowledge in other
subjects and subsequent performance in the examinations among secondary school
students. Mathematics is being considered as the bedrock of art and science
subjects. However, there is need to establish the extent to which this claim is
true especially between Mathematics and Chemistry hence this investigation.
This study investigated the attitude of students to Mathematics in correlation
to its relationship and influence in Chemistry, using multiple regressions. The study is a
descriptive research of survey type. The instruments
for data collection include, Student Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ), Mathematics
and Chemistry Relationship (MCR) and Student Influence Questionnaire (SIQ). 475
students were randomly selected from 10 Secondary Schools in Oyo State,
while one intact class was selected randomly from each school. The test items (SAQ), (MCR) and SIQ
were administered to thirty SS II students that were not involved in the main
study to determine the reliability and internal consistency of the scores using
Cronbach alpha formula. The standardized alpha value of 0.79, 0.81 and 0.67
were obtained. It was discovered that attitude of students to Mathematics has influence and relationship to attitude and
performance in Chemistry. Since the relationship exist among attitude,
relationship and influence, it was concluded that, students attitude to
Mathematics has relationship that influenced the performance in Chemistry.
Hence, students must possess positive attitude to Mathematics in order to have
positive attitude to learning and perform better in Chemistry.

Keywords

Influence, attitude, relationship

References

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