Examining Engineering Students’ Attitudes Towards Mathematics Using Fuzzy Conjoint Analysis

Abstract

Attitudes are an important factor influencing individuals’ academic success and learning processes. Research indicates that a positive attitude towards mathematics is associated with higher achievement and motivation, while a negative attitude is linked to difficulties. Attitudes towards mathematics shape the academic performance and professional success of students in engineering, as in many other fields. One of the methods used to analyze Likert-type scale data, which is employed to determine ambiguous perceptions and beliefs such as self-efficacy and attitudes, is the Fuzzy Conjoint Analysis. In this study, the attitudes of engineering students towards mathematics were examined using Fuzzy Conjoint Analysis according to various variables. The study was conducted with 382 undergraduate students from different departments of the engineering faculty at a foundation university in Türkiye. The “Attitude Towards Mathematics Scale” was used as the data collection tool. The analysis of the data revealed that the attitudes of engineering students towards mathematics were positive. In addition, it was determined that attitudes towards mathematics showed a low level of difference in favor of females according to the gender variable, in favor of the Industrial Engineering department according to the department variable, and against third-year students according to the grade variable.

Keywords

• Attitude towards mathematics
• Engineering students
• Fuzzy Conjoint Analysis

References

1. Abdullah, M. L., Abdullah, W. S. W. & Tap, A. O. M. (2004). Fuzzy sets in the social sciences: an overview of related researches. Jurnal Teknologi, 41(1):43-54.