Education in Africa 
bibliographic database
| Previous page | New search |
The free AfricaBib App for Android is available here
 Periodical article |
 Leiden University catalogue |
 WorldCat |
| Title: | Similarities and differences in attitudes towards mathematics among form 3 pupils in Gweru urban schools |
| Author: | Rwodzi, Manuel |
| Year: | 2006 |
| Periodical: | Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research (ISSN 1013-3445) |
| Volume: | 18 |
| Issue: | 3 |
| Period: | December |
| Pages: | 420-439 |
| Language: | English |
| Notes: | biblio. refs. |
| Geographic terms: | Zimbabwe Southern Africa |
| Subjects: | gender inequality secondary education attitudes mathematics education Mathematics--Study and teaching Students--Attitudes |
| Abstract: | This article presents results of research on the attitudes of form 3 students towards mathematics according to gender and school type, in Gweru (Zimbabwe) urban schools. The findings are intended to help educationists improve pupils' attitudes towards mathematics, especially girls whose 'O' level mathematics results were lower than those for boys over the period 1991-1999. A sample was used of 270 form 3 mathematics students and 18 form 3 mathematics teachers from five Gweru urban schools. The main instrument was a Likert-type questionnaire for students whose items were based on the attitude components of anxiety, enjoyment and motivation. An open-ended questionnaire was also administered to form 3 mathematics teachers. The collected data was statistically analysed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, means percentages and frequencies. Overall, most of the form 3 students had favourable attitudes towards mathematics at form 3 level, with a significant difference between form 3 boys and girls in former group B government schools, and none in former group A government schools. Finally, form 3 mathematics teachers seemed prejudiced against girls learning mathematics and taking up mathematical positions. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract] |