Date of Award

Fall 12-2007

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Center for Science and Math Education

Committee Chair

Dr. Jose Contreras

Committee Member 2

Dr. Myron Henry

Committee Member 3

Dr. Sherry Herron

Committee Member 4

Dr. Rosalina Hairston

Committee Member 5

Dr. James T. Johnson

Abstract

This study examined factors affecting attitudes that students have towards mathematics. The population under this study consisted of African-American males and females enrolled in college algebra classes at an urban public historical black college or university (HBCU) located in the southern United States. Nine of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales were used to analyze the attitudes of the 224 participants enrolled in a college algebra class. The nine scales used to measure the students’ attitudes were Attitude Toward Success in Mathematics Scale (AS), The Mathematics as a Male Domain Scale (MD), The Mother Scale (M), The Father Scale (F), The Teacher Scale (T), The Confidence in Learning Mathematics Scale (C), The Mathematics Anxiety Scale (A), The Effectance Motivation Scale in Mathematics (E), and The Mathematics Usefulness Scale (U).

A multiple linear regression analysis found that 15.3% of student achievement can be explained by the domain scales with confidence being the most influential. It was also found that there does exist a significant difference between the domain scores between African-American males and females. In particular, the male domain, father domain, and confidence domain scores were significantly different from each other when considering gender.

Download

Share

COinS