Intellective and nonintellective determinants of achievement in Mathematics among FEU engineering freshmen Cesar Flores Torres. 6

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, 1986.;A dissertation presented to the faculty of Graduate School of Arts, Sciences and Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education major in Educational Administration. 56

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ABSTRACT: STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The study determined the relationship between selected intellective and nonintellective factors and achievement in mathematics among FEU Engineering freshmen for the school year 1985-1986. It also determined the extent by which these factors affect achievement in mathematics. Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the profile of the FEU Engineering freshmen in terms of: A. Achievement in mathematics; B. Intellective Factors a. NCEE Percentile Rank b. Fourth year high school average grade c. Mathematical ability C. Nonintellective Factors a. Attitudes toward mathematics b. Study habits c. Test anxiety d. Parental education e. Kind of high school graduated from? 2. How do the group of achievers and the group if underachievers in mathematics compare in terms of each of the following selected predictor variables. A. Achievement in mathematics B. Intellective factors a. NCEE Percentile Rank b. Fourth year high school average grade c. Mathematical ability C. Nonintellective Factors a. Attitudes toward mathematics b. Study habits c. Test anxiety? 3. Is there a relationship between achievement in mathematics and each of the predictor variables mentioned above? 4. To what extent do the above mentioned predictor variables, taken in matched pairs, influence achievement in mathematics. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION The study was limited to a single research environment, the Far Eastern University. Only 500 out of 1,625 (30.7%) Engineering freshmen were considered participants. The study was delimited to the following: 1. Students' final ratings in College Algebra and Analytic Geometry were the bases for measuring achievement in mathematics. 2. The NCEE percentile rank and fourth year high school average grade were taken from the credentials submitted by the students to the Registrar's Office as a part of admission requirements. 3. The researcher-made instrument in mathematical ability content validated by experts in mathematics was the basis for measures of mathematical ability. 4. The Likert-Type Questionnaire used by Callahan in his study was the basis for measuring attitudes toward mathematics. 5. The Brown-Holtzman Survey of Study Habits (SSHA) Form C was the instrument for measuring study habits. 6. Measures of test anxiety was derived from the modified Test Anxiety Questionnaire (TAQ) on Worry and Emotionality Aspects standardized by Liebert and Fulmer. RESEARCH METHOD The study utilized the descriptive method of research using comparative and correlation analyses. In the analysis of data the researcher went beyond the comparative and correlation analysis and include some predictions on the achievement in mathematics through the use of simple and multiple regression equations. The participants were asked to answer a mathematical ability test, and three standardized behavioral tests. After this, mathematics achievement test was administered to segregate the participants into group of achievers in mathematics and group of underachievers in mathematics. Some other personal records were looked into and were taken from the Office of the Registrar. The scores of the participants in various tests and their documentary records were the bases of analysis. TREATMENT OF DATA To determine the profile of Engineering freshmen, the means and standard deviation were computed from each set of data from the different test instruments. To compare the group of achievers with the group of achievers with respect to different variables, a t-test for uncorrelated means was applied. To determine the relationship between the criterion measure and each of the predictor variable simple correlation by the use of Pearson Product-Moment formula. To test the significance of the correlation, t-test was used. To determine the predictive validity of each of the predictor variables, beta weights b were computed and subject to an F-test. To determine the relationship between the criterion measure and a pair of combined predictor variables, multiple correlation coefficient was computed and subjected to an F-test. FINDINGS The mean achievement grade in mathematics of FEU Engineering freshmen could be described as below ave- while the mean NCEE percentile rank, mean fourth year high school average grade, and mean mathematical ability of these freshmen can be described as good. The general attitudes of FEU Engineering freshmen toward mathematics is described as fairly favorable. These freshmen have good, developed, and organized study habits. They are not anxious during a test situation. In comparing the group of achievers and the group of underachievers, it was found out that the two groups were of the same characteristics. The mean differences of the two groups with respect to intellective and nonintellective factors under consideration were found to be insignificant at .05 level of significance. The correlation of achievement in mathematics with each of the predictor variables namely: NCEE percentile rank, fourth year high school average grade, and mathematical ability can be verbally described as low. The relation of achievement in mathematics with attitudes toward mathematics and study habits can be described as negligible relationship. All the relationship of achievement in mathematics with intellective and nonintellective factors were found to be significant except test anxiety. CONCLUSIONS Generally, both intellective and nonintellective characteristics of the achievers and underachievers in mathematics are similar, thus, the two groups do not differ significantly in all the factors under study. The NCEE percentile rank, fourth year high school average grade, mathematical ability, attitudes toward mathematics, and study habits are correlates of achievement in mathematics. In this study however, test anxiety is not a determinant of achievement in mathematics. The matched pairs or combination of two predictor variables namely: NCEE percentile rank and mathematical ability; and fourth year high school average grade and mathematical ability give higher correlation than one predictor, so to maximize prediction on achievement in mathematics, it could be concluded that the combination of five factors under study taken together would produce better predictions. RECOMMENDATIONS The findings of this study should be made available to all teachers specially to those who are teaching College Algebra and Analytic Geometry to help them identify the important factors that determine achievement in mathematics. Knowing the determinants that is best correlated with achievement in mathematics, these teachers may be guided by this study to eliminate underachievers. The underachievers should be helped, guided, and motivated in learning mathematics. To produce better result, future researchers may correlate only the mathematics grade in fourth year high school average grade or only the mathematical ability scores in the NCEE with achievement in mathematics.

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