Predictors of achievement in, and attitudes towards mathematics of high school students of Colegio de San Francisco Javier, Palompon, Leyte, 1985-1986

This study aims to determine the correlates and predictors of the achievement in, and attitudes towards mathematics of the high school students of Colegio de San Francisco Javier, Palompon, Leyte during the school year 1985-1986. The descriptive correlational method was used in the study. This involved the gathering of data by means of questionnaires and doing correlational and regression analyses to determine the degree of relationship between students\u27 mathematics achievement and attitudes towards the subject and selected variables. To determine the attitudes of the students, teachers, and parent towards mathematics, the researcher adapted the attitude scale prepared by Garcia (1981). To determine the mental abilities of the students, the Otis-Lenon Mental Ability Test Form J intended for the high school level was used. Included in this study were 120 high school students of CSFJ, selected at random from a population of 270 who were enrolled during the school year 1985-1986, and living with both parents at the time of the survey 120 parents of the selected students and three mathematics teachers who handled their mathematics classes during the indicated school year. The study yielded the following findings and conclusions: 1. Only at most three of the independent variables investigated in the study yielded significant correlation coefficients with the students\u27 attitudes towards mathematics. 2. Since only three of the independent variables included in this study were found to be significant correlates of students\u27 mathematics achievement, there are other variables not included in the investigation, which could further explain the variance in the students\u27 mathematics achievement. 3. When taken as a set, students\u27 mathematics achievement and attitudes towards mathematics were found to correlate significantly with all of the independent variables. This indicates that students\u27 mathematics achievement and attitudes towards mathematics are better considered in combination rather than in isolation of each other when an attempt is made to identify factors which could possibly be related to them. 4. Of the teacher, parent, and student-related factors analyzed in this study, the student-related factors are relatively the best predictors of the students\u27 achievement in, and attitudes towards mathematics. Of these factors, students\u27 mental ability can be singled out as the best predictor of the dependent variables either taken singly or as one of the elements of the student-related factors. 5. Teacher-related factors can also predict students\u27 achievement and attitudes towards mathematics but not as strongly as the student-related variables. 6. All things being equal, students whose parents have low educational attainment and negative attitudes towards mathematics can achieve as well in mathematics as those whose parents have higher educational attainment and positive attitudes towards mathematics. Their mathematics attitudes likewise are not necessarily influenced by the aforementioned parent-related factors