The aim of this study is to identify whether high school students encounter any difficulties in mathematics and reveal the reasons for such difficulti.
- Pub. date: November 15, 2020
- Pages: 703-713
- 18462 Downloads
- 11257 Views
- 4 Citations
The aim of this study is to identify whether high school students encounter any difficulties in mathematics and reveal the reasons for such difficulties. The participants of the study, which was a descriptive case study based on qualitative understanding, were a total of 164 students, including 85 students from Anatolian High Schools and 79 students from Science High Schools. Approximately 11% of the participants said they had no difficulties in math, whereas 99% of the students from Anatolian High Schools and 78% of the students from Science High Schools said they had difficulties in mathematic. Their thoughts about the reasons for such difficulties were analyzed by content analysis method considering the type of high school they attended. The findings obtained revealed that the difficulties encountered by the participants in mathematics were teacher-, content- and student-based. Anatolian High School students stated that they intensely faced teacher-based difficulties, whereas Science High School students stated that they faced content-based difficulties. It's expected that the results of this study may contribute to studies to be conducted to increase student success in mathematics education and provide ideas for further studies.
Keywords: Mathematics lesson, difficulties in mathematics, high school student, type of high school.
References
Al Mutawah, M. A. (2015). The influence of mathematics anxiety in middle and high school students' math achievement. International Education Studies, 8(11), 239-251. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v8n11p239
Beaton, A. E., Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Gonzalez, E. J., Kelly, D. L., & Smith, T. A. (1996). Mathematics achievement in the middle school years: IEA's third international mathematics and science study. Boston College Press.
Bonne, L., & Johnston, M. (2016). Students' beliefs about themselves as mathematics learners. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 20, 17-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2016.02.001
Borghi, A. M., Binkofski, F., Castelfranchi, C., Cimatti, F., Scorolli, C., & Tummolini, L. (2017). The challenge of abstract concepts. Psychological Bulletin, 143(3), 263-292. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000089
Brown, M., Brown, P., & Bibby, T. (2008). I would rather die: Reasons given by 16-years-olds for not continuing their study of mathematics. Research in Mathematics Education, 10(1), 3-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14794800801915814
Bryman, A. (2008). Social research methods. Oxford University Press.
Chiu, M. M., & Xihua, Z. (2008). Family and motivation effects on mathematics achievement: Analyses of students in 41 countries. Learning and Instruction, 18(4), 321-336. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2007.06.003
Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design. Choosing among five approaches. SAGE Publication.
Dagdelen, S., & Unal, M. (2017). Matematik ogrenim ve ogretim surecinde karsilasilan sorunlar ve cozum onerileri [Problems and suggestions in mathematics teaching and learning process]. YYU Journal of Education Faculty/ YYU Egitim Fakultesi Dergisi, 14(1), 483-510. https://doi.org/10.23891/efdyyu.2017.19
Delil, A., & Ozcan, B. N. (2019). How 8th graders are assessed through tests by mathematics teachers? International Journal of Educational Methodology, 5(3), 479-488. https://doi.org/10.12973/ijem.5.3.479
Dweck, C. S. (2000). Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality and development. Psychology Press.
Gay, L. R., Mills, G. E., & Airasian, P. (2009). Educational research. Competencies for analysis and applications. Pearson Education Inc.
Guzel, C. I., & Berberoglu, G. (2010). Students' affective characteristics and their relation to mathematics literacy measures in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 10(40), 93-113.
Hernandez-Martinez, P., & Pampaka, M. (2017). "I did use to like maths…": Emotional changes toward mathematics during secondary school education. In U. X. Eligio (Ed.), Understanding emotions in mathematical thinking and learning (pp. 187-220). Elsevier Inc.
Hiebert, J., Gallimore, R., Garnier, H., Givvin, K. B., Hollingsworth, H., Jacobs, J., Chui, A. M., Wearne, D., Smith, M., Kersting, N., Manaster, A., Tseng, E., Etterbeek, W., Manaster, C., Gonzales, P., & Stigler, J. (2003). Teaching mathematics in seven countries. Results from the TIMSS 1999 video study. National Center for Education Statistics. U. S. Department of Education.
Jameel, H. T., & Ali, H. H. (2016). Causes of poor performance in mathematics from the perspective of students, teachers and parents. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences, 15(1), 122-136.
Kalaycioglu, D. B. (2015). The influence of socioeconomic status, self-efficacy, and anxiety on mathematics achievement in England, Greece, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the USA. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 15(5), 1391-1401. https://doi.org/10.12738/estp.2015.5.2731
Kamoru, U., & Ramon, O. G. (2017). Influence of self-concept, study habit and gender on attitude and achievement of secondary school students in mathematics. Journal of Leadership and Instruction, 16(1), 49-52.
Kloosterman, P. (1996). Studets' beliefs about knowing and learning mathematics: Implications for motivation. In M. Carr (Ed.), Motivation in mathematics (pp. 131-156). Hampton Press Inc.
Kranendonk, H. (2010). Can we make high school more relevant? Mathematics Teacher, 103(6), 392-393. https://doi.org/10.5951/MT.103.6.0392
Krueger, A., & Lindahl, M. (2001). Education for growth: Why and for whom? Journal of Economic Literature, 39(4), 1101–1136. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.39.4.1101
Lakoff, G., & Nunez, R. E. (2000). Where mathematics comes from? Basic Books.
Leon, J., Medina-Garrido, E., & Ortega, M. (2018). Teaching quality: High school students' autonomy and competence. Psicothema, 30(2), 218-223. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2017.23
Martin, D. B., Gholson, M. L., & Leonard, J. (2010). Mathematics as gatekeeper: Power and privilege in the production of knowledge. Journal of Urban Mathematics Education, 3(2), 12-24.
Memnun, D. S., & Akkaya, R. (2010). Primary school seventh grade students' opinions about the mathematics course. Theoretical Pedagogy/ Kuramsal Egitimbilim, 3(2), 100-117.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis. SAGE Publication.
Ministry of National Education. (2018a). Ortaogretim matematik dersi (9, 10, 11 ve 12. sınıflar) ogretim programi [Secondary school mathematics (9, 10, 11, and 12th grades) curriculum]. http://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/ProgramDetay.aspx?PID=351.
Ministry of National Education. (2018b). Milli Egitim Bakanligi akademik becerilerin izlenmesi ve degerlendirilmesi raporu. [Ministry of Education monitoring and evaluation of academic knowledge]. MEB Publisher.
Ministry of National Education. (2020). Yuksekogretim kurumlari sinavi sayisal bilgiler. [Statistical information about higher education exam] https://dokuman.osym.gov.tr/pdfdokuman/2020/YKS/yks_sayisal_27072020.pdf
Mullins, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Foy, P., & Hooper, M. (2016). TIMSS 2015 International results in mathematics. Boston College.
Murray, S. (2011). Declining participation in post-compulsory secondary school mathematics: students' views of and solutions to the problem. Research in Mathematics Education, 13(3), 269-285.
Nardi, E., & Steward, S. (2003). Is mathematics T.I.R.E.D? A profile of quiet disaffection in the secondary mathematics classroom. British Educational Research Journal, 29(3), 345-366. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411920301852
Opdenakker, M. C., & Van Damme J. (2006). Teacher characteristic and teaching styles as effectiveness enhancing factors of classroom practice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2005.07.008
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2016). PISA 2015 Results (Volume I): Excellence and equity in education. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264266490-en
Ozer, E., & Sezer, R. (2014). A comparative analysis of questions in American, Singaporean, and Turkish mathematics textbooks based on the topics covered in 8th grade in Turkey. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 14(1), 411-421.
Papanastasiou, C. (2002). Effects of background and school factors on the mathematics achievement. Educational Research and Evaluation, 8(1), 55-70. https://doi.org/10.1076/edre.8.1.55.6916
Patrick, H., Ryan. A. M., & Kaplan, A. (2007). Early adolescents' perception of the classroom social environment, motiational beliefs; and engagement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(1), 83-98. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.99.1.83
Ramdass, D., & Zimmerman, B. J. (2008). Effects of self-correction strategy training on middle school students' self-efficacy, self-evaluation, and mathematics division learning. Journal of Advanced Academics, 20(1), 18-41. https://doi.org/10.4219/jaa-2008-869
Rusli, R. (2017). The impact of gender, parents’ education level, and socio-economic status on Turkish students’ mathematics performance. Southeast Asian Mathematics Education Journal, 7(1), 57-64. https://doi.org/10.46517/seamej.v7i1.45
Stipek, D., Givvin, K. B., Salmon, J. M., & MacGyvers, V. L. (2001). Teachers' beliefs and practices related to mathematics instruction. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17, 213-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(00)00052-4
Tabak, S. (2019). 6th, 7th and 8th grade students' misconceptions about the order of operations. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 5(3), 363-373. https://doi.org/ 10.12973/ijem.5.3.363
Wang, J., & Goldschmidt, P. (2003). Importance of middle school mathematics on high school students' mathematics achievement. The Journal of Educational Research, 97(1), 3-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220670309596624
Willingham, D. T. (2010). Ask the cognitive scientist. Is it true that some people just can't do math? American Educator, (Winter 2009-2010), 14-19.
Wilson, P. S., Cooney, T. J., & Stinson D. W. (2005). What constitutes good mathematics teaching and how it develops: Nine high school teachers' perspectives? Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 8, 83-111. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-005-4796-7
Yackel, E., & Rasmussen, C. (2002). Beliefs and norms in the mathematics classroom. In G. C. Leder, E. Pehkonen, & G. Torner (Eds.), Beliefs: A hidden variable in mathematics education (pp. 313-330). Kluwer Academic Publisher.
Yayla, O., & Bangir-Alpan, G. (2019). Teachers' and students' opinions on the causes of student difficulties with mathematics. Journal of Research in Education and Society, 6(2), 401-425.
Yu, R., & Singh, K. (2018). Teacher support, instructional practices, student motivation, and mathematics achievement in high school. The Journal of Educational Research, 111(1), 81-94. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2016.1204260