Some correlates of lower secondary school modern mathematics over and underachievement

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
1977-06
Authors
Lim, Ewe Jin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Over-and under-achievement in mathematics have often been looked at in terms of savings and wastage of educational resources o In the present highly competitive world this view becomes crucial, and even more so in developing countries like Malaysia where resources and time are limitedo This study sought to identify correlates closely associated with over-and under-achievement in school mathematics and to compare the patterns of the correlates in the two cases. It also attempted to seek an understanding of the significance of some of the correlates in terms of the "Modern Mathematics" curriculum being implemented in Malaysiao Form II pupils of an urban secondary girls' school were divided into four groups for the study - over-achievers, underachievers, higher normal-achievers and lower normal-achieverso Although the over-and under-achievers were the main concerns of the study the other two groups as well as the total sample afforded baseline comparisonso Identification of over-and under-achievers was effected by a linear regression of mathematics aChievement on non-verbal intelligence and using ~ 1 0 00 standard error of estimate as the upper and lower limits of discrepant achievemento The rest of the sample was divided into higher normal-achievers and lower normal-achievers according to whether they fell above or below the regression line.Hultiple regression analysis was carried out for each achievement group of pupils as well as the total sample The criteria used were the school end-of-year Forms I and II mathematics tests, the total of these two tests and a specially constructed LEJ Mathematics Achievement Test based on the Forms I and II mathematics syllabuses being used by the pupilso The predictors used were in three clusters - those pertaining to the pupil, those originating from the teachers and those concerned with the parentso The first cluster consisted of the pupils' language ability and their mathematics self-concept and interesto The second was made up of the teachers' perception of the pupils' mathematics achievement and interesto The last group of predictors were parental pressure and parental helpo The overriding correlate associated with all categories of mathematics achievement (over-, under-, normal-) as well as the mathematics achievement of the total sample turned out to be the teachers' perception of pupils' mathematics aChievemento Parental influence was varied from group to group, but in general it was important to over-and under-achievers and lower normal-achieverso Language ability was also important for the normal-achieving groups and the total sampleo Teacher perception and language ability were found to be of special significance to the "Modern Mathematics" curriculum mentioned eerlier.
Description
Keywords
Mathematical ability
Citation