High school students' attitudes towards mathematics

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the attitudes of students studying at different types of high schools towards mathematics classes, and to test whether or not there is a meaningful difference between the demographic properties of the students and their attitudes. The data used in this study were obtained from 1,801 students studying at different types of high schools. The data obtained in the study showed that the attitudes of the students towards mathematics are at medium level, and that there is a meaningful difference between the attitudes of the students towards mathematics classes and the education levels of their fathers and the students' high school types. On the other hand, it has been determined that there is no meaningful difference between the gender of the students, the gender of the mathematics teachers, attending to an extra course, receiving private lessons for mathematics, their perceived success status, educational levels of their mothers, the income level of their families, the number of siblings, the order of the student in the family as a sibling, fathers' and mothers' profession, and the attitudes of the students. According to the Multi Linear Regression Analysis which was performed with the purpose of determining the factors affecting the attitudes of the students in the study group, the Gender of the Mathematics Teacher ( = -.073), the Profession of the Mother ( = - .069) and the Educational Level of the Father ( = .049) have effects in determining the attitudes of the students towards mathematics classes. © 2016 by iSER, International Society of Educational Research.