Relationship between Student Attitude and Achievement in Mathematics among Secondary School Students in Ganze District Kilifi County Kenya

Abstract

This article is based on a bigger study that sought to establish the relationship between affective factors with students` achievement in mathematics. The article shares findings from the study objective to establish the relationship between student attitude and achievement in mathematics. The descriptive Survey research design on a sample size of 250 students used a mathematics attitude questionnaire and mathematics achievement test to collect quantitative data. The computational formula of Pearson`s product-moment correlation coefficient  determined the null hypothesis, “there is no statistically significant relationship between student attitude and achievement in mathematics.” The study found that there was a statistically significant positive correlation coefficient of  between student attitude and achievement in mathematics. This implies that student attitude is directly proportional to achievement in mathematics. However, analysis based on gender differences contradicts the stereotype that females always of negative attitude towards mathematics than males. Females in mixed-day secondary schools indicated a higher positive attitude than males. Whereas males in mixed-boarding secondary schools indicated a higher positive attitude than females, unlike in single-sex boarding secondary schools where both genders indicated similar attitude types towards mathematics. The study recommends mathematics teachers have to inculcate a positive attitude in the classroom environment for better achievement since student attitude is directly proportional to achievement in mathematics.