Browsing by Author "Mariki, Judith Benjamin"

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    A comparative analysis of selected correlates of mathematics performance in public and private secondary schools in Tanzania: the case of Dar es Salaam region
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2009) Mariki, Judith Benjamin
    This was a study a comparative analysis of selected correlates of mathematics performance between public and private secondary schools in Tanzania. The research focused on selected better and poorly performing school to examine studies attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics and also explored the relationship between students’ attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics performance. Data was collected using the survey of attitude towards mathematics (SATM) scale; interview schedule was administered to heads of school, heads of mathematics department and mathematics leaders in selected secondary schools. In addition, form three mock examination results of mathematics represented mathematics performance. There were 192 respondents (180 students, 4 heads of schools, 4 heads of mathematics department, and 4 mathematics teachers) quantitative data provided statistical information the illuminated students, attitudes school category and sex as correlates of mathematics performance qualitative data was subjected to content analysis in order to extract relevant information. The findings revealed that there was no significant difference in students’ attitudes towards mathematics between public and private secondary schools and also between male and female students. But found a significant and strong difference in mathematic performance between male and female students. It was further found that students with positive attitudes towards mathematics performed much better in mathematics than students with negative attitudes towards mathematics and used their performance in the same subject that is students with high scores in attitudes scale associated with high scores in mathematics. It was concluded that the school category does not matter in mathematics performance if other factors such as availability of qualified teachers and teaching and learning materials added to students attitudes are available. On the basis of the above findings it was recommended that teachers and parents should develop programs aiming at improving students attitudes towards mathematics from negative to positive among both teachers and students so as to improve the pupils’ mathematics performance.