ASSESSMENT OF MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS ATTITUDE TOWARDS MATHEMATICS IN SELECTED PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN ETI – OSA, LAGOS

Abstract

This study assessed the mathematics learning attitude of senior secondary students towards mathematics in Eti-osa educational district of Lagos state. One research question and two hypotheses guided the study. This study employed the descriptive survey research design. The study population consisted of students of senior secondary schools class II in Eti-osa Educational district. The sample of 200 senior secondary school students was purposively drawn from 10 senior secondary schools in Eti-osa local government education district out of about 40 based on population size and accessibility. The instrument for the study was a questionnaire titled: Students’ Mathematical Attitude Inventory (SMAI). The validity of the instrument was done by experts in the Faculty of Education, NOUN. The reliability of the instrument was determined by administering it on a sample of 30 secondary school students in the Apapa local government area of Lagos state, which was not part of the original sample population. The exercise was repeated in two weeks interval. Based on the results obtained from the analyzed data, the reliability was calculated using test-retest method and the reliability index was 0.86, hence it was considered adequate for the study. The data collected from the field were analyzed with frequency distribution, descriptive statistics and Independent sample test (IST). Hypotheses were tested at 0.05 significant levels. The finding revealed that there were no significant differences in the learning attitudes of private and public senior secondary school students and male and female senior secondary school students towards the learning of mathematics in Eti-osa educational district of Lagos State. Recommendations were given based on the outcomes which included that Lagos state government, teachers and parents should expedite action to improve students’ attitude towards mathematics.