Gender, autonomous learning behavior and confidence in learning math: Predicting math performance on routine and non-routine word problems and standardized tests.
Item
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Title
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Gender, autonomous learning behavior and confidence in learning math: Predicting math performance on routine and non-routine word problems and standardized tests.
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Identifier
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AAI9020748
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identifier
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9020748
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Creator
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Caporrimo, Rosaria.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Sue Rosenberg Zalk
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Date
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1990
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Education, Educational Psychology | Education, Mathematics
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Abstract
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This research attempted to design a measure of autonomous learning behavior (ALB) and used scores on this instrument, along with confidence in learning math, and gender to predict scores on a routine and non-routine word problem task and a standardized math test. The study was conducted in two phases--instrument development and student data collection--and was the first to draw on math teachers' working knowledge to define ALB. Two instruments were developed: a Student ALB Self-Report Questionnaire, and a routine and non-routine word problem-solving task. The Student ALB Self-Report measure was presented in a manner that allowed students to indicate what strategies they used when solving the non-routine word problem presented prior to the questionnaire. Items also tapped strategies and behaviors possibly used by students in the math classroom. The problem-solving task consisted of six routine and six non-routine word problems.;One hundred twenty-two students--70 females and 52 males--responded to the Student ALB Self-Report Questionnaire, a Confidence in Learning Math Scale (Fennema & Sherman, 1976), and solved the 12 word problems. Students' scores on the math section of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills were also obtained.;Multiple regression analyses were used to determine which variables were predictors of the dependent variables routine and non-routine word problem score, and standardized math test score. Results indicated that none of the variables successfully predicted non-routine word problem score. In the prediction of routine problem score, ALB alone was not a significant predictor, however, the addition the Gender{dollar}\*{dollar}Confidence interaction term into the equation resulted in a significant prediction. For the standardized test score, ALB alone was a significant predictor, and the addition of the Gender{dollar}\*{dollar}Confidence interaction term resulted in a significant increase in this prediction. In both significant predictions, though, the variance accounted for was only 9%. When considering ALB, confidence related to routine problem scores and standardized test scores differently for males and females. For males, higher achievement scores occurred in conjunction with higher confidence scores. For females, confidence was unrelated to the standardized math test score and inversely related to routine problem score. Suggestions for further research are discussed.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
