Examining pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards mathematics learning in Mt. Mary College of Education Somanya, Ghana

Abstract

The study was conducted to examine the attitudes of pre-service teachers towards mathematics learning, what contributed to the attitude of the pre-service teachers and the relationships between pre-service teachers’ attitudes and their performance in mathematics at Mt. Mary College of Education in Ghana. The study was based on Ajzen’s (1993), ABC Attitude Model also called the Tripartite Model. The convergent parallel mixed method design was adopted in this study, applying both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Out of the four hundred and sixty-five (465) pre-service teachers sampled, only three hundred and twenty-five (325) of the pre-service teachers willingly participated in the study. The main instrument used to collect data in this study was the Mathematics Attitude Questionnaire (MAQ) in the form of a Likert scale, open-ended questions, semistructured interviews and tests designed by the researcher. Findings from this study revealed that; the pre-service teachers had positive attitudes towards mathematics learning in the ABC model. The following factors contributed to the attitudes of preservice teacher’s attitudes towards mathematics: Usefulness of Mathematics, Mathematics as a compulsory subject, Encouragement and support received from others, Difficulty and Fear, Having a good teacher and Self-Confidence. A strong correlation existed between pre-service teachers' attitudes towards mathematics learning and their academic performance. This study implies that the school management should advantageously use the pre-service teacher's positive attitude towards mathematics to continue creating a strong inclination and culture of mathematics in the college where the pre-service teachers can score more favourably in mathematics and any other mathematics-related courses.