Meta-analysis of the Relationship between Turkish Students’ Attitudes towards Mathematics and Mathematics Achievement
Author(s):
Süleyman Nihat Şad (presenting / submitting) Ali Kış (presenting) Niyazi Özer Mustafa Demir
Conference:
ECER 2015
Network:
24. Mathematics Education Research
Format:
Paper

Session Information

24 SES 10, Teacher Training

Paper Session

Time:
2015-09-10
15:30-17:00
Room:
430.Oktatóterem [C]
Chair:
Joana Mata-Pereira

Contribution

Turkish students’ performance in mathematics does not seem brilliant in international exams like Program of International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Their average math score was 448 in PISA in 2012, which was well below the OECD average of 494 (qualifying it 44th among 65 OECD countries) (OECD, 2014). Similarly, according to TIMSS 2011 scores 4th grader Turkish students were 35th and 8th grader students were 24th in terms of math scores (Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Arora, 2012). No matter how successfully the curriculum is implemented, results of such international exams suggest that actual functionality of the national math curriculum should be questioned and revised. As a matter of fact, students’ performances in math have usually been an issue in Turkey and factors for failure to achieve better math achievement have been investigated (Dursun & Dede, 2004; Savaş, Taş & Duru, 2010). Among these factors affective ones, such as learners’ attitudes towards and anxiety against mathematics play critical role in terms of math achievement. There is a number of researches investigating the relationship between learners’ attitudes towards mathematics and mathematic achievement (Çağlar, 2010; Kılıç, 2011; Nazlıçiçek & Erktin, 2002; Peker & Mirasyedioğlu, 2003; Saydam, 2005; Sezgin, 2007; Şentürk, 2010; Yenilmez& Özabacı, 2003; Yenilmez, 2007; Yücel & Koç, 2011).

Findings of many researches conducted with Turkish students indicated a possitive correlation between attitudes towards mathematics and mathematic achievement  (Çağlar, 2010; Kılıç, 2011; Nazlıçiçek & Erktin, 2002; Peker & Mirasyedioğlu, 2003; Saydam, 2005; Sezgin, 2007; Şentürk, 2010; Yenilmez & Özabacı, 2003; Yenilmez, 2007; Yücel & Koç, 2011). This suggests that as the learners develop positive attitudes towards mathematics, their performance in mathematics also increases. On the contrary, there are also researches which found out that there is no statistically significant correlation between attitudes towards mathematics and mathematic achievement (Ekizoğlu& Tezer, 2007; Kasa, 2009; Keşan, Yetişir& Kaya, 2011; Tabuk, 2009). Since, it seems that individual studies put forward different and inconsistent results, there is a need to combine the findings of these research through a meta-analysis.      

The present study aimed to find out the direction and magnitude of the correlation between Turkish students’ attitudes towards mathematics and their mathematics achievement via a meta-analysis. Although there are many studies investigating this relationship individually in Turkish context, our literature review yielded no meta-analytic studies combining the results. Thus answers to following research questions were sought in this meta-analytic study:

a) What is the common effect size of the correlation between Turkish students’ attitudes towards mathematics and their mathematics achievement?

b) Is there a statistically significant difference between the common effect sizes of the correlations across different grade levels?

Method

The present study is based on meta-analysis, which is used “to statistically combine the results of studies” (Cooper, Hedges & Valentine, 2009, p.6). It included 14 samples in 11 studies which investigated the relationship between Turkish students’ attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics achievement. They were published between the years 2005 and 2014. These studies were accessed through literature reviews in the digital databases including EBSCO, YOK (Higher Education Council) Doctoral and Master Theses Database, ULAKBIM (Turkish Academic Network and Information Center), ASOS, and Google Scholar using the keywords or descriptors of mathematics achievement/success/performance, attitudes towards mathematics. The inclusion criteria used for selecting among the search results are as follows: a) studies should analyze the correlation or regression between learners’ attitudes towards mathematics and their mathematics achievements, b) participants should be Turkish students attending public or private schools of any education level c) studies should report sample size, r, and/or p values, and d) studies should include adequate explanations and proofs about the validity and reliability of the analysis therein. Finally, a total of 11 studies were included meeting these criteria (indicated with an asterisk in references). Among them Kasa (2009) included two samples and Tabuk (2009) included three samples, for which correlation coefficients were calculated separately. Thus, the 14 samples from 11 studies were involved in the meta-analysis. Total number of participants analyzed in these studies was 2859 students from different educational stages. Among out of 14 samples involved, three were primary students, nine were secondary school students, one was high school students, and one was university students. Effect sizes were calculated and analyzed via Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (Version 2.0) software. The sensitivity to publication bias was tested by calculating Orwin’s fail-safe N, which yielded 507. This may suggest that there is no publication bias since this number far beyond (about 46 times more than) the included number of studies (k=11). The heterogeneity of effect sizes were assessed using Q and I2 statistics. Furthermore, the school stage (primary, secondary, high school, and university) was tested as a moderator based on the random effects model, since the initial statistics indicated lack of homogeneity (Q=178,376; p= 0.000; I2= 92.712). The level of significance was considered 0.05 in the analysis.

Expected Outcomes

The results of the analysis showed that correlations between students’ attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics achievement were positive and statistically significant (p<.05) for seven samples [Çağlar, 2010; Kasa, 2009(ControlGroup); Kılıç, 2011; Reçber, 2011; Sezgin, 2007; Şentürk, 2010; Yücel & Koç, 2011]. For the remaining seven samples [Ekizoğlu & Tezer, 2007; Kasa, 2009(TreatmentGroup); Keşan et al., 2011; Tabuk, 2009(TreatmentGroup1); Tabuk, 2009(TreatmentGroup2); Tabuk, 2009(ControlGroup); Tektaş, 2010], there was no statistically significant correlation (p>.05). The combined effect size calculated for all studies was 0.356 for Fixed Effect Model and 0.256 for Random Effect Model. Both positive effect sizes can be interpreted as moderate and modest, respectively (Cohen et al., 2007, p.521). This suggested as the learners’ attitudes towards mathematics increases their achievement level also increases. Based on the results of tests of heterogeneity of effect sizes (Q=178,376; p<0.05; I2=92.712), it was decided that random effects model is mode appropriate for the present meta-analysis. Then moderator analysis was conducted based on the random effects model. Since two studies (Sezgin, 2007; Tektaş, 2010) were the only studies representing high school and higher education level, respectively, they were excluded from the analysis. The moderator analysis based on the educational stage revealed that common effect size for the studies conducted at primary school level (3 samples from 2 studies) was significant, positive and at moderate level (r=0.432), z=2,472, p< .05. Also the combined effect size for the studies conducted at secondary school level (9 samples from 7 studies) was significant, positive and modest level (r=0,211), z=2,045, p< .05. The comparison between the combined effect sizes of two subgroups yielded no statistically significant difference (QBetweenGroups=1,340, df=1, p=0,247). This suggests that the effect sizes of the positive correlations between learners’ attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics achievement are similar both for primary school students and for secondary school students.

References

Included studies are shown with (*) Cohen, L., Manion, L.,& Morrison, K.(2007). Research Method in Education (6thedition). NY:Taylor&Francis e-Library Cooper, H., Hedges, L.V.& Valentine, J.C.(2009). The handbook of research synthesis and meta-analysis (2nd edition). NY:Sage Publication. *Çağlar, G. (2010). Yapılandırmacı Yaklaşımın Matematik Öğretimine (İlköğretim 7. Sınıflarda) Etkisi. Unpublished master thesis, Beykent University, İstanbul. Dursun, Ş.& Dede, Y. (2004). Öğrencilerin Matematikte Başarısını Etkileyen Faktörler: Matematik Öğretmenlerinin Görüşleri Bakımından. Gazi Üniversitesi Gazi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 24(2), 217-230. *Ekizoğlu, N.& Tezer, M. (2007). İlköğretim Öğrencilerinin Matematik Dersine Yönelik Tutumları ile Matematik Başarıları Puanları Arasındaki İlişki. Journal of Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 1-15 *Kasa, B. (2009). Yazma Etkinliklerinin İlköğretim İkinci Kademe Öğrencilerinin Matematik Başarılarına ve Tutumlarına Etkisi. Unpublished master thesis, Pamukkale University, Denizli. *Keşan, C.,Yetişir, Ş. & Kaya, D. (2011). İlköğretim İkinci Kademe Öğrencilerinin Görsel, İşitsel ve Kinestetik Durumlarının Belirlenmesi ve Matematiğe Yönelik Tutumlarının Başarıya Etkisi. e-Journal of New World Sciences Academy, 6(4), 2660-2674. *Kılıç, A.S. (2011). İlköğretim İkinci Kademe Öğrencilerinin Genel Başarıları, Matematik Başarıları, Matematik Dersine Yönelik Tutumları, Güdülenmeleri ve Matematik Kaygıları Arasındaki İlişki. Unpublished master thesis, Gazi University, Ankara. Mullis, I.V.S, Martin, M.O., Foy, P.,& Arora, A. (2012). TIMSS 2011 International Results in Mathematics. International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. Herengracht 487, Amsterdam, 1017 BT, The Netherlands. OECD (2014) PISA 2012 Results in Focus: What 15-year-olds know and what they can do with what they know: Key results from PISA 2012, retrived from http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/pisa-2012-results-overview.pdf *Reçber, Ş. (2011). İlköğretim 7. Sınıf öğrencilerinin matematik öz yeterlik algısı, matematik kaygısı, matematik dersine karşı tutum ve matematik başarıları arasındaki ilişkinin cinsiyet ve okul türüne göre incelenmesi. Unpublished master thesis, METU, Ankara. Savaş, E., Taş, S.& Duru, A. (2010). Matematikte Öğrenci Başarısını Etkileyen Faktörler. İnönü Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 11(1), 113- 132 *Sezgin, M. (2007). Öğrencilerin Matematik Başarılarına Etki Eden Faktörler. Unpublished master thesis, Beykent University, İstanbul. *Şentürk, B. (2010). İlköğretim Beşinci Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Genel Başarıları, Matematik Başarıları, Matematik Dersine Yönelik Tutumları Ve Matematik Kaygıları Arasındaki İlişki. Unpublished master thesis, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar *Tabuk, M. (2009). Proje Tabanlı Öğrenmede Çoklu Zekâ Yaklaşımının Matematik Öğrenme Başarısına Etkisi. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Marmara University, İstanbul. *Tektaş, M. (2010). Meslek Yüksek Okulu Öğrencilerinin Matematik Tutumları ve Bireysel Farklılıklarının İncelenmesi. SÜ İİBF Sosyal ve Ekonomik Araştırmalar Dergisi, 13(19), 241- 250 *Yücel, Z. & Koç, M. (2011). İlköğretim Öğrencilerinin Matematik Dersine Karşı Tutumlarının Başarı Düzeylerini Yordama Gücü ile Cinsiyet Arasındaki İlişki. İlköğretim Online, 10(1), 133-143

Author Information

Süleyman Nihat Şad (presenting / submitting)
İnönü University, Turkey
Ali Kış (presenting)
İnönü University, Turkey
Niyazi Özer
İnönü University, Turkey
Mustafa Demir
Ministry of National Education, Turkey

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