Learning Style and Mathematics Self-Efficay on Senior Secondary Two (SS II) Students’ Interest and Achievement in Mathematics

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between learning style and mathematics self-efficacy on senior secondary two (SS II) students’ interest and achievement in mathematics. Four research questions and four hypotheses guided the study. A Correlational survey research design was adopted for the study. Senior secondary two (SS 2) students from all the 78 public secondary schools in Abakaliki education zone of Ebonyi State formed the population of this study. The sample of the study comprised 400 students (200 males and 200 females) drawn from 8 randomly sample schools from the four local government areas in the zone. Learning Styles Inventory (LSI), Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MSS), Mathematics Interest Inventory (MII) and Mathematics Achievement Test (EAT) with reliability coefficients of 0.86, 0.89, and 0.80 respectively were used as instruments for data collection of this study. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to answer the research questions while linear regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at 95% confidence level. The results revealed among others that: there is a positive relationship between the students learning style and self-efficacy on their interest and achievement in mathematics. The result further revealed that there was significant relationship between the students learning style and self-efficacy and their interest and achievement in mathematics. In line with the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that mathematics teachers should prioritize tailoring classroom instruction to accommodate the individual learning styles and self-efficacy of the learners since it has been proven to have a significant positive relationship to the students’ interest and achievement in mathematics.