Title

Author(s)

Junior students' attitude towards mathematics in a Hong Kong

secondary school

Chong, Choi;

Citation

Issued Date

URL

Rights

2015

http://hdl.handle.net/10722/223640

The author retains all proprietary rights, (such as patent rights)

and the right to use in future works.

Junior students' attitude towards mathematics

in a Hong Kong secondary school

by

Chong Choi

Dissertation presented in part fulfillment of the requirements of the

degree of Master of Education, the University of Hong Kong
August 2015

Declaration

I hereby declare that this dissertation represents my own work and that it has not
been previously submitted to this University or any other institution in application for
admission to a degree, diploma or other qualifications.

(Chong Choi)
August, 2015

Acknowledgement

I would like to take the opportunity to express my deepest appreciation to the

many individuals who assisted my work.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to my supervisor Mr. Arthur M.S. Lee,
for his guidance and encouragement. His keen insight and invaluable advice have
inspired me throughout the study.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the students of my school who have
participated and contributed in this study. Special thanks go to my colleagues in the
mathematics department and Miss Chan Wai Yan for their assistance during the study.

Finally, I am particularly grateful for my beloved wife, Maggie, for her love,
patience, understanding, and unconditional support.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between junior
students attitudes towards mathematics (ATM) and mathematics achievement in a
Hong Kong secondary school. The levels of attitudes towards mathematics of students
in different forms were also compared. This study was carried out by both quantitative
and qualitative methods. In this research, 450 S.1 to S.3 students in the school of
study were given the Attitudes Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI) questionnaire
which consisted of 40 items covering four different sub-factors (confidence, value,
enjoyment and motivation) of attitudes towards mathematics. The data was then
analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) through t-test and
Pearson Correlation. The results revealed that there was significant correlation
between attitudes towards mathematics and achievement. Among the four sub-factors,
confidence showed the strongest relationship with achievement. According to the
survey results 24 students were then invited for individual interviews. Further analysis
of interview responses was conducted and provided insights of different aspects
which affected students attitudes and learning mathematics.

Keywords: secondary school, junior students, attitudes towards mathematics,

mathematics achievement

ii

Table of Content
Acknowledgement ......................................................................................................... i

Abstract

....................................................................................................................ii

Table of Content......................................................................................................... iii

List of Tables ................................................................................................................ v

List of Figures............................................................................................................... v

List of Appendices ........................................................................................................ v

Chapter 1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 1

1.1
1.2

Background ................................................................................................ 1
Research problems ..................................................................................... 3

Chapter 2 Literature Review .................................................................................... 4

2.1
2.2
2.3

Definition of attitude towards mathematics (ATM) ................................... 4

Instruments to measure attitude towards mathematics .............................. 6
Researches on relationship between attitude towards mathematics and
mathematics achievements ....................................................................... 7

2.4

Research questions ..................................................................................... 9

Chapter 3 Design of the Study and Methodology ................................................. 10

3.1
3.2
3.3

Design of study ........................................................................................ 10

The subjects ............................................................................................. 10
Data collection method ............................................................................ 13
3.3.1
3.3.2
3.3.3

3.4

Questionnaire ............................................................................... 13
Measure of mathematics achievement ......................................... 14
Individual interview ..................................................................... 14

Data analysis ............................................................................................ 17

3.4.1
Questionnaire ............................................................................... 17
3.4.2
Individual interview ..................................................................... 18
iii

Chapter 4 Findings from ATMI Questionnaire .................................................... 19

4.1
4.2
4.3

Students level of ATM ............................................................................ 19

Variation of students level of ATM across different junior forms .......... 21
Correlation between students ATM and mathematics achievement ....... 21

Chapter 5 Findings from Individual Interviews ................................................... 24

5.1

Aspects affecting students confidence in learning mathematics............. 25

5.2
5.3
5.4

Aspects affecting students value in learning mathematics ..................... 32

Aspects affecting students enjoyment in learning mathematics ............. 38
Aspects affecting students motivation in doing mathematics ................. 46

Chapter 6 Discussion................................................................................................ 51
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4

Decline in students attitudes when getting higher forms ........................ 51

Prior achievement .................................................................................... 52
Exam-oriented culture .............................................................................. 54
Practice makes perfect ............................................................................. 56

6.5

Teachers Influence on Students Learning .............................................. 57

6.5.1
Arousing students' interest ........................................................... 58
6.5.2
Teachers' support on mathematics achievement .......................... 59
6.5.3
Classroom atmosphere ................................................................. 60

Chapter 7 Conclusions and Suggestions ................................................................ 62

7.1
7.2

Summary of research findings ................................................................. 62

Implications.............................................................................................. 64
7.2.1
7.2.2
7.2.3
7.2.4
7.2.5

7.3
7.4

Guidance on academic perspective .............................................. 65

More problem solving than drilling ............................................. 67
Developing students enjoyment in mathematics learning .......... 68
Classroom atmosphere ................................................................. 69
Peer support ................................................................................. 69

Limitations and Difficulties ..................................................................... 70

Suggestions for further research .............................................................. 71

References .................................................................................................................. 72

Appendices .................................................................................................................. 78

iv

List of Tables
Table 1: Coding system for informants: attitude-achievement matrix ............................ 11
Table 2: Codes for all the twenty-four informants ........................................................... 12
Table 3: Example of the level of attitudes of a student .................................................... 17
Table 4: Classification of level of ATM according to mean ATMI scores ....................... 17
Table 5: Response rate of the questionnaires ................................................................... 19
Table 6: The distribution of students with high/medium/low level of ATM.................... 19
Table 7: The mean and the s.d. of the ATMI scores of the students in different forms ... 20
Table 8: The level of average ATM and each sub-factor of the students in S.1 to S.3 .... 20
Table 9: The correlation coefficients between ATM and achievement of the students.... 22
Table 10: Examples of the coding of informants ............................................................. 25
Table 11: Aspects affecting students value in learning mathematics .............................. 33
Table 12: Aspects affecting students enjoyment in learning mathematics ..................... 39
Table 13: Aspects affecting students motivation in learning mathematics ..................... 47

List of Figures
Figure 1: The level of average ATM and each sub-factor of the students in S.1 to S.3... 21
Figure 2: The variation of the average level of ATM of students across S.1 to S.3 ........ 23

List of Appendices
Appendix 1: ATMI Questionnaire.................................................................................... 78
Appendix 2: Multiple choice (MC) scan paper for AIMI Questionnaire ........................ 80
Appendix 3: Questions asked in the interview ................................................................ 81
Appendix 4: Sample of interview transcript .................................................................... 82
Appendix 5: Letter of consent form to the school ........................................................... 85
Appendix 6: Consent form for parents ............................................................................ 87
Appendix 7: Consent form for students ........................................................................... 90
Appendix 8: Application Form for Ethical Approval ...................................................... 94

Chapter 1

Introduction

1.1 Background
The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the
largest international study of comparative assessment of students achievement in
mathematics and science conducted by the International Association for Evaluation of
Educational Achievement. It consists of an international test of student achievement in
mathematics and sciences to evaluate different aspects that account for students
achievement (Beaton et al., 1999; Foy, Arora & Stanco, 2013; Martin et al., 2000).

The TIMSS study provides a rich data source on student mathematics

achievement in Hong Kong. According to TIMSS scores in 2011, Hong Kong ranked
fourth among all countries, indicating that Hong Kong's Secondary 2 students were
constantly performing well in math test in comparison with other countries (Mullis et
al., 2012).

Despite the superior performance in TIMSS, Hong Kong students values of

mathematics and their confidence in learning the subject were rather low. TIMSS
results revealed that there were more Primary 4 students with positive attitudes
towards mathematics than students at Secondary 2; however, the percentages of
students having positive attitudes towards mathematics were all lower than the
international averages at both grades. It showed there was a big drop in positive
attitudes when students promoting from primary school to secondary school as well.
The TIMSS results pointed us direction of studying the extent of the attitudes
changing over time.

Being a mathematics teacher in the researched school for six years, there were
observations among mathematics teachers that students' attitude and interest in
learning mathematics were declining when the students were promoted to higher
forms. The underlying concern was reflected by students' activeness and participation
during lessons, their performances in assignments, their general responses when
results of test and examination papers delivered, students' sharing on their studying
habits of mathematics. Moreover, senior form students generally did not have high
motivation in learning and studying mathematics. The students in S.4 were not well
prepared for the New Senior Secondary (NSS) mathematics curriculum in the sense of
unsatisfactory foundation knowledge they should have been equipped at junior levels
and their negative attitudes towards mathematics. Many of them, especially the
low-achievers, showed lack of confidence to catch up the course. During the
conversations between the teachers and students on the issue in recent years, students
indicated the gap in mathematics achievements between the high-achievers and
themselves and it had been widened after three years of study at junior forms. The
illustrated problem seemed to be common and reflected in many other schools as well,
and the idea was in line with TIMSS 2011 report (Mullis et al., 2012) and the findings
by Wong et al. (1999) that Hong Kong students did not have confidence in doing
mathematics. It was of high concern that students' negative ATM developed at their
junior forms would have a major influence and hinder their mathematical learning and
engagement (Garden, 1997; McLeod, 1992) at senior forms.

1.2 Research problems

There had been many studies worldwide which aimed at specifying of attitudes
both primary and secondary school levels (Hemmings & Kay, 2010; Hemmings,
Grootenboer & Kay., 2011; Kce et al., 2009; Mata, Monteiro & Peixoto, 2012;
Peker & Mirasyediolu, 2008). However, there was still lack of research in Hong
Kong to study this relationship and compared how secondary school students
attitudes towards mathematics changing according to different forms (S.1, S.2 and
S.3). Further investigation into the issue to fully understand students experiences in
learning mathematics and how their attitudes towards mathematics (ATM) were
affected should be undertaken. The exploration and unravelling of this phenomenon
was important for the improvement of learning and teaching in mathematics.

Chapter 2

Literature Review

2.1 Definition of attitude towards mathematics (ATM)

Definition of ATM has taken perhaps the longest history of discussion in the
context of mathematics education (Aiken, 1970; Allport, 1935; Haladyna,
Shaughnessy, & Shaughnessy, 1983; Hannula, 2002; Hart, 1989; Martino & Zan,
2009; McLeod, 1992).

In the variety of definitions of ATM had been proposed over the years, two main
streams could be identified: one-dimensional and multi-dimensional.

Allport (1935) proposed the original simple definition of attitude as a mental

and neural state of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directive and
dynamic influence upon the individuals response to all subjects and situations with
which it is related. (p.810). Anttonen (1969), Scharf (1971) and Fellows (1973)
assumed that students had a simple, one-dimensional ATM which could be measured
in a unitary scale. The causal nature of attitude by behaviour was further highlighted
by Aiken (1970) that attitude refers to a learned predisposition or tendency on the
part of an individual to respond positively or negatively to some object, situation,
concept, or another person (p.551). McLeod (1992) emphasized a special role of
affective issues on attitudes involving a positive or negative emotional disposition
towards mathematics and their interaction with cognitive responses in mathematics
learning. Attitude was considered as the neutral element in terms of stability and
intensity (with emotions as most intense/least stable and beliefs as most stable/least
intense). Using a simple definition, ATM was just a positive or negative emotional
disposition towards Mathematics (McLeod, 1994).
4

Recent researches had been influenced by proposal of affective element within

mathematics education and further elaborated the concepts of multi-dimensional
aspects of students ATM and examined individually the effects of different
components.

A multi-dimensional definition comprised three components in attitude:

emotions, beliefs and behaviours. Therefore students attitudes towards mathematics
reflected in a more complicated way involving the emotional response to mathematics,
positive or negative value of conception about mathematic and a behavioral tendency
with regard to mathematics (Hart, 1989). Ma & Kishor (1997) proposed a wider
definition of ATM as an aggregated measure of a liking or disliking of Mathematics, a
tendency to engage in or avoid mathematical activities, a belief that one is good or bad
at Mathematics, and a belief that Mathematics is useful or useless (p. 27). Martino &
Zan (2009) identified three dimensions within ATM: emotional disposition, vision of
mathematics, and perceived competence.

This research did not intend to conclude a unique definition of attitude; instead, it
focused on examining which sub-factor contributing the most to students' attitude to
the researcher and the school of study. The factors would be outlined in the next part.
The multi-dimensional definition of attitude was adopted in this research, which was
widely accepted with most of the recent researches in the previous decades.

2.2 Instruments to measure attitude towards mathematics

There had been many arguments defining and redefining attitude for over
decades, but there was still no consensus of definition for attitude and thus a variety of
instruments to measure attitudes towards mathematics had been developed regarding
to different definitions.

First instrument of measuring attitude proposed by Aiken (1970) based on his

one-dimensional definitions of attitude. A few years later multi-dimensional
definitions of attitude prevailed and thus the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude
Scales (F-S Scales) (Fennema & Sherman, 1976) had become the most popular
instrument in studying attitudes towards math for over three decades.

The F-S Scales covered a group of nine instruments: (1) Attitude Toward
Success in Mathematics Scale, (2) Mathematics as a Male Domain Scale, (3) Mother
Scale, (4)Father Scale, (5) Teacher Scale, (6) Confidence in Learning Mathematics
Scale, (7) Mathematics Anxiety Scale, (8) Effectance Motivation Scale in
Mathematics and (9) Mathematics Usefulness Scale. The whole questionnaire
consisted of 108 items and took about 45 minutes to complete.

Extensive research on the validity and reliability of F-S scale had been carried
out and being challenged in subsequent researches (Broadbooks, 1981; Forgasz, Leder
& Gardner, 1999; McLeod, 1994; O Neal et al., 1988). A number of studies also
questioned the integrity of its scores (Melanchon, Thompson & Becnel, 1994).

Nevertheless, F-S Scales still acted as a central work of instrument; and since
then more revised, shorter instruments with a straightforward factor structure
6

developed (Melanchon, Thompson & Becnel, 1994; Mulhern & Rae, 1998; Tapia,
2004).

Melanchon et al. (1994) identified only seven components out of nine in their
study and thus were unable to find a perfect fit measure proposed by F-S Scale.
Mulhern and Rae (1998) reduced to six factors out of nine and suggested to develop a
shortened form of the model.

Based on F-S Scale, Tapia (2004) developed the Attitudes Towards Mathematics
Inventory (ATMI) which provides valid and reliable measure of attitudes. The
four-factor model defined self-confidence, value, enjoyment and motivation as
underlying dimensions of students attitudes toward mathematics. The results
indicated high level of reliability and validity of the scores on the subscales with a
Cronbach alpha of 0.88 and the scores were stable over time. The four-factor model
suggested by Tapia was adopted in this research. And the ATMI questionnaire was
used in the first part of the study.

2.3

Researches on relationship between attitude towards mathematics and

mathematics achievements
In the past decades, there had been several major studies investigating the

relationship between students' ATM and their mathematics achievements.

Research findings by Aiken (1970) suggested that the relationship was

significant but not strong. Ma & Kishor (1997) conducted a research to summarize the
findings of some previous researches on the issue, they matched findings by Aiken.
On top of it, Ma & Kishor (1997) added that "the relationship was found to be
7

dependent on a number of variables: grade, ethnic background, sample selection,

sample size, and date of publication. The variations between different researches also
affected the significance of the correlation.

Papanastasiou (2000) analyzed the U.S. and Japanese data from The
International Mathematics and Science Study (3rd TIMSS) and examined students'
mathematics results with possible factors. The study emphasized there were various
factors contributing to students' mathematics achievement, with students' attitudes
towards mathematics being one of the factors.

Furthermore, Bramlett & Herron (2009) conducted a research at the Historically

Black Colleges and University, where the local African-American students' attitudes
towards mathematics were determined by using the F-S Scales. They suggested a
significant

relationship

between

students'

attitude

and

achievements

for

African-American students under investigation.

Moreover, Mohd et al (2011) investigated specifically on the relationship

between students' attitudes towards problem solving and their mathematics
achievements. The attributes of attitudes towards problem solving included patience,
confidence and willingness were studied. Positive relationship was obtained on 153
students at university level.

In addition, there were also researches about the trend of the change of students'
attitudes towards mathematics. Ma & Kishor (1997) summarized some previous
researches and indicated that students generally posed positive ATM at the beginning
of their school life. However, their attitudes showed a trend to decline when they grew
8

up, and became negative at high schools. Swetman (1995) specifically pointed out
that girls' attitudes were more positive than the boys at the beginning, but the girls
became less positive or negative as they were studying in higher forms. Both of the
researches shared the view that attitudes could be changed by factors like teaching
method.

This study aims to investigate the possible reasons of students having low level
of ATM and to gain insights about measures to raise their ATM.

2.4 Research questions

On the basis of literatures and findings cited in the previous parts, it was refined
to the following research questions:
(1) To identify the junior students' level of ATM in the school of study
(2) To investigate if the students' ATM varies according to their achievement in
mathematics.
(3) To investigate if the students' ATM varies across different junior forms.
(4) To investigate which sub-factor has the highest correlation with students'
achievement among the four sub-factors in Attitudes Towards Mathematics
Inventory (ATMI)
(5) For the students with relatively low level of mathematics attitudes, to investigate
some possible aspects contributing to the phenomenon.

Chapter 3

Design of the Study and Methodology

All the junior form students from the same school where the researcher worked
at were invited to participate in this surveybased research.

3.1 Design of study

Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study.

In the first part, quantitative approach was adopted to collect data about students
level of attitudes towards mathematics and their mathematics achievement through
questionnaires. Their level of ATM and their mathematics achievements were
analyzed to investigate the relationship between their ATM and achievements in the
subject. Furthermore, the variation in the level of ATM and the correlation factors
across different forms were studied to observe for any trend.

In the second part of the study was conducted by qualitative approach. 24

students were invited for individual interviews. The interviews aimed at investigating
the possible causes of students' high and low levels of ATM in different aspects, and
thus the possible effects on their behaviours in mathematics learning. Triangulation
with the results from the questionnaire was performed with the interview results.

3.2 The subjects

All the junior form students (S.1 S.3) of the academic year 2014-15 at the
school of study in Hong Kong were invited to participate in the first part of the
research: completing the questionnaire. The students were explained that not
participating in the study would not be penalized; furthermore, there was no
10

compensation or reward for the students who participated.

In the second part of the research, the qualitative research was conducted. After
analyzing the survey data from the questionnaires, students level of ATM was plotted
against their mathematics achievements.

The students with ATMI average scores higher than the median level of their
schoolmates in the same form were defined as students with high attitude, while the
remaining students were defined as students with low attitudes. Similar definition was
used to distinguish between high and low achievers. Students with average
mathematics scores higher than the median score were regarded as high achieving
students.

To summarize, the students were categorized and coded into the following
attitude-achievement matrix.

High attitude

Low attitude

High achievement

HH

LH

Low achievement

HL

LL

Table 1: Coding system for informants: attitude-achievement matrix

According to the above coding system, two HH students, two HL students, two
LH students and two LL students, total eight informants were selected from each form
to investigate for any difference regarding the aspects being concerned by different
groups of informants. Altogether, twenty-four informants, eight from each form, were
chosen for individual interviews in the second part of research.
11

The table below showed the coding system for each individual informant.
Code

Form

Attitude

Achievement

1HH1
S.1
High
1HH2
S.1
High
1HL1
S.1
High
1HL2
S.1
High
1LH1
S.1
Low
1LH2
S.1
Low
1LL1
S.1
Low
1LL2
S.1
Low
2HH1
S.2
High
2HH2
S.2
High
2HL1
S.2
High
2HL2
S.2
High
2LH1
S.2
Low
2LH2
S.2
Low
2LL1
S.2
Low
2LL2
S.2
Low
3HH1
S.3
High
3HH2
S.3
High
3HL1
S.3
High
3HL2
S.3
High
3LH1
S.3
Low
3LH2
S.3
Low
3LL1
S.3
Low
3LL2
S.3
Low
Table 2: Codes for all the twenty-four informants

High
High
Low
Low
High
High
Low
Low
High
High
Low
Low
High
High
Low
Low
High
High
Low
Low
High
High
Low
Low

1st / 2nd Informant

1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd

For example, 3HL2 means a S.3 students of High attitude and Low achievement,
the last number 2 means the 2nd student of 3HL category, to differentiate the two
students of each category in the same form.

12

3.3 Data collection method

3.3.1

Questionnaire
The Attitudes Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI) questionnaire (Tapia,

2004) was adopted as the data collection tool in the first part of the study to measure
students' level ATM. The ATMI consisted of a total 40 items, focusing on the four
dimensions of ATM, namely Confidence - 15 items (e.g. I am able.); Value - 10
items (e.g. maths is important.); Enjoyment - 10 items (e.g. I have usually
enjoyed) and Motivation - 5 items (e.g. I expect to do fairly well in maths).
Among the 40 items, 11 of them were negatively described (e.g. Mathematics makes
me feel uncomfortable).

To suit the needs of the junior form students, all the items were translated into
Chinese version so that students would better understand the mathematics terms or
examples illustrated. Some examples were modified to fit the mathematics education
in Hong Kongs context.

The students completed a 20-mins questionnaire in lesson, by means of

self-report scale. The students gave their responses to the 40 statements describing
their attitudes towards mathematics on a multiple-choice (MC) scan paper for easier
and more accurate data processing. Students were asked to put their class and class
numbers as well on the MC scan paper in order to match their data of attitude with
their mathematics achievement.

They were asked to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with each
of the 40 statements based on a five-point Likert-scale: 1 for strongly disagree, 2 for
disagree, 3 for neutral, 4 for agree, and 5 for strongly agree. Students responses to
13

those positively described items indicated their level of attitude to that item (e.g. 5 for
strongly agree means 5 as level of attitude for a positively described item); while their
responses to those negatively described items were reversed in the data analysis
process (e.g. 1 for strongly disagree means 5 as level of attitude for a negatively
described item).

The average scores of items for each sub-scale indicated students level of
attitude in different sub-factors (confidence, value, enjoyment and motivation). A high
overall score from the questionnaire reflected a positive attitude and a low overall
score indicated a negative attitude.

The mathematics teachers of S.1 to S.3 students administered the questionnaire

during normal lesson time, a standard script was provided for the teacher to read out
to the students to explain the purpose of the study and their rights. Students were
ensured that only the researcher would process the data they provided.

3.3.2

Measure of mathematics achievement

The questionnaire was completed around March in 2015, after students

completing their second term test of the academic year. Therefore, students average
scores of the first term test, first term examination and second term test were used as
measure of their mathematics achievement.

3.3.3

Individual interview
Individual interviews with twenty-four selected students of different forms aimed

to find out the possible causes contributing to students' high and low levels of ATM in
different aspects.
14

Structured and unstructured interviews were two common practice in conducting

interviews. There were normally small variation in informants answers for the
structured type as the interviewer aimed to obtain very restrained set of response
categories through same list of interview questions in the same order (Fontana & Frey,
1994). Unstructured interviews gave the informants lots of freedom to express their
views and choose their own focus. Fontana & Frey (1994) pointed out that the
purpose of using unstructured interviews was to understand the complex behaviour of
informants without setting of response categories in advance.

A semi-structured interview approach was thus incorporated. The first part of

interview questions were set and asked students regarding to the four-factor model of
attitude (confidence, value, enjoyment and motivation) in a systematic framework.
The interview questions corresponded with particular factors of ATMI such that these
data acted as a source of qualitative evidence to supplement the findings of the
quantitative analyses undertaken. Open-ended questions were followed to allow
informants to freely express their views, personal experiences and feelings that
provided more specific insights and prompted discussion about the factors
contributing to students' high and low levels of ATM in different aspects.

In order to test for the validity of the questions in the interview, apart from the
twenty-four selected informants, one S.1 and one S.2 students were invited to conduct
pilot interviews. In the pilot interviews, it was found that the informants took time to
warm up in expressing their views, it would be better to ask the informants about their
views and experiences regarding the enjoyment and value sub-factors. After the
informants felt free to talk, they would express their feelings and experiences about
the confidence and motivation. The wordings and the sequencing of the interview
15

questions were then refined and rearranged in the subsequent individual interviews.

The interviews were conducted by the researcher in the schools interview room.
Each interview took about 15 minutes, and was all tape-recorded. The students were
explained the purpose of tape-recording and ensured that only the researcher and the
supervisor would have the rights to access to the recordings. The interview room was
chosen to avoid any possible disturbance and there was sofa in the room which would
be more comfortable for the informants. Snacks and drinks were provided to ease the
possible stress. Each interview was transcribed for further analysis. These notes were
later re-organized to gain a more complete and systematic insight of the interview
data.

16

3.4 Data analysis

3.4.1

Questionnaire

ATMI scores formed the basis of quantitative data analysis. All the students
responses to the questionnaires were scanned. Students level (ATMI scores) of
overall attitude and in each sub-factor (confidence, value, enjoyment and motivation)
was calculated. The following table illustrated an example of the level of attitudes of a
student (confidence:1.87, value:4.10, enjoyment:1.60, motivation:2.00, overall
attitude: 2.38), ranging from 1 (lowest possible score) to 5 (highest possible score).

Student
Level of attitude
Class
No.
Overall Confidence
Value
Enjoyment Motivation
XX
XX
2.38
1.87
4.10
1.60
2.00
Table 3: Example of the level of attitudes of a student

The average scores of students attitude (overall and each sub-factor) in each
form were calculated and compared. In determining the average level of ATM of
junior students, the classification will be based on the range of scores shown in Table
4 as adopted by some other similar researches (Jamil, 2001; Mohamed & Waheed,
2011; Mohd et al., 2011)

Mean ATMI Score

Level

3.67 5

High

2.34 3.66

Medium

1 2.33

Low

Table 4: Classification of level of ATM according to mean ATMI scores

The correlations

between students attitudes and mathematics achievements

(including correlation between overall attitude and achievement, correlation between

confidence and achievement, correlation between value and achievement, correlation
17

between enjoyment and achievement, correlation between motivation and

achievement) were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS)
through t-test and Pearson Correlation. In this study, 0.05 significant level was set as
an indicator. P-value greater than 0.05 would indicate the acceptance of null
hypothesis, meaning that the correlation was not significant.

3.4.2

Individual interview

After each individual interview, the researcher transcribed the audio recordings
into scripts on the same day of interview and cross-checked with field notes. The
responses collected were then categorized accordance to the four sub-factors:
confidence, value, enjoyment and motivation.

After classifying data from each new interview, the researcher tried to scan
through all the data on hand under each sub-factor and look for similar themes and
patterns. There might exist common themes among students from the same form, with
similar level (high/low) of ATM, with similar level (high/low) of achievement, or with
the same HH/HL/LH/LL classification. This preliminary classification of data as an
iterative process to prepare for the subsequent interviews. With more data added, new
classification might emerge until all the interviews were transcribed and classified.

Finally, with all the grouped data based on common themes under the four
sub-factors, the results were attempted to answer the research questions.

18

Chapter 4

Findings from ATMI Questionnaire

In the first part of the study, there were 142 (out of 165) S.1, 148 S.2 (out of 167)
and 160 S.3 (out of 176) students completed and returned the questionnaires. The
overall response rate was 88.6% (450 out of 508).

S1

S2

S3

S1-S3

Responded

142

148

160

450

Total

165

167

176

508

Percentage

86.1%

88.6%

90.9%

88.6%

Table 5: Response rate of the questionnaires

4.1 Students level of ATM

Averaging the scores of 40 items in questionnaire, students' level of attitude was
categorized into three different groups: Low with scores lower than 2.33 (4.7%),
Medium with scores of 2.34 to 3.66 (59.1%) and High with scores higher than
3.67 (36.2%). The average ATMI scores of S.1, S.2 and S.3 students were 3.49, 3.42
and 3.32 respectively.

ATMI level

S.1

S.2

S.3

S.1 S.3

High
(1 2.33)

58
(40.8%)

57
(38.5%)

48
(30%)

163
(36.2%)

Medium
(2.34 3.66)

79
(55.6%)

87
(58.8%)

100
(62.5%)

266
(59.1%)

Low
(3.66 5)

12

21

(3.5%)

(2.7%)

(7.5%)

(4.7%)

Table 6: The distribution of students with high/medium/low level of ATM

19

Overall attitude

S.1

S.2

S.3

mean

3.49

3.42

3.32

s.d.

0.72

0.62

0.64

Table 7: The mean and the s.d. of the ATMI scores of the students in different forms

In response to the first research question, the junior students' average level of
attitude towards mathematics was Medium on average for all forms, being slightly
positive (3 means neutral).

The level of attitude was measured using ATMI, taking into consideration four
sub-factors: Confidence, Value, Enjoyment and Motivation in learning mathematics.
Students average level of attitude in each sub-factor was also calculated and
represented in the following table.

S.1

S.2

S.3

Overall attitude

3.49

3.42

3.32

Confidence

3.45

3.25

3.16

Value

3.65

3.66

3.53

Enjoyment

3.39

3.43

3.33

Motivation

3.51

3.46

3.39

Table 8: The level of average ATM and each sub-factor of the students in S.1 to S.3

It is observed that junior students posed relatively high value towards

mathematics, nearly reaching the high value (3.53 to 3.66). Students confidence in
mathematics was relatively low among the four sub-factors. S.3 students average of
confidence was only 3.16, nearly reaching the neutral score of 3.

20

4.2 Variation of students level of ATM across different junior forms

The results in table 7 is represented with the following graph.

Figure 1: The level of average ATM and each sub-factor of the students in S.1 to S.3

It is observed that students' average level of overall attitude dropped from S.1 to
S.2 and S.2 to S.3. Among the four sub-factors, confidence varied most significantly
from S.1 to S.3. There was also a slight drop in the level of motivation from S.1 to S.3.
On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the value and the enjoyment
among students in different forms.

4.3 Correlation between students ATM and mathematics achievement

The correlation analysis was performed between students' attitude (overall
attitude, confidence, value, enjoyment and motivation) and their achievements using
the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) through t-test and Pearson
Correlation.

21

The following table outlined the r values of the correlation analysis. P=0.000 for
all correlation analysis, it can be concluded that there was a significant relationship
between students' attitude (overall attitude, confidence, value, enjoyment and
motivation) and their mathematics achievements achievement in all grades.

S.1

S.2

S.3

r value

P value

r value

P value

r value

P value

Overall attitude

0.465

0.000

0.664

0.000

0.714

0.000

Confidence

0.473

0.000

0.664

0.000

0.712

0.000

Value

0.377

0.000

0.353

0.000

0.452

0.000

Enjoyment

0.398

0.000

0.473

0.000

0.568

0.000

Motivation

0.477

0.000

0.475

0.000

0.571

0.000

Table 9: The correlation coefficients between ATM and achievement of the students

From the correlation analysis, for S.1 students, both motivation and confidence
posed the highest correlation coefficients with achievement. However, the magnitudes
of the correlation coefficients for confidence, value, enjoyment and motivation did not
vary much (range from 0.377 to 0.477).

When reaching S.2, the correlation between confidence and achievement

outstood from other three sub-factors.

For S.3, the correlation between achievement and each factor of attitude were
getting stronger when compared with those correlation factors of S.1 and S.2 students.
Still, confidence posed the highest positive relationship with achievement for S.3
students, reaching the value of 0.712, indicating strong positive relationship.

22

Correlation between Attitude and Achievement

0.8
0.7
Correlation factor

0.6
0.5
0.4
Overall

0.3

(1) Confidence
0.2

(2) Value

0.1

(3) Enjoyment

(4) Motivation
F1

F2

F3

Form

Figure 2: The variation of the average level of ATM of students across S.1 to S.3

The correlation coefficients were all positive, indicating that there was positive
relationship between each factor of attitude and mathematics achievement.

Among the four sub-factors, confidence had the strongest relationship with
mathematics achievements, especially for S.2 and S.3 students. While value was the
least correlated with achievement among the four sub-factors.

23

Chapter 5

Findings from Individual Interviews

This chapter reported the responses retrieved from the twenty-four individual
interviews. The data collected were based on the transcripts of the interviews. The
results were grouped and investigated different aspects affecting students attitude
towards mathematics, in accordance with the four sub-factors: confidence, value,
enjoyment and motivation.

It was found that students confidence was mainly established on two aspects,
namely (1) scores in tests and examinations, and (2) their understanding of
mathematics.

For their value in learning mathematics, students mainly considered five aspects:
(1) daily life application, (2) possible use of mathematics in future career, (3)
mathematics as the foundation of science, (4) mathematics as a core subject with high
weighting, and (5) mathematics helps developing problem solving skills.

The aspects affecting their enjoyment can be categorized as (1) students

perception of the nature of mathematics, (2) students prior mathematics achievements,
(3) students sense of success, and (4) teachers influence.

Lastly, for students motivation in mathematics learning, the four aspects include
(1) the need of examination, (2) students sense of satisfaction, (3) assignment, and (4)
comparison with peers.

24

Code

Form

Attitude

Achievement

1st / 2nd Informant

1HL1

S.1

High

Low

1st

3LH2

S.3

Low

High

2nd

Table 10: Examples of the coding of informants

5.1 Aspects affecting students confidence in learning mathematics

The researcher asked the informants What do you think about your confidence
in learning mathematics? and What are the reasons? The informants mentioned
their confidence varied with examination scores and understanding in lessons.

(1) Confidence varied with scores in tests and examinations

Case I HH students
All six students with high attitude and high achievements (1HH1, 1HH2, 2HH1,
2HH2, 3HH1, 3HH2) had positive feedback to the question, and all of them linked up
their confidence with their scores in tests and examinations.
1HH1: My confidence is OK. It is because I generally get good
results in mathematics tests and exams.
1HH2: My confidence is quite good. My scores in mathematics are at
least 80. The lowest mark I ever get was 84. My confidence
fluctuates with the marks.
2HH1: My confidence is strong. It is because my scores in
mathematics are generally high.
2HH2: My confidence is good. It is because I can get good results in
mathematics tests and exams.
3HH1: My confidence is quite good. It is because my performances
in mathematics in secondary school are quite good.
3HH2: My confidence is strong. It is because my scores in
mathematics tests and exams are high.

25

The HH students were among the top students in mathematics in each form.
According to their responses, they had high confidence in mathematics due to their
good results in mathematics tests and exams. The student 1HH2 even remembered the
lowest score he had ever had, indicating that his strong emphasis on exam results.

Even for these outstanding students, their confidence was mainly established on
top of exam results cores. It is not hard to imagine when the students are promoted to
higher forms when the mathematics becomes difficult in core part or extended
modules, they might get lower marks; their confidence will probably be shaken. This
is supported by some of the informants sharing of their past incidents when they had
low confidence.

1HH1:

2HH2:

3HH1:

I always got good result in mathematics in primary school so I

thought I was very clever. Once in P.5, I didnt revise for the
mathematics exam, I nearly failed at that time. I was really scared and
doubted that was I really good at mathematics. I understood that I
needed to practice more in order to get good results.
I was very careless in P.5 so I got low marks in mathematics, I was
unhappy and my confidence dropped. Then I practiced a lot and got
high marks later, and then I had higher confidence.
I was not confident in mathematics in P.6 because I got very low
marks in first term exam, I was really worried. Then I did more
exercise and got higher marks.

It is worth noting that these 3 students had similar experience and they took
similar measures after feeling less confident due to low marks they practiced more
to get higher marks in coming exams in order to retrieve higher confidence.

26

Case II LL students
On the contrast, all six students with low attitude and low achievements (1LL1,
1LL2, 2LL1, 2LL2, 3LL1, 3LL2) had negative feedback to the question as expected.
Again, all of them linked up their confidence with their scores in tests and
examinations.
1LL1:

1LL2:

2LL1:

My confidence is low. My score in the first term test in S.1 was

already very low, so it caused a drop in my confidence. My
confidence in primary school was high, very high.
My confidence was quite good in primary school. I do not have
sufficient confidence now due to the low marks in mathematics tests
and exams.
My confidence is low. There was a big change since I was promoted
to S.1. At the beginning of S.1, I got above 70 marks in the test, then
my marks fluctuated around 50 marks afterwards. At the moment my
only target is to get a pass in the exam. I think I cannot get higher

2LL2:

3LL1:
3LL2:

marks, being passed is already good to me.

I was quite confident in primary school and S.1, but my confidence is
not good now. It is because mathematics became difficult in S.2, my
scores dropped.
My confidence was better in the past, but it is not good now. It is
because my mathematics performance is poor now.
(sigh.) No (I have no confidence). I was especially
disappointed in S.3. In S.1, even though I failed in exam, my marks
was still above 40. However, in S.3, I just got thirty something.

It is worth noting that five LL students (except 3LL2) mentioned that they had
high confidence in the past, either in primary school or early S.1, and resulted in low
confidence gradually due to a drop in their exam results.

27

Case III LH students

Among the six LH students, five of them (1LH2, 2LH2, 3LH1, 3LH2) gave
negative feedback about their confidence in mathematics due to their low scores in
mathematics. In fact, these LH students mathematics achievements were generally
higher than their peers in the whole form; but still, they perceived themselves as low
achievers for different reasons.

Similar to the LL students, four of them (1LH2, 2LH1, 2LH2, 3LH2) had a drop
in their confidence when comparing their current mathematics achievement with that
in the primary school.
1LH2:
2LH1:
2LH2:
3LH2:

My confidence is not good. It is because I could not get good results

as in primary school.
When compare with primary school, my confidence dropped, because
I got around 10 to 20 marks lower than I was in primary school.
My confidence is not good. My results in mathematics are not as good
as primary school and S.1.
My confidence is low. I was still OK in primary school and S.1.
However, my scores in mathematics exams are getting lower and lower
in S.2 and S.3, my confidence drops as a result.

One student (3LH1) from the elite class compared her exam results with her
classmates in the same class and leaded to her low confidence in mathematics.
3LH1:

My confidence is low. My scores in mathematics were always below

average in the class. Many of my classmates got over 80 marks, and I
just got seventy something.

The above LH students generally exhibited higher self-expectations in

mathematics, thus the discrepancy in their mathematics achievement and
self-expectation resulted in their self-perception of low achieving in mathematics.

28

Case IV HL students
Among the six HL students, despite of their relatively lower mathematics
achievements in the form, all of them posed high ratings in overall attitude in the
questionnaires. Five of them (except 2HL2) linked their confidence with mathematics
achievement.

However, during the interview, two of the students (1HL1, 2HL1) reported low
confidence in mathematics.
1HL1:

I think I was good at mathematics in primary school so I was

confident. But now, my mathematics is not good...............relatively, I
do not get good results as in primary school. I am less confident now.

2HL1:

My confidence was good in primary school. My mum bought a lot of

exercise for me and I could get high marks easily. But now, my mum
cannot help with my mathematics, and I am not concentrated during
lessons so I get much worse results. This makes my confidence
dropping.

Their negative response in the interview can be supported by the fact that their
rating in the confidence was significantly lower than their other attitude attributes.
(1HL1:

Confidence-3.6,

Value-4.8,

enjoyment-4.5,

motivation-4.8;

2HL1:

Confidence-3.47, Value-4.4, enjoyment-4.1, motivation-4.2). The drop in mathematics

achievements resulted in the drop in their confidence.

29

Other three students (1HL2, 3HL1, 3HL2) responded that they had high
confidence in the individual interviews in spite of low exam results. The two S.3 HL
students mentioned that their improvement made brought them higher confidence at
the moment.
3HL1:

3HL2:

My scores dropped in S.1 and my confidence dropped. But now, my

confidence was higher than S.1 and S.2. In S.3, I got better results with
the help of private tuition and my classmates, and thus my confidence
became higher.
I did not practice much in S.1 and my exam results were poor. In S.3,
I went to private tuition and I got higher marks. My confidence is quite
good due to the improvement made.

It may be difficult to turn low achievers into high achievers in a short period of
time; however, its far easy to help the low achievers making improvements. The
above cases may give teachers insight on how to levitate the confidence in learning
mathematics of low achievers.

Another HL student (1HL2) established her high confidence since primary

school and it still maintained a high level in S.1 even though her current mathematics
achievement was not good.
1HL2:

My confidence in mathematics was good. I always get 9x or 100

marks in primary school. (Follow-up question: How about in
secondary school?) Sometimes I faced difficulties in understanding the
questions, but it was just the problem of using English.

The dialog sounded familiar with those 2LL and 3LL mentioned before. For
student 1HL2, if left untreated, she may probably become LL students when promoted
to higher forms.

30

(2) Confidence established on understanding mathematics

Apart from examination results, students perception in their own understanding
in mathematics also affected their confidence. Three students (2HH1, 2HH2, 2HL2)
explained in this aspect.
2HH1:

my confidence sometimes fluctuated in S.2. For example, I was

not familiar with some concepts, when I attempted to do some MC
questions, I chose the right option at the beginning, but I changed to a
wrong option at last.

2HH2:

I could understand the teachers teaching in the lessons; this also

strengthened my confidence in learning mathematics.
I had higher confidence in primary school because S.2 mathematics is
difficult. I had more difficulties now, but after I asked the teacher, I
feel good when I understood the concepts.

2HL2:

For student 2HL2, as mentioned in the previous part, responded positively in the
questionnaire regarding confidence even he performed not well in the exams. The
high confidence was because he thought he understood the mathematics contents after
teacher teaching.

31

5.2 Aspects affecting students value in learning mathematics

The researcher asked the informants Do you think mathematics is important?
and What are the reasons? The informants responded in aspects including use of
mathematics in daily life, use of mathematics in future career, mathematics as the
foundation of science, mathematics as a core subject and helps developing problem
solving skills.

The following table outlines the examples given by each informant.

indicates the informant think that mathematics is important due to the captioned
aspect, while  indicates the informants thinks that mathematics is not important in
that aspect.

32

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

Daily life
application

Future
Career

Foundation
of Science

Core
Subject

Develop
problem
solving

Overall

skills
1HH1

1HH2

2HH1

2HH2

3HH1

3HH2



3HL1

2HL1
2HL2

1HL1
1HL2



3HL2
1LH1

1LH2

2LH1

2LH2

3LH1

3LH2

1LL1

1LL2

2LL1

2LL2

3LL1

3LL2





Table 11: Aspects affecting students value in learning mathematics

33

(1) Daily life application

Daily life application of mathematics was the most popular aspect that the
informants mentioned, 22 out of 24 informants considered this aspect in determining
whether they viewed mathematics being important or not.

Nine informants thought that mathematics was important because mathematics

had daily life applications. However, when they gave examples of application of
mathematics in daily life, all of them could only mention basic arithmetic,
calculation when buying things and discount when shopping.
1HH1:

We have to use basic arithmetic in daily life; we need to do

calculation when we buy things.

1HH2:
2HH1:
3HH2:

When we buy things or pay the bills, we need to do calculation.

Basic arithmetic is necessary in daily life.
In daily life, when we need to pay the bills or fares, we have to do

1HL2:
2HL2:
1LH1:
2LH1:
2LH2:

calculations.
We need to do calculations when paying bills or shopping in daily
life.
We have to use basic arithmetic when we buy things.
In daily life, when we consider discounts while shopping, we need to
use mathematics.
In daily life, we need to do calculation when shopping or paying
bills.
When we buy things, we have to use mathematics.

34

On the other hand, the other informants thought that mathematics was not
important because mathematics was not applicable in daily life. Eight of them gave
reasons like that ONLY basic arithmetic, ONLY calculation when buying things,
ONLY when considering discount were applicable in daily life. The remaining five
others said that they could not think of any daily life application.
2HH2:
3HH1:
3LH1:
3LH2:
1LL1:
2LL2:
3LL1:
3LL2:

In daily life, ONLY basic arithmetic can be used.

There are not many daily life application of mathematics, only basic
arithmetic is useful.
The application of mathematics in daily life is only limited to basic
arithmetic.
Mathematics is rarely useful in daily life, only basic arithmetic can be
used.
Most of the mathematics we learnt is useless, only percentage can be
used in daily life.
Mathematics is seldom useful in daily life; all we need to use is basic
arithmetic.
Only percentage is useful in daily life.
Mathematics can only help us buy things in daily life.

It is interesting to find that when the two groups of informants determined

whether mathematics was important or not in the aspect of daily life application,
actually they shared very similar view point that the application of mathematics is
very limited basic arithmetic, buying things and discount. Just a group of students
perceived mathematics being important due to these limited daily life applications
while the other group did not.

35

(2) Possible use of mathematics in future career

Three of the informants with high attitude (3HH1, 1HL1, 2HL2) considered that
their future career may require the use of mathematics, which enforced their view that
mathematics being important to them. Out of these three informants, two of them
were low achievers.
3HH1:
1HL1:

Mathematics may help my future career.

I had been thinking of my future when I was small, I want to do jobs
related to mathematics.

2HL2:

My future job may need the use of mathematics.

On the contrary, two other informants (3LH1, 2LL1) with high attitude
mentioned future career as well when they considered mathematics being not
important.
3LH1:

My future job will not need mathematics.

2LL1:

My future job probably do not need mathematics, Chinese and

English will be more important.

(3) Mathematics as the foundation of science

Five of the informants (2HH2, 3HH1, 2HL2, 1LH2, 2LL2) considered
mathematics being important as they believed that mathematics was the foundation of
science, including both high and low attitude informants.
2HH2:

I want to choose science subjects as electives in senior forms, these

subjects need mathematics as the foundation.

3HH1:

Mathematics is important for studying science subjects, like physics

and chemistry, in senior forms.

2HL2:

I want to choose science subjects in senior forms, mathematics is

necessary for studying these subjects.

36

1LH2:

Mathematics is the foundation for me to choose science subjects in

senior forms.

2LL2:

Mathematics is the foundation of science. Without mathematics, there

will be no science and technology.

(4) Mathematics as a core subject with high weighting

Three informants (1HH2, 3HH2, 3LL2) simply considered mathematics as a core
subject with high weightings which had greater influence to their average exam scores
than other subjects.
1HH2:

Mathematics has higher weightings than many other subjects.

3HH2:

The scores of mathematics is 3 times of many other subjects.

3LL2:

Mathematics is important because it is a core subject.

(5) Mathematics helps developing problem solving skills

One informant (2HH1) considered mathematics being important because it could
help to develop his problem solving skills. In his point of view, the importance of
learning mathematics was not the subject knowledge. He said We are actually
learning the same thing through different topics in the textbook; its all about problem
solving skills. He thought that the importance of mathematics learning was to
develop the problem solving skills and he believed such skills can help in many other
areas in daily life. Near the end of the interview, he added that Mathematics is a key
to the door in describing what mathematics meant to him.

37

5.3 Aspects affecting students enjoyment in learning mathematics

When the researcher asked the informants Do you enjoy learning
mathematics? and What are the reasons? The informants mentioned their
perception on the nature of mathematics, their past mathematics achievements, the
sense of success after solving a mathematics problem and the influence by
mathematics teachers.

The following table outlines the responses given by each informant.

indicates the informant enjoys learning mathematics due to the captioned factor, while
 indicates the informant does not enjoy learning mathematics in that aspect.

38

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Nature of
Mathematics

Mathematics
achievements

Sense of
success

Teachers
influence

Overall

1HH1

1HH2

2HH1

2HH2

3HH1

3HH2

*

1HL1

1HL2

2HL1

2HL2

3HL1

3HL2
1LH1

1LH2

2LH1

*






2LH2

3LH1

3LH2

1LL1

1LL2

2LL1

2LL2
3LL1
3LL2




Table 12: Aspects affecting students enjoyment in learning mathematics

39

Students enjoyment in learning mathematics echoed with their overall attitudes.

All the sixteen students with high overall attitude responded that they enjoyed
learning mathematics while the others gave the opposite responses.

(1) Students Perception of the Nature of Mathematics

15 out of the 24 informants mentioned their own perception of the nature of
mathematics in explaining whether they enjoyed learning mathematics or not.

For those seven informants who enjoyed learning mathematics, they perceived
that mathematics was interesting and challenging. Oppositely, the other eight students
who did not enjoy learning mathematics because they thought mathematics was
boring, troublesome, difficult and complicated to handle.
1HH1:

Learning mathematics has lots of fun.

1HH2:
2HH1:
2HH2:
3HH1:

I like mathematics can be very challenging.

Mathematics is challenging.
Mathematics is interesting.
Mathematics problems are interesting and challenging.

1HL1:
1HL2:

Mathematics is more interesting than other subjects.

Mathematics is interesting and challenging.

1LH1:

Mathematics involves lots of drilling, its boring, and I dont like it.

1LH2:
2LH1:

Mathematics is troublesome.
Mathematics is boring. Basically its about using the formula
repeatedly for calculation.
Mathematics is difficult, even though I have the basic knowledge; its
very difficult to use them flexibly.

3LH2:
1LL1:
1LL2:

Mathematics is troublesome. It requires high analytic skills. Its

difficult to solve mathematics problems.
Mathematics questions are difficult and complicated. And there is a

2LL1:
3LL1:

lot to memorize, many formulas.

Mathematics is difficult and complicated.
Mathematics is very difficult and complicated.

40

It is observed that all the eight S.1 informants considered the nature of
mathematics, while only four S.2 and three S.3 students did. Moreover, the above four
LL students mentioned difficult and complicated, which were actually
achievement related.

(2) Students Prior Mathematics Achievements

Out of the twenty-four informants, there were also fifteen of them mentioned
their prior mathematics achievement in explaining whether they enjoyed learning
mathematics.

HH student
3HH2:

I started to like mathematics since primary school as its very easy to

get high marks.

There was only one HH student (3HH2) considering his prior mathematics
achievement, while the number of HL, LH and LL students was quite evenly
distributed. Most of the HH students enjoyed learning mathematics due to the nature
of mathematics they perceived and the sense of success achieved.

41

HL student
1HL1:
1HL2:
2HL1:
2HL2:
3HL1:

Yes I like mathematics. I like it since primary school. In primary

school, my results in mathematics were better than other subjects.
Yes I like mathematics. It is because my mathematics results in
primary school were good.
I like mathematics since primary school. It is because primary school
mathematics was easy and I always got high marks.
Yes I enjoy learning mathematics. My mathematics results were quite
good in primary school.
Yes I enjoy. My mathematics results were good in primary school.

It is interesting to see that students enjoyment in mathematics seemed to be

quite persistent over time. For the five HL students quoted above, despite their current
low mathematics achievement, they said that they enjoyed learning mathematics
because their performance in mathematics in primary school was good.

LH student
1LH2:
2LH2:
3LH1:

3LH2:

I could not get good results in mathematics.

Mathematics became more difficult in S.2 and my marks dropped, I
do not enjoy learning mathematics like before.
I do not enjoy learning mathematics as my mathematics results are
not good. If I can get higher marks, then I will believe I am capable, I
will enjoy more as a result.
I enjoyed learning mathematics in primary school and S.1 when I
could handle mathematics easily. However, since S.2, mathematics
became more difficult; I started to lose my interest.

For the LH students, similar to the findings in the confidence part, these LH
students mathematics achievements were generally higher than their peers in the
whole form; but still, they perceived themselves as low achievers since they generally
exhibited higher self-expectation, the discrepancy in their mathematics achievement
42

and self-expectation resulted in their self-perception of low achieving in mathematics.

Such self-perception lowered their enjoyment in learning mathematics.

LL student
1LL1:

2LL1:
2LL2:

I do not like mathematics from S.1. In primary school, by applying

the formula directly, I could nearly answer the whole exam paper.
But now, those classwork questions are not exactly the same as the
examples.
I do not enjoy learning mathematics. The main reason is that my
mathematics results are relatively poor.
I somehow enjoyed learning mathematics in primary school. But my
marks is dropping, I do not enjoy learning mathematics now. Sometime
I do not understand during the lessons, the use of English is one of the
issue.

3LL1:

I liked mathematics in primary school. Mathematics became more

difficult since the second term of S.1. I get lower marks now, and I do
not enjoy learning mathematics now.

3LL2:

I do not enjoy learning mathematics at all as my mathematics results

are always poor. I have tried whatever method I can think of, attending
private tuition, jotting notes in lessons, completing all the assignments
and past papers, I even bought extra exercises to practice. However, I
only passed once in S.3. I was disappointed after each test and exam.

For the LL students, similar to the confidence part, the drop in their
mathematics achievement was the main reason for their negative response to the
enjoyment in learning mathematics.

43

(3) Students sense of success

Six students responded that they enjoyed learning mathematics due to the sense
of success achieved after solving a mathematics problem. All six students were of
high attitude. (1HH1, 2HH2, 3HH1, 2HL2, 3HL1, 3HL2)
1HH1:
2HH2:
3HH1:

I feel happy after solving a difficult mathematics problem.

After solving a challenging mathematics problem successfully, I feel a
sense of success.
I like taking challenging by trying difficult mathematics problem, I
feel a sense of success after solving it.

2HL2:
3HL1:

When I solve a mathematics problem, or I can successfully complete

a mathematics question in the exam, I have the sense of success.
I enjoy working with classmates on challenging mathematics

3HL2:

problems, I like the sense of satisfaction after successfully solving the

problems.
I feel happy after completing a mathematics question.

(4) Teachers Influence

Four informants (1HH2, 3HH1, 2HL2, 2LH1) mentioned their teachers
influence on their enjoyment of mathematics learning. Two of them (1HH2 and 2LH1)
recalled their experiences that how they began to like mathematics. As a high achiever,
the informant 1HH2 enjoyed the challenge posed by his primary school teacher and
the personality of the teacher was also considered. For the informant 2LH1, she
remembered and appreciated how her P.4 teacher adopted numerous approaches to
arouse their interest in mathematics learning.
1HH2:

2LH1:

My primary math teacher was very humorous, he posed challenging

questions in the lessons. I enjoyed his lessons and started to like
mathematics.
I begin to like mathematics in primary 4. My math teacher tried many
different ways to arouse our interest in the lessons, her lessons were
fascinating. I enjoyed learning mathematics at that time."

44

Another informant 2HL2 thanked his primary teacher in providing after-lesson

support to him which helped him gain the confidence in learning the subject. This
reinforced his enjoyment in mathematics learning.
2HL2:

I had difficulties in mathematics in primary school, my math teacher

helped me after school and then I understood better. I had more
confidence then.

Informant 3HH1 also mentioned his experience in change in enjoyment, but

towards the negative side. As an outstanding student in the subject, he looked for
more freedom and extra knowledge in mathematics from his teacher.
3HH1:

My S.2 math teacher was more flexible, I could skip some basic
questions in the classwork and tried more challenging problems
outside the textbook. However, my S.3 math teacher requested me to
finish every questions in the classwork, the basic ones were boring. I
enjoyed learning mathematics more in S.2.

45

5.4 Aspects affecting students motivation in doing mathematics

The researcher asked the informants What is your motivation of doing
mathematics? The informants mentioned their source of motivation including
fulfillment of examination and assignment, sense of success and comparison with
peers.

The following table outlines the responses given by each informant.

indicates the captioned aspect is the source of motivation mentioned by the
informants.

46

1HH1

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Examination

Sense of success

Assignment

Peers

1HH2

2HH1

2HH2

3HH1

3HH2

1HL1

1HL2

2HL1

2HL2

3HL1

3HL2

1LH1

1LH2

2LH1

2LH2

3LH1

3LH2

1LL1

1LL2

2LL1

2LL2

3LL1

3LL2

Table 13: Aspects affecting students motivation in learning mathematics

47

(1) Examination
Aiming at getting higher scores in tests and examinations was the major source
of motivation for most of the students. Twenty-one informants, including all the HL,
LH, and LL informants, mentioned this aspect.
1HH1:
3HH1:
3HH2:

I want to have high scores on my exam papers.

I want to get higher marks.
I need to practice for examinations.

1HL1:

1HL2:
2HL1:

I want to get higher marks. When I got very low marks, I put much
effort in doing exercises and those problems I made mistakes until I get
them right.
I want to get good results.
I want to get higher marks to raise my average marks.

2HL2:
3HL1:
3HL2:

I want to get better results.

I do it for examination.
I practice more so that I can get better results in examinations.

1LH1:
1LH2:
2LH1:

I do it for examination.
I want to get higher marks in mathematics, I dont want it pull down
my average marks.
I want to do better in examination.

2LH2:
3LH1:

I want to get higher marks.

I want to get higher marks in mathematics as mathematics has higher

3LH2:

weighting.
I want to maintain my results in mathematics.

1LL1:
1LL2:

I want to get higher marks.

When I get lower marks, I will be more motivated, I will do more
exercises. I want to get higher marks in the next examination.

2LL1:
2LL2:

I do not want to fail in examinations.

I want to get higher marks.

3LL1:

When I get lower marks, I will be more motivated to do more. But

when I feel I am capable, I will stop.
I do not want my mathematics scores pulling down my overall score.

3LL2:

48

(2) Sense of satisfaction

On the other hand, all the HH students aimed at gaining the sense of satisfaction
in motivating themselves. Along with student 2HL2, seven informants mentioned this
aspect.
1HH1:
1HH2:
2HH1:
2HH2:
3HH1:

Mathematics is interesting; I like the sense of success of solving a

mathematics problem.
I enjoy the sense of satisfaction when doing mathematics.
I enjoy doing mathematics as mathematics is interesting, after
completing the problems, I feel satisfied.
Mathematics is my favorite subject. I like the sense of satisfaction.
Moreover, I want to improve my mathematics ability, so that when I
look at a mathematics problem, I can figure out the way to solve it
immediately. Then I will have the sense of satisfaction.

3HH2:

I enjoy the sense of success when completing the exercises given by

the teacher.

2HL2:

The sense of satisfaction after successfully solves mathematics

problems is also my motivation.

(3) Assignment
For the following four informants (1LH1, 2LH1, 2HL1, 3HL1), other than
fighting for higher scores in examination, they worked on mathematics problems only
when there were assignments given by the teachers.
1LH1:

I do mathematics when teacher gives assignments.

2LH1:

I wish my teacher could give me more homework, which has to be

handed in. I will do more if the exercises are compulsory instead of
optional.

2HL1:

I am lazy and I do not like doing exercises. But if the teacher can
force me to do more, then I will understand more, it will help me. If no
one forces me to, I will not do it myself.
There could be more homework; even I do not like it. My teacher can

3HL1:

select more relevant questions as homework, I believe it will help.

49

(4) Comparison with peers

One informant (1LH2) mentioned the comparison with peers as her source of
motivation.
1LH2:

I think I can do better than my classmates, I want to be better. This is

one source of my motivation.

50

Chapter 6

Discussion

The analyzed data is discussed in this chapter to answer the research questions.

6.1 Decline in students attitudes when getting higher forms

The first and second objectives of this study were to identify ATM of junior form
students and investigate the correlation of ATM and mathematics achievement. The
results revealed that, there was a significant correlation between ATM and
achievement in mathematics. On average, the students held fairly positive attitudes
towards mathematics.

The study showed a continuous decline in attitudes, especially the confidence and
motivation attributes, of students from S.1 to S.3. S.3 students exhibited the lowest
ratings in all the four sub-factors of ATMI. Students' attitudes in learning mathematics
declined when the students were promoted to higher forms. During schooling, their
ATM became less positive, especially whereas students in S.3 exhibited confidence
nearly reaching the neutral level of the rating.

The above results were consistent with previous findings by other researchers
pointing out that there was a decline in students attitudes when they further
progressed in school (Mata, Monteiro & Peixoto, 2012). Ma & Kishor (1997) also
indicated that many children began schooling with positive ATM; these attitudes,
however, tend to become less positive as children grow up, and frequently become
negative at the high school.

Most of them, including students from S.1 to S.3, responded that they had
positive ATM in primary school because they considered mathematics to be an easy
51

subject and used to get high marks in examinations. However, when the math subject
became more difficult in secondary school, the math problems were less
straightforward and required higher order solving skills, they no longer get high
marks easily and became under-performed than their peers , which they have never
experienced the failure as a high achiever in the past. Although the poor performance
affected confidence and enjoyment in learning mathematics, the attitude in S.1
slightly dropped but was still relatively high.

6.2 Prior achievement

Prior achievement, were emphasized by most of the informants during the
interviews. Since the research focused on the junior form students, most of the
informants stressed on their experiences in primary school, S.2 and S.3 informants
also referred to the schooling in S.1 or S.2. It can be expected that the students
experiences and achievements in junior forms will subsequently affect their ATM
when they are promoted to senior forms.

Since most of the informants concerned about their prior achievement, they were
also asked about their perception about doing well in mathematics. It was found that
most of them considered mainly the scores, rather than their performance relatively to
their classmates. Only two informants (1LH2 and 3LH1) considered their
achievement relatively to their peers. Informant (1LH2) wished to do better than her
peers, which was one source of her motivation. Informant (3LH1) came from elite
class, she had been comparing her scores with her classmates and she mentioned that
her scores were always below average in the class, this adversely affected her
confidence. For the other informants, they looked for the help from the peers when
they faced difficulties in working with mathematics or they worked collaboratively in
52

trying complicated problems, rather than comparing their own achievement with
others.

On the other hand, the LH students expected high marks in examinations. They
perceived performing well as getting absolute high marks like they did in primary
school. Their mathematics achievement did not meet their self-expectations of
performing well in the subject. The confidence judgments, which are also called
self-efficacy for performance, correspond directly with the performance goal. (Pajares
& Schunk, 2011). Students level of confidence, self-ratings of mathematics ability,
significantly correlate with mathematics course grades (House, 1995). Thus, the
discrepancy of high self-expectation and lower exam results achieved, which
described as failure to achieve, affected their self-perceptions of competence and
eventually impaired their confidence level. For this reason, the LH students
self-assessed a low attitude, especially on confidence subscale, while they were still
the higher achievers comparatively.

In a research conducted by Leung (1998) interviewing ten S.2 students in

examining their affective experiences in mathematics learning, the students also
mentioned the importance of prior achievement in their affective growth. However,
those students even stress more on their parents and teachers view on their
mathematics performance, and their scores relative to their peers. This is quite
different from the responses of the informants in this study, most of them focus on the
scores only, they seldom considered their performance relative to their peers, as well
as the view of their parents.
.

53

6.3 Exam-oriented culture

As proposed by the Curriculum Development Council (CDC, 2002) in the
Mathematics Education Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1
Secondary 3), the current curriculum aims are to develop
(a) the ability to think critically and creatively, to conceptualize,
inquire and reason mathematically, and to use mathematics to formulate
and solve problems in daily life as well as in mathematical contexts and
other disciplines;
(b) the ability to communicate with others and express their views
clearly and logically in mathematical language;
(c) the ability to manipulate numbers, symbols and other mathematical
objects;
(d) number sense, symbol sense, spatial sense, measurement sense and
the capacity to appreciate structures and patterns;
(e) a positive attitude towards the learning of mathematics and an
appreciation of the aesthetic nature and cultural aspects of
mathematics.
(CDC, 2002)

The aims of the mathematics education in junior forms are not only to develop
students various mathematics related skills and senses quoted above, but also to help
students to think critically and creatively through the education. Students are expected
to make use of these skills and senses they have equipped to solve problems in daily
life as well as in other disciplines. On top of the previous curriculum, the current
curriculum also emphasizes students positive attitude towards the learning of
mathematics and to appreciate the aesthetic nature and cultural aspects of
mathematics (CDC, 2002).

Unfortunately, as mentioned in the previous chapter, only one (2HH1) out of the
twenty-four informants valued his mathematics learning in this aspect. He was the

54

only one pointed out that mathematics can help develop our problem solving skills;
such skills can help in many areas in our daily life in the interview. Even though
most of the informants mentioned daily life application of mathematics when
considering the value of mathematics learning, all of them actually referred to the
basic arithmetic and use of percentage, which are just tiny pieces in the mathematics.
These students could hardly see that mathematics can help them to solve problems in
any area other than shopping! This makes a vital differentiation between students
view on mathematics learning and the aims of the mathematics education.

Most of the informants linked their mathematics attitude with examination.

Students confidence in learning mathematics was built on top of their prior
performance in examinations. High examinations scores boost up students enjoyment
while low scores hindered it. Students main source of motivation for doing
mathematics, again, was for examination.

The situation is coherent with researchers (Kaiser, Hino & Knipping, 2006; Leu
& Wu, 2006; Wu & Zhang, 2006) view that exam-oriented culture is deep rooted in
Confucian societies, including Hong Kong. Wu & Zhang (2006) also reminded that
mathematics is one of the core subjects of entrance examinations to higher education
and subsequently lead to a higher social status in the future, enforcing students
exam-oriented mindset.

The strong emphasis of examination scores is commonly observed among the

students. It is worth for the teachers to re-visit the aims of mathematics education and
lead the students to the right directions.

55

6.4 Practice makes perfect

Effort was perceived the most important factor contributing to success in
mathematics. All the informants, including high-achieving and low-achieving students,
believed that their examination performance could be improved by doing more
mathematics exercise. Repeatedly practice `may improve the mathematics
achievement and lead to high achievement in a short time, but LH students illustrated
the underlying problem of mechanical drilling and memorizing of formulas and
rules which resulted in low enjoyment and eventually hated learning mathematics. In
fact, Wang (2001) confirmed that the more students thought that they needed to
memorize the textbook or notes, or needed lots of hard work studying at home, the
lower their mathematics achievement tended to be.

According to attribution theory of achievement, when internal and controllable

factors such as self-effort are perceived causes of success, achievement has moral
implications (Weiner, 1993, 1994). Specifically, if the student believe that they fail in
the examination owing to not paying enough effort, it is immoral and they should be
responsible for the failure. Sabini and Monterosso (2003) also suggested that the key
factor of a persons morality was the well-being of that person. Consequently, the
students are morally responsible for their behavior and thus will work hard in
preparing for examination (Tao & Hong, 2014).

Compared with American students, Hong Kong Chinese students believed more
strongly in the importance of hard work (Georgiou, 2008; Stevenson et al., 1990).
Such culture is embedded in Hong Kong students when they grow up. Influenced by
Confucian belief in self-effort, Chinese culture teaches that hard working is perceived
the most important factor contributing to success. It is how hard you try rather than
56

how intelligent you are that eventually distinguishes you from others. Hard work is
affirmed as a virtue by Chinese culture.

Chinese teachers and parents emphasize effort over ability and that achievement
mainly relies on effort, and thus students who failed in examination are irresponsible
and should be blamed for being lazy (Stevenson et al., 1990). In Hong Kong schools,
it was common for the teachers and parents to arrange the low achieving students with
more assignments and supplementary lessons for higher achievement (Hong, 2011).

In the research conducted by Leung (1998), similar findings were obtained from
the interview that in the view of the informants, effort was regarded to be the most
crucial factor to attain success. Hong Kong Chinese students typically respect high
academic performance and tend to associate with peers that value hard work and high
academic achievement (Wang, 2001).

Being a unique socio-cultural background in Hong Kong, students are under the
confluence of Western and Confucian culture. Apart from personal effort in practicing,
it is also important for teachers to stimulate students interest in mathematics and thus
they will enjoy the learning process. Cheng & Wong (1991) supported that the
students who were good in mathematics took a greater initiative in learning and did
not confine their practices in homework.

6.5 Teachers Influence on Students Learning

Wong (1996) pointed out that teacher is one of the most important factor as
perceived by the students. In the interview, many students mentioned teachers'
influence on their ATM and mathematics learning. Teachers influence on students
57

achievement and affective growth were also emphasized by the ten informants in
Leungs (1998) research.

6.5.1

Arousing students' interest

Not all students like mathematics naturally. Teachers have great influence in

creating the classroom atmosphere, the way of delivering the lesson, style of teaching,
design of class activities and so on. Some informants mentioned that the teachers
aroused their interest in mathematics and made them started enjoy learning
mathematics: "My primary mathematics was very humorous; he posed challenging
questions in the lessons. I enjoyed his lessons and I start to like mathematics." (1HH2).
Even the students with low attitude had similar experiences; the informant 2LH1
recalled that she began to enjoy learning mathematics in primary 4. My mathematics
tried many different ways to arouse our interest in the lessons (2LH1), it did arouse
her interest in learning mathematics.

The HH students also expressed their view on this aspect: "My S.2 math teacher
was more flexible; I could skip some basic questions in the classwork and tried more
challenging problems outside the textbook. However, my S.3 math teacher requested
me to finish every question in the classwork, the basic ones were boring. I enjoyed
learning mathematics more in S.2"(3HH1). Some students wish to have more
flexibility in choosing the classwork on their own. The teacher may consider allowing
certain flexibility if possible, or having more communication with students about the
importance of completing the basic questions, such as to practice the way of
presentation through completing those questions.

58

Students also treasured teachers' appreciations on their work; such recognition

from teachers can help boost up their attitude in learning mathematics. "My teacher
once chose my homework as a sample for classmates and praised my work. I was very
surprised because my mathematics was not very good. I had more confidence with
myself and worked harder for mathematics."(1LH1). Student 3HH2 had similar
experience in P.2 that his teacher praised him when he performed well in mathematics,
he enjoyed more in math lessons and worked harder for it.

6.5.2

Teachers' support on mathematics achievement

As mentioned in the previous part, most of the students' confidence was

established from their prior mathematics achievement. Several informants mentioned

teachers' support in helping to improve their mathematics achievement, and further to
bring up their confidence in learning mathematics. "I had difficulties in mathematics
in primary school, my math teacher helped me after school and then I understood
better. I had more confidence then."(2HL2) Student 1LL2 also appreciated his
teachers work in helping with his mathematics results and confidence. He treasured
with the study group organized by the teacher, he joined it even though he did not like
mathematics. He believed the study group could help to boost up his mathematics
achievement and confidence.

Some students stated their opinions about how their teacher could help them.
"The past papers provided by the teachers were very useful, if the teacher could
provide more similar exercises, it would help."(1LH2) As mentioned before, since all
the informants believed that their mathematics performance could be improved by
more practice. However, different students practice for different purposes. Some
students practice in order to memorize the formulae only (3HL2, 1LL2), or to find out
59

misconceptions (3LH1, 2HH2). Moreover, students themselves do not have a

thorough understanding of the syllabus and may not know how to choose materials
for revisions and further practice. The teachers can suggest on what kind of exercise
the students can do, and the direction of practicing. With the improvement in
mathematics achievement, their confidence and enjoyment will probably be enhanced.

Unlike the senior form students, junior students require more guidance and
restrictions in their learning and growth. Some informants realized that they do not
maintain a good self-learning habit, and expect the teacher to help them improve via
compulsory homework.
2HL1:

2LH1:

3LH1:

"I am lazy and I do not like doing exercises. But if the teacher can
force me to do more, then I will understand more, it will help me. If no
one forces me to, I will not do it myself."
"I wish my teacher can give me more homework, which has to be
handed in. I will do more if the exercises need to be handed in instead
of optional. With more practice, I believe I can do better. I will join
study group if my teacher organizes one."
"There could be more homework, even I do not like it. My teacher can
select more relevant questions as homework, I believe it will help."

Furthermore, some S.1 students had problem to learn mathematics in the medium
of English. A few informants recalled such kind of experiences when they first entered
secondary school. The informant 1HL1 believed the lesson dictations with
mathematics vocabularies in S.1 could help her getting through the hurdle.

6.5.3

Classroom atmosphere
The classroom atmosphere can be controlled by the teacher. Several students

revealed that classroom atmosphere affected their mathematics learning and ATM.

60

A caring classroom atmosphere helps students enjoy in mathematics learning.

Student 3LH1 recalled such experience she had: "I was relatively weak in the class. I
remembered once I felt puzzled in math lesson, my teacher asked me for clarification.
She wanted to make sure I understood before proceeding to the next part. She was
considerate and I was more confident in her lessons."

Students welcome caring classroom atmosphere; but yet, expect the teacher not
to be too easy going. "My S.2 math teacher was very easy going; many classmates
were not attentive in the lessons. The atmosphere in the class was not good, my
attitude became worse too."(3HH2). Student 1LH2 shared similar point of view. They
wanted the teachers to be stricter in controlling the classroom atmosphere so that they
could be more focused in learning in the lessons.

61

Chapter 7

Conclusions and Suggestions

7.1 Summary of research findings

This study aimed to determine the correlation between junior students attitudes
towards mathematics (ATM) and mathematics achievement in a Hong Kong
secondary school. The variations of level of ATM and correlation coefficient were
also investigated across different forms from S.1 to S.3. Semi-structured interviews
were conducted to examine the aspects which affected students attitudes and learning
mathematics.

The results showed that the junior form students posed fairly positive attitude
towards mathematics. Students confidence in mathematics was relatively low when
compared with other sub-factors value, enjoyment and motivation. Moreover,
confidence also dropped the most significantly from S.1 to S.3. It also revealed that
there was significant correlation between attitudes towards mathematics and
achievement. Among the four sub-factors, confidence showed the strongest
relationship with achievement. The correlation coefficient between ATM and
mathematics achievement increased across forms from S.1 to S.3.

From the individual interviews, most of the students reported that their
confidence was established upon the exam sores. Even for some students with high
attitude and high achievement, they also experienced confidence crisis when they got
unfavorable results in certain examination. A few students mentioned the extent of
understanding in lessons affected their level of confidence.

62

Moreover, students level of value towards mathematics was the highest among
the four sub-factors in all forms. Nearly all informants mentioned daily life
application when they determined whether mathematics was important or not.
However, no matter students perceived mathematics being useful or not in daily life,
from the view of the students, the applications were only restricted to fundamental
arithmetic and handling money and discount in shopping. Only one informant
mentioned that mathematics could help develop his problem solving skills. A few
informants considered mathematics as the foundation of science and might be helpful
for their future study and career.

Furthermore, students enjoyment in learning mathematics was coherent with

their average overall attitude. All the twelve informants with high overall attitude
responded that they enjoyed mathematics learning. Their enjoyment was due to their
perception about the nature of mathematics, thinking that mathematics being
interesting, challenging and has lots of fun. Their positive perception of their
prior mathematics achievements and the sense of success gained also contributed to
their enjoyment. Oppositely, the other twelve informants with low overall attitude did
not enjoy mathematics learning and they considered the same aspects, but their
enjoyment was affected in a negative way.

Regarding students motivation of mathematics learning, examination again

posed the strongest influence. The students with both high attitude and high
achievement also looked for the sense of success in their learning. A few informants
reflected that they were relatively passive and they mainly work for those assignments
which required to be handed in.

63

The responses of the informants reflected that exam-oriented culture was

embedded among the students. Tests and examinations had strong influence in
students ATM, especially in confidence, enjoyment and motivation. Even the students
indicated that they generally valued mathematics learning in the questionnaires, their
perception of the importance and the purpose of mathematics learning was very
narrow.

7.2 Implications
Students generally pose higher attitude towards mathematics when they first
entered secondary schools. The results showed that their attitudes, especially the
confidence, become less positive when getting higher forms. Some students
experienced the change from positive to negative attitudes in early secondary level
due to drop in their mathematics achievements and some other factors as discussed.

The correlation coefficient between attitude and achievement was greater for
higher forms. This indicates that in higher forms, say S.3, the proportion of HH and
LL students is greater than that in S.1, there are fewer and fewer HL or LH students.
For example informant 2LL1, his score in S.1 was about 70, there were some S.1 HL
informants had similar scores. However, in S.2, the score of 2LL1 further dropped to
around 50, and he claimed in the interview that at the moment my only target is to
get a pass in the exam, he believed that I think I cannot get higher marks, being pass
is already good to me. Such case can be generally explained by Hailikari et al (2008)
that students who believe they are not good at mathematics, may not want to commit
themselves and, consequently, experience difficulties in their studies and negative
attitudes developed. The situation may be even more extreme in senior forms, as more
and more high achievers in primary school will perceive themselves as low achievers
64

through years of school in the secondary school, it is worth for further investigation.

For informants 1HL1, 2LL2 and 3LL1, they all mentioned mathematics was
troublesome to them in secondary school, which was different from their views in
primary school. Even the informant 1HL1 still holds relatively high average ATM, he
had already started to build up the negative enjoyment after his study in S.1. Once
negative attitude is established, such negative attitude becomes relatively permanent.
Those HL students in lower forms may become LL students in higher forms. Students
repeated failures resulted in their negative attitudes. Mandler (1989) explained that
students repeated negative emotional reactions would form an overall schema about
Mathematics, such schema was relatively permanent.

In the research, students gave various examples of their teachers influence on

their mathematics learning and attitudes. Through better teaching strategies, teaching
materials, encouragement to students, harmonious classroom atmosphere, the teacher
can improve students attitude towards mathematics.

7.2.1

Guidance on academic perspective

Students overall attitudes, especially the confidence and enjoyment, are

established on their mathematics achievement. When most of the students were the
high achievers in their primary school study, it is impossible for all of them to remain
as high achievers in the same secondary school. Most of the students will perceive
themselves as low achieving when compared with their past histories. Its the
teachers reasonability, and opportunities, to distinguish the different needs of
students.

65

Some students are more self-motivated and aimed at work hard for better exam
results in order to bring up their own self confidence, the teacher can help them to
pick up exercises and train their problem solving skills to guide them to the path of
success. Many students found the gap between the textbook exercises and those
questions in the assessment, they found many questions in the textbook are sort of
drilling exercise for solely practicing use of formulas and rules. Through careful
design and selection of materials, students will find their work more meaningful and
help them to strive for success in mathematics.

On the other hand, some students are relatively passive and less motivated in
junior forms, as some informants mentioned, they expect more monitoring from the
teachers. They look for more compulsory assignments, which they believe can help
their achievement. While teaching these students to be more proactive in learning, the
teacher can keep an eye on their progress and give more compulsory work to help
these students to reach higher mathematics achievements. Better achievement will
interact with ATM and develop students confidence and overall attitude.

The informant 3LL2 impressed the researcher a lot in discussing about

enjoyment - I do not enjoy learning mathematics at all as my mathematics results are
always poor. The researcher felt her helplessness when she added more details - I
have tried whatever method I can think of, attending private tuition, jotting notes in
lessons, completing all the assignments and past papers, I even bought extra exercises
to practice. However, after all her efforts, she only passed one time in S.3 and she
felt disappointed after tests and exams. She also mentioned that when she encounter
difficulty in doing mathematics exercises, she normally asked for her classmates but
rarely asked the teacher, even she thought that the teacher could offer a better
66

explanation. She explained that her mathematics teacher was strict, which made her
hesitate to take the active role in approaching the teacher for asking help. Such kind of
students need the teachers help, however, they may not have the courage to ask for. It
will be good if teachers can take the first step in helping these students in early year of
study.

7.2.2

More problem solving than drilling

Many teachers and students believe that effort is the key to success in

mathematics learning. All the informants in the interview gave such response. Some
of them also mentioned that their teachers advice them to practice more in order to get
better results. However, the purpose of practice may be different to different people.
When a teacher advice a student to practice more, the teacher may expect the students
to understand the way of problem solving, and the student may associate with
memorizing the formula through practicing.

Students perception of mathematics learning is more on drilling than problem

solving. Such perception is developed through various stages of mathematics learning.
For example, some informants explained the gap between mathematics learning in S.1
and primary school which affected their confidence and enjoyment. In primary
school, when a formula was taught, by applying the formula directly, I could nearly
answer the whole exam paper. Once you could do one question, you can do the whole
paper. But now, I understand the example. But there is a problem when doing
other classwork as those classwork questions are not exactly the same as the
examples.(1LL1) More guidance for S.1 students to lead them emphasize on
problem solving than solely applying formulas at earlier stage will be helpful. The
teacher can introduce various teaching strategies to help students understand the
67

importance of problem solving, and guide the students to go through the path of
problem solving. With careful designed class activities and stimulating materials, the
teacher can help students to extend their vision about the value of mathematics. Such
emphasis can help students to understand that mathematics is not about learning of
mathematics knowledge, it is more important to equip those skills through
mathematics learning.

7.2.3

Developing students enjoyment in mathematics learning

From the interview, more S.1 students associated their enjoyment in mathematics

learning with the nature of mathematics while more S.3 students linked up with
achievement. Many informants, even for low achievers or low attitudes, told the
researcher their enjoyable experience related to mathematics, such as teachers posing
challenging problems, joining Mathematics Olympiad training courses and working
together with their classmates on complicated problems, which were not related to
exams.

S.1 is very crucial in cultivating students ATM. Once students begin to perceive
themselves as low achievers, such mindset will grow like a snowball in subsequent
years. This is reflected by the stronger correlation between ATM and achievement in
S.3 than S.1. It is true that only a small portion of students can be the top performers
in the form, however, other students interest and enjoyment in the subject can still be
maintained or even lifted through those math-related activities that they like in the
past. Its the teachers role to create and find the opportunities for students to take part,
to help them gaining enjoyment through areas other than exam results.

68

7.2.4

Classroom atmosphere
Students welcomed caring and supportive teachers. Teachers comments and

recognitions play important role on students. It is very common for the teacher to
praise the top students in the class, which will make other students thinking that they
are not doing well. Students hard work, good performance in certain incident, or
simply their good habit of note taking in math lessons is worth praising. Teachers can
treasure those incidents to give their recognition to the students to motivate them in
their learning. On the other hand, students treasured meaningful lessons, with good
discipline and stimulating activities, so that they can learn mathematics with pleasure
and fun.

7.2.5

Peer support
Through the individual interviews, it is found that the relationship between the

students was good. A number of informants recalled their enjoyable experiences of

working on mathematics problems with their classmates and no one reported any
negative competition among peers. Actually, when the researcher asked the
informants what they did when encountering difficulties, twenty out of twenty-four
informants would firstly seek for classmates help. The informants gave a few reasons
why they preferred to ask their peers instead of the teachers. For example, it was
convenient to ask the peers, the teachers were busy for most of the time, they were
reluctant to go to find the teacher on their own.

Undoubtedly, the students are affecting each others learning through interactions
after the lessons as well. Nowadays, teachers have more administrative duties and
they have less time to spend on students after lessons. The teacher can make good use
of the harmonious relationship among the students to help them build up their peer
69

support system. Such peer support can happen in the lessons, where the learning starts.
For example, the teacher can incorporate group works in some lessons, where all the
students can experience learning or problem solving collaboratively. Such experience
and bonding among peers can then extend outside the lesson time, so that the students
can help with each other in a more skillful way, and help those passive students to
establish their peer support network too. As some informants mentioned, they will not
come to ask the teacher alone, but if some of their friends come, they will join as well.

7.3 Limitations and Difficulties

Due to the limited time frame, the level of ATM of students of different forms in
the same academic year were measured and compared. The variation in the level of
ATM and the correlation coefficients across S.1 to S.3 might also due to the
differences originally inhabited in students of different forms.

Second, the results from the qualitative part of individual interviews were based
only on students self-reported data, which affected the validity of the data. It is
difficult for the researcher to cross check students reported data with their parents or
teachers. There might exist some cases that students misinterpreted the conversations
or their past experiences happened long time ago. The validity of the study relied on
the students honesty.

Furthermore, students responses in the individual interview were mainly

followed by the researchers interview questions. Even though pilot interviews were
carried out and the main interview questions were set and sequenced. Due to the
limitation of the researchers interview skills, some better follow-up questions on top
of the students responses could have been asked to enrich the data obtained.
70

7.4 Suggestions for further research

Several follow-up researches can be conducted on top of the findings from this
study. It is recommended that similar study can be carried out with senior forms
students. Unlike the previous curriculum framework, all the senior form students has
to study mathematics as a compulsory subject. It worths studying the ATM of the
senior form students and the aspects affecting their ATM.

Moreover, the results in this study show that students level of ATM varied across
forms from S.1 to S.3. It might be better if a longitudinal study on the same form of
students in which their levels of ATM are measured every year when these students
promoted from S.1 to S.3.

On the other hand, longitudinal case study for the same group of selected
students can be carried out. When the selected students are interviewed at regular
timeframe during different year of study, it is possible to trace the change of ATM
over time and the aspects affecting their ATM with more details as students will be
easier to recall those events happen to them recently.

71

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77

Appendices
Appendix 1: ATMI Questionnaire

ATTITUDES TOWARD MATHEMATICS INVENTORY

1. Mathematics is a very worthwhile and necessary subject.

2. I want to develop my mathematical skills.

3. I get a great deal of satisfaction out of solving a mathematics problem.

4. Mathematics helps develop the mind and teaches a person to think.

5. Mathematics is important in everyday life.

6. Mathematics is one of the most important subjects for people to study.

7. Mathematics would be very helpful no matter what electives I decide to study in senior forms.

8. I can think of many ways that I use math outside of school.

9. Mathematics is one of my most dreaded subjects.

10. My mind goes blank and I am unable to think clearly when working with mathematics.

11. Studying mathematics makes me feel nervous.

12. Mathematics makes me feel uncomfortable.

13. I am always under a terrible strain in a math class.

14. When I hear the word mathematics, I have a feeling of dislike.

15. It makes me nervous to even think about having to do a mathematics problem.

16. Mathematics does not scare me at all.

17. I have a lot of self-confidence when it comes to mathematics.

18. I am able to solve mathematics problems without too much difficulty.

19. I expect to do fairly well in mathematics.

20. I am always confused in my mathematics lesson.

78

21. I feel a sense of insecurity when attempting mathematics.

22. I learn mathematics easily.

23. I am confident that I could learn advanced mathematics.

24. I have usually enjoyed studying mathematics in school.

25. Mathematics is dull and boring.

26. I like to solve new problems in mathematics.

27. I would prefer to do an assignment in math than to write an essay.

28. I would like to avoid using mathematics in tertiary education.

/
29. I really like mathematics.

30. I am happier in a math lesson than in any other lesson.

31. Mathematics is a very interesting subject.

32. I am willing to learn more than those in mathematics textbooks.

33. I plan to take as much mathematics as I can during my education.

34. The challenge of math appeals to me.

35. I think studying advanced mathematics is useful.

36. I believe studying math helps me with problem solving in other areas.

37. I am comfortable expressing my own ideas on how to look for solutions to a difficult
problem in math.

38. I am comfortable answering questions in math class.

39. A strong math background could help me in my professional life.

40. I believe I am good at solving math problems.

79

Appendix 2: Multiple choice (MC) scan paper for AIMI Questionnaire

80

Appendix 3: Questions asked in the interview

1.

Do you enjoy learning mathematics?

(a) What are the reasons?
(b) Is there any change in enjoying mathematics learning when compared with
the past?
(c) If yes, what are the reasons for the change?

2.

Do you think mathematics is important?

(a) What are the reasons?

3.

What do you think about your confidence in learning mathematics?

(a) What are the reasons?
(b) Is there any change in your confidence when compared with the past?
(c) If yes, what are the reasons for the change?

4.

What is your source motivation of doing mathematics?

5.

How can we do better in mathematics learning?

6.

What will you do if you encounter difficulty in solving a mathematics problem?

7.

Can you share a past incident in learning mathematics that impressed you/ you
feel good / you feel bad?

8.

Can you use a sentence to describe mathematics?

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Appendix 4: Sample of interview transcript

Sample question:

What do you think about your confidence in learning mathematics?

What are the reasons?

HH Students
1HH1: My confidence is OK. It is because I generally get good
results in mathematics tests and exams. I always got good
result in mathematics in primary school so I thought I was very
clever. Once in P.5, I didnt revise for the mathematics exam, I
nearly failed at that time. I was really scared and doubted that
was I really good at mathematics. I understood that I needed to
practice more in order to get good results.
1HH2: My confidence is quite good. My scores in mathematics are at
least 80. The lowest mark I ever get was 84. My confidence
fluctuates with the marks.
2HH1: My confidence is strong. It is because my scores in
mathematics are generally high. my confidence
sometimes fluctuated in S.2. For example, I was not familiar
with some concepts, when I attempted to do some MC
questions, I chose the right option at the beginning, but I
changed to a wrong option at last.
2HH2: My confidence is good. It is because I can get good results in
mathematics tests and exams. Moreover, I could understand
the teachers teaching in the lessons; this also strengthened my
confidence in learning mathematics
3HH1: My confidence is quite good. It is because my performances
in mathematics in secondary school are quite good.
3HH2: My confidence is strong. It is because my scores in
mathematics tests and exams are high.
HL Students
1HL1: I think I was good at mathematics in primary school so I was

1HL2:

confident. But now, my mathematics is not good...............relatively, I

do not get good results as in primary school. I am less confident now.
My confidence in mathematics was good. I always get 9x or 100
marks in primary school. (Follow-up question: How about in
secondary school?) Sometimes I faced difficulties in understanding the
questions, but it was just the problem of using English.

82

2HL1:

2HL2:

3HL1:

3HL2:

My confidence was good in primary school. My mum bought a lot of

exercise for me and I could get high marks easily. But now, my mum
cannot help with my mathematics, and I am not concentrated during
lessons so I get much worse results. This makes my confidence
dropping.
I had higher confidence in primary school because S.2 mathematics is
difficult. I had more difficulties now, but after I asked the teacher, I feel
good when I understood the concepts.
My scores dropped in S.1 and my confidence dropped. But now, my
confidence was higher than S.1 and S.2. In S.3, I got better results with
the help of private tuition and my classmates, and thus my confidence
became higher.
I did not practice much in S.1 and my exam results were poor. In S.3,
I went to private tuition and I got higher marks. My confidence is quite
good due to the improvement made.

LH Students
1LH1:

My confidence is ok. But sometimes when I cannot get correct answer

after several attempts, it will affect my confidence. My confidence

2LH1:

depends on whether I can get the correct answer or not.

My confidence is not good. It is because I could not get good results
as in primary school.
When compare with primary school, my confidence dropped, because

2LH2:

I got around 10 to 20 marks lower than I was in primary school.

My confidence is not good. My results in mathematics are not as good

3LH1:

as primary school and S.1.

My confidence is low. My scores in mathematics were always below

1LH2:

3LH2:

LL Students
1LL1:

1LL2:

average in the class. Many of my classmates got over 80 marks, and I

just got seventy something.
My confidence is low. I was still OK in primary school and S.1.
However, my scores in mathematics exams are getting lower and lower
in S.2 and S.3, my confidence drops as a result.

My confidence is low. My score in the first term test in S.1 was

already very low, so it caused a drop in my confidence. My
confidence in primary school was high, very high.
My confidence was quite good in primary school. I do not have

83

2LL1:

sufficient confidence now due to the low marks in mathematics tests

and exams.
My confidence is low. There was a big change since I was promoted
to S.1. At the beginning of S.1, I got above 70 marks in the test, then

2LL2:

my marks fluctuated around 50 marks afterwards. At the moment my

only target is to get a pass in the exam. I think I cannot get higher
marks, being passed is already good to me.
I was quite confident in primary school and S.1, but my confidence is

3LL1:

not good now. It is because mathematics became difficult in S.2, my

scores dropped.
My confidence was better in the past, but it is not good now. It is

3LL2:

because my mathematics performance is poor now.

(sigh.) No (I have no confidence). I was especially
disappointed in S.3. In S.1, even though I failed in exam, my marks
was still above 40. However, in S.3, I just got thirty something.

84

Appendix 5: Letter of consent form to the school

THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
Faculty of Education
21st April, 2015
Dear Principal,
Junior students' attitude towards mathematics in a Hong Kong secondary school
I am Chong Choi, a student of Master of Education programme (specialism:
Mathematics Education) at the University of Hong Kong. I will conduct a research
project titles "Junior students' attitude towards mathematics in a Hong Kong
secondary school" under the supervision of Mr. Lee, Arthur M.S.
The purpose of the study is to explore the junior students' level of attitude
towards mathematics in the school. The correlation of the attitude towards
mathematics and mathematics achievements will be investigated.
I would like to invite all the S.1 to S.3 students of your school to participate by
completing a questionnaire at school, which will take about 20 minutes. 12 students
will be invited for individual interview at school for once, which will take about 15
minutes. The interview will be audio-recorded in order to have an accurate data
collection.
According to the Universitys policy on the ethical conduct of research, I am
writing to ask your consent for these procedures. In this research, there is no risk to
the participants and no compensation for participation.
The data collected will be kept strict confidentially and that the information
obtained in the study will be used for research purposes only. The students have the
right to review recording and erase part of or the entire recording. No one other that
the researcher would know the identity of the interviewees. Participation is voluntary.
This means that participants can choose to stop at any time without negative
consequence. If the participants want to withdraw from the study, I will erase all the
data collected from him/her. For the students in my class, another teacher will conduct
the questionnaire in the lesson. Moreover, students choosing not to participate in the
study will not be penalized. The recordings will be stored in an individual
password-protected USB with data encryption. All the data and the USB will be
stored in the locked drawer at my home. All the data collected will also be reassured
to be destroyed after the dissertation.
85

If you agree to these procedures, please kindly sign this letter for me. If there is
any concern about this research, please feel free to contact me (Tel: 9574 9997) or my
supervisor Mr. Lee (Tel: 2859 2717). If you have questions about the rights as a
research participant, please contact the Human Research Ethics Committee for
Non-Clinical Faculties, HKU (Tel: 2241-5267).

Yours sincerely,

Chong Choi
Faculty of Education
The University of Hong Kong

I agree to the procedures set above to facilitate Mr. Chong Choi to conduct the
research in my school.
Endorsed by:

Date:

Principal

86

Appendix 6: Consent form for parents

Notice for Parents
1st April, 2015
Dear parents,
I am studying the Master of Education programme (specialism: Mathematics
Education) at the University of Hong Kong, and conducting a research study titled
Junior students' attitude towards mathematics in a Hong Kong secondary school
under the supervision of Mr. Lee, Arthur M.S. Your childs secondary school has
agreed to participate in this research. Your child is asked to take part in this
educational research and development project that aims to explore the junior students'
level of attitude towards mathematics in the school. The correlation of the attitude
towards mathematics and mathematics achievements will be investigated.
In order to assess the effectiveness of this project,

students are requested to finish a questionnaire in 20 minutes in the

classrooms during the lesson

students may be invited to conduct an individual interview for 15 minutes

for one time in the classroom after school

All data will be kept strict confidentially and that the information obtained in the
study will be used for research purposes only. Audio-recording will be carried out
during the interview. The students have the right to review recording and erase part of
or the entire recording. No one other that the researcher would know the identity of
the interviewees. If your child wants to withdraw from the study, I will erase all the
data collected from your child. The recordings will be stored in an individual
password-protected USB with data encryption. All the data and the USB will be
stored in the locked drawer at my home. All the collected data will also be reassured
to be destroyed after the dissertation.
Participation in this project is voluntary and your child can withdraw from the
project at any time. For the students in my class, another teacher will conduct the
questionnaire in the lesson. Moreover, students choosing not to participate in the
study will not be penalized.

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No action on your part is required if you give consent for your child to
participate in the study; however, if you do NOT wish to give consent, you are
requested to make this known to the school. If you have any questions or concerns
about the research, please feel free to contact me at 9574 9997. If you wish to obtain
further information about the rights of participants in research, please contact the
Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties, the University of
Hong Kong (2241-5267).
I would like to express my gratitude to your child for participating in this
project.
Thank you for your attention and support.

Yours sincerely,
Chong Choi
Faculty of Education
The University of Hong Kong

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()

9574 9997)
(2241-5267)

()

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Appendix 7: Consent form for students

A Student Consent Form for S.1 to S.3 students
THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
Junior students' attitude towards mathematics in a Hong Kong secondary school
Dear Students,
I am studying the Master of Education programme (specialism: Mathematics
Education) at the University of Hong Kong, and conducting a research study titled
Junior students' attitude towards mathematics in a Hong Kong secondary school
under the supervision of Mr. Lee, Arthur M.S. I would like to invite you to participate
the research study, with the approval of your school principal.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to explore the junior students' level of attitude towards
mathematics in the school. The correlation of the attitude towards mathematics and
mathematics achievements will be investigated.
Procedures
You are invited to finish a questionnaire at school. The questionnaire will take about
20 minutes to complete.
You may also be invited to conduct an individual interview at the school for about 15
minutes, the interview will be audio-taped for further analysis.
Potential Risks / Discomforts and Their Minimization
There is no risk.
Potential Benefits
You will not get any personal benefit from taking part in this study.
Confidentiality
Your data will be kept strict confidentially and that the information obtained in the
study will be used for research purposes only. You have the right to review recording
and erase part of or the entire recording. No one other that the researcher would know
the identity of the interviewees. If you want to withdraw from the study, we will
erase all the data collected from you. The recordings will be stored in an individual
password-protected USB with data encryption. All the data and the USB will be
stored in the locked drawer at my home. All the data collected were also reassured
that everything would be destroyed after the dissertation.
Participation and Withdrawal
Your participations is voluntary. This means that you can choose to stop at any time
without negative consequences.
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Measures to minimize the potential conflict of interest

For the students in my class, another teacher will conduct the questionnaire in the
lesson. Moreover, students choosing not to participate in the study will not be
penalized.
Questions and Concerns
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact
me at 9574 9997. If you have questions about your rights as a research participant,
contact the Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties, HKU
(2241-5267).
Your help is very much appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Chong Choi
Faculty of Education
The University of Hong Kong
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Student Reply Slip
If you agree to take part in this project, please put a tick in the following box and sign
your name besides it.


I agree to participate in this project.

I ** agree / do not agree to be identified.

(** Please delete as appropriate.)
Signature:__________________
OR
If you do not agree to take part in this project, please put a tick in the following box
and sign your name besides it.


I do not agree to participate in this project.

Signature:__________________
Student Name:________________ Class: ______________
91

Date:_______________

()
<>

9574 9997

92

(9574 9997)
(2241-5267)

()

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




** / .

(** )
:_________________



:_________________
_______________________________________________
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Appendix 8: Application Form for Ethical Approval

FE37/614
For official use:

THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties

Ref. No.:
Received date:

Application Form for Ethical Approval

(For TPG Students in Faculty of Education)

Notes:
(1) Please read carefully the Universitys Policy on Research Integrity, the Operational Guidelines
and Procedures for the Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties, and the
summary of the Belmont Report available from the Research Services website before
completing this Form.
(2)

Please note that ethical approval must be obtained prior to any data collection or analysis
taking place.

(3)

The completed application form, together with all related documents, should be sent to the
Office of Research.

Part A Outline of Application

1. Research Proposal

Junior students' attitude towards mathematics in a Hong Kong secondary school

Study title:
Data Collection Period:

Please only check and fill out the one that applies:

Data collection/analysis will start as soon as ethical approval is obtained.

From _______________________________ to ______________________________
Note:

(dd/mm/yyyy).

Ethical approval MUST be obtained prior to any data collection or analysis taking place.

Project Start / End Dates:

From _____20/04/2015______________ to ______31/08/2015__________

(dd/mm/yyyy)

2. Principal Investigator (PI)

Title:

Mr.

Surname:

Contact -

Tel:

9574 9997

First name:

CHONG

Email:

CHOI

ccofcnec@yahoo.com

Degree Programme / Year:

Med(Maths) / Yr2

Student No.:

2003893197

Name of Supervisor:

Mr. Arthur Lee

Supervisor Email:

amslee@hku.hk

3. Co-Investigators (Co-I), if any

Name
(Surname, First name)

Department /
Institution, if not HKU

Position
Programme
HKU Staff/
(For staff (For student Co-I Student No., if
Co-I only)
only)
at HKU

94

Email
Address

4. Funding
Funding source

Please check all that apply, and then specify the funding scheme below:

HKU internal research grants

Research Grants Council

CRF / GRF / PPR / Others:

Other external grant

Contract Research
No funding

Part B Proposal/Project Details

Please provide a summary of the below sections in layman terms. (Do not enter see attached.)
5. Objectives of Study
(1) To identify the junior students' level of attitude towards mathematics in the school of

study.

(2) To investigate if the students' attitude towards mathematics vary according to their achievement in mathematics.
(3) To investigate if the students' attitude towards mathematics vary according to different forms.
(4) Among the four factors in ATMI, to investigate which factor has the highest correlation with students' achievement
(5) For the students with relatively low results in mathematics attitude level, to investigate some possible factors
contributing to the phenomenon.

6. Hypothesis, if any
Nil

7. Elements of research methodology that involve human participants (not more than 1/2 page)

Questionnaire
All junior form students (S.1 to S.3) will be invited to complete a questionnaire (ATMI) to measure their
attitude towards mathematics. To suit the use of junior students, some wordings in the items may be slightly
changed so that students will understand the mathematics terms or examples used. The questionnaire will
take about 20 minutes. Likert-scale format is used: 1 for strongly disagree, 2 for disagree, 3 for neutral, 4 for
agree, and 5 for strongly agree. The average scores of items for each sub-scale indicates students level of
attitude in different factors.

Individual interview
Individual interviews for selected students of different forms aim to answer the fifth research question:

For

the students with relatively low results in mathematics attitude level, what are the possible factors
contributing to the phenomenon. Two students with relatively high scores and two students with relatively
low scores from each form will be selected, to compare their attitude scores, and thus find out the possible
factors of attutude best corelated to achievement

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Part C Data collection

8. Sources of data
Please check all that apply:

New data to be collected from human participants

Experimental procedures / Treatment / Intervention

Focus group
Internet survey
Observation
Personal interviews
Self-administered questionnaire
Telephone survey
Others: please specify

Pre-existing data from human subjects

9. Study participants for new data to be collected

(a) Recruitment and selection of participants
(i)

How will participants be recruited?

Questionnaire
All the junior form students (S.1 to S.3) of the school of study will be invited to participate to complete the
ATMI questionnaire .

Individual interview
Two students with relatively high scores and two students with relatively low scores from each form
will be invited for an individual interview.
(ii) Participant inclusion criteria (e.g. Hong Kong residents aged 18 years and above):

Questionnaire
junior form students (S.1 to S.3) in the school of study

Individual interview
Two students with relatively high scores and two students with relatively low scores from each form
will be invited for an individual interview.

(iii) Participant exclusion criteria (e.g. people with metal implants need to be excluded from MRI):

Questionnaire
Senior for students (S.4 - S.6) in the school of study.
Junior form students (S.1 to S.3) who do not agree to participate in the study.

Individual interview
Students who do not complete the questionnaire in the first part of the study.
Junior form students (S.1 to S.3) who do not agree to participate in the study.

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(b) Who will perform the data collection?

The mathematics teachers of S.1 to S.3 students will help to distribute the ATMI questionnaire for
them to complete during the lesson. The principal investigator (Chong Choi) will conduct the
interview afterwards.
(c) Where will the data collection take place, and how long will it take?

Questionnaire
It will be conducted in classrooms, which will take about 20 minutes for each class.

Individual interview
It will be conducted in interview rooms or classrooms, and take about 15 minutes per student.
(d) Possible benefits to participants:
The result of the study may help the teachers to understand more about the students' learning in
mathematics and enhance the teaching strategies, and thus may enhance students learning or
attitude in mathematics.

10. Risk assessment for new data to be collected from human participants
(a) Will the study involve intervention, such as action research / treatment of any type?

Yes

No

If Yes, please give details:

(b) Will the study involve initial deception of the full context of the study to avoid bias?

Yes

No

(c) Before any attempts are made to minimize privacy risk (e.g. making the forms anonymous),
is it possible that the study will involve greater than minimal privacy risks to research
participants, either due to collection of sensitive data, such as political behaviour, illegal
conduct, drug or alcohol use and sexual conduct, or because there is some risk of
re-identification using a unique identifier such as DNA?

Yes

No

(d) Is it possible that the duration of the procedures will induce greater than minimal stress,
in particular, for children, given their age and capacity?

Yes

No

(e) Is it possible that the study will induce greater than minimal psychological
stress/pain/discomfort?

Yes

No

Is it possible that the study will expose participants to greater than minimal physical or
Yes
medical risk?
Note: Minimal risk means that the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in
the research are not greater in and of themselves than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or
during the performance of routine physical or psychological examination or tests.

No

If Yes, please provide details and attach the debriefing form:

(f)

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If Yes to any of Questions (c) to (f), please state the precautions taken to minimize such
stress/pain/discomfort/risk:

(g) Will photography or video-recording of participants be used during the study?

Yes

No

(h) Will audio-recording be used during the study?

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

If Yes to Questions (g) and/or (h), please provide details and justifications for the recording,
and storage strategies:
Some important information mentioned by the students in the interview may be missed if rely on
note-taking only. To ensure all the important data provided by the students in the interview part
will be collected, the interview will be audio-recorded and transcribed for further analysis.
Audio-recorders will be tested to minimize the technical problems which may arise. The recordings
will be stored immediately in an individual password-protected USB and data encryption for
confidentiality and proper storage.
No one other that the researcher would know the identity of the interviewees and have the right
to access the data and audio-recordings. All the data collected including the audio-recordings will
be stored in the locked drawer at the researcher's home.

(i)

Will the study involve vulnerable participants who are unable to give informed consent, e.g.
under the age of 18, mentally handicapped individuals?
If Yes, please specify details of the age group and/or vulnerability, and attach a
Parent/Guardian Consent form:
The age group of the students is about 11 to 15 years old.

(j)

Is there any potential conflict of interest? (e.g. financial gain to the investigators, power over
participants such as teacher/student relationship)
If Yes, please state details about the conflict of interest and state how that potential conflict
will be addressed:
Since the researcher is the mathematics teacher of one S.1 class, the conflict of
interest may arise due to the teacher/student relationship.
To minimize the potential conflict of interest, the following measures will be
incorporated:
- another colleague of the researcher will be invited to administer the questionnaire
of the class which the researcher teaches;
- the students will be explained that not participating in the study will not be
penalized.

11. Informed consent for new data to be collected from human participants

When conducting research where seeking written consent is not practical or too sensitive,
audio-recorded oral consent or email recorded consent might be less of a privacy risk than
written consent and can be considered as an alternative.

The waiver of recorded informed consent is normally only applicable to newly collected data
without personal identifiers. In this case, PIs are required to clearly specify that they are
recording data without personal identifiers in their research grant proposals.

98

(a) How will you record informed consent? (Please check all boxes that apply)
(i) Written consent

(ii) Audio-recorded consent

(iii) Online/Email recorded consent

If you will not record informed consent, please complete the following Questions (b) to (d) below and submit an
information sheet.
(b) Please explain why the proposed study presents no more than minimal risk to the participants?

(c) Why does a waiver of recorded informed consent not adversely affect the rights and welfare of the participants?

(d) Do you know the identity of respondents?

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Note: Knowing the identity of respondents is distinct from whether their identity is recorded.
If Yes, please explain why the study is not practicable with recorded informed consent.

12. Pre-existing data from human subjects

(a) What is the source of the original dataset?

(b) Are the original dataset in existing documents/records publicly available?

Note: publicly available means that the data can be accessed without an approval process.
If No, please specify the approving authority for access: (____________________)
(c) Were the original dataset originally collected for research purpose?
If Yes, please attach a copy of the Consent Form for the original collection of data.
If No please attach a copy of the Personal Information Collection Statement.
For ALL situations, please explain how this research is consistent with the purpose and use
specified when the data were originally collected:

(d) Are the original dataset sensitive? (e.g. sexual preference, health status, criminal activity)
Please provide full details on types of personal data to be used:

(e) Do the original dataset contain any personal identifiers?

Yes

No

If No, it means neither the researcher nor the source providing the data can identify a
subject based upon the information provided with the data.
If Yes, is the personal identifier direct or indirect?
Direct identifier e.g. name, address, ID card no., medical record no., etc.
Indirect identifier e.g. assigned code that can make a subject reasonably identifiable.
If Yes, will you abstract/record any subject identifiers in the data extraction process?

99

Direct

Yes

Indirect

No

N/A

(f)

Will any new data be collected from subjects, other than the data obtained from the original
dataset?
If Yes, please complete Questions 9 to 11.

Yes

No

Part D Attachments
Please check the boxes as appropriate to indicate which of the following documents are enclosed to this application.

(1) Full research proposal including any questionnaire and/or interview script(i)

(2) Parent/Guardian Consent Form (sample documents)

(3) Informed Consent Form (standard templates of Informed Consent Form and sample language)(ii)

(4) Consent script, for oral consent or email reply for consent (sample documents)(ii)
(5) Deception: post debriefing consent form (sample documents)
Notes:
(i)
(ii)

Mandatory
Mandatory unless waiver has been applied for or no data collection is being undertaken.

100

Part E Declaration
In making this application, I certify that I have read and understand the Universitys Policy on Research Integrity, the Operational
Guidelines and Procedures of the Human Research Ethics Committee for Non-Clinical Faculties (HRECNCF), and the summary of
the Belmont Report, and I will comply with the ethical principles of these documents. I will report to the Faculty Research Ethics
Committee if there is any amendment, new information on the project and any research-related incidents, such as physical or
emotional harm to participants during the research process or breaches of confidentiality. I will also submit a final completion
report if requested by the Faculty Research Ethics Committee. I undertake not to proceed with data collection/analysis before
I receive the approval of this application, and understand that failure to do so will lead to disciplinary action.

CHONG CHOI

26/03/2015

Name of Principal Investigator

Signature

Date

I/We hereby endorse this application with my approval and confirm that the investigator(s) are appropriately qualified in the
research area involved to conduct the proposed research project, and am capable of undertaking this research study in a safe
and ethical manner.

Name of Supervisor

Signature

Date

Name

Signature

Date

Delegate of Faculty Research Ethics Committee

June 2014

101