The mediating effect of student motivation on enhancing student math interest through history of mathematics

The study was purely quantitative and employed descriptive analysis. The study used stratified and simple random sampling techniques to sample 205 students from 431 first-year students pursuing “BSc mathematics education”. The study exclusively utilized a structured questionnaire as its research tool, adopting a quantitative approach. To evaluate the proposed pathways, structural equation modeling was conducted using Amos 23. The study results revealed that the history of mathematics (HoM) had a direct and statistically significant positive effect on both math interest and student motivation (SMOT). Additionally, SMOT significantly and positively influenced math interest. Consequently, SMOT partially mediated the relationship between the HoM and students’ math interests (SMI), which was statistically significant. The study concluded that both the HoM and SMOT directly and positively influence math interest, and the HoM positively affects SMOT. Finally, SMOT partially mediates the relationship between the HoM and math interest. Most studies have examined the influence of the HoM on students’ interest, and the effect of students’ motivation on their math interest, but there are inadequate empirical studies that examine the effect of students’ motivation on their math interest and the mediating effect of students’ motivation on the nexus between the HoM and SMI. This study adds to knowledge by examining the mediating role of students’ motivation on the nexus between the HoM and SMI.