Attitudes and Student Perceptions: Their Measure and Relationship to Performance in Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, and Technical Mathematics

This study was designed to examine the nature of the relationship between student perception/attitude variables and final grades. Data were obtained from students registered in elementary algebra (N=89), intermediate algebra (N=70), college algebra (N=83), and technical mathematics (N=67) at College of DuPage. Nearly 55 percent of the subjects indicated a neutral or negative attitude toward mathematics, and more than 70 percent rated their ability to be average or poor. Regression analysis was used to identify variables related to final grade. The predictor variables varied between each subgroup, and the percent of variance explained in final grade ranged from 14 percent in elementary algebra to more than 30 percent in college algebra. In all subgroups the variables assessed by the Fennema‐Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales did not appear to be statistically related to final grade.