THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATHEMATICS MOTIVATION AND MATHEMATICS PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between primary school students’ mathematics motivation and problem-solving skills in mathematics. A total of 429 students were selected through convenience sampling, using a relational survey model. Data were collected using the Mathematics Problem-solving Achievement Test and the Mathematics Course Motivation Scale using the relational survey model. The research results showed that fourth-grade primary school students’ mathematics problem-solving scores were at the ‘Needs Improvement’ level although they have high motivation in mathematics. Secondly, their motivation towards mathematics did not differ regarding teacher turnover and the mother's educational status while, but it significantly differs concerning the father's education status. Namely, those whose fathers are graduates of primary school and university performed better than those whose fathers are graduates from middle school. It was also found that their mathematics problem-solving achievement scores did not differ regarding teacher turnover but differed significantly with respect to mothers' educational status (in favour of university graduates compared to middle school and high school graduates; in favour of primary school graduates compared to high school graduates) and fathers' educational status (in favour of university graduates compared to high school graduates). This study found a weak but statistically significant positive relationship between their motivation towards mathematics and problem-solving skills. Lastly, this study revealed that the mathematics motivation of fourth-grade primary school students accounted for 7% of the increase in mathematics problem-solving success scores.

Keywords: Mathematics, motivation, problem solving, primary school.

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