Success indicators of mathematical problem-solving performance among Malaysian matriculation students

This study identifies the success indicators of mathematical problem-solving performances among Malaysian matriculation students divided into four indicators: mathematical beliefs, mathematics attitudes, mathematics self-efficacy and metacognitive skills. For this purpose, 368 matriculation students...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Abu Bakar, Suriati, Salim, Nur Raidah, Mohd Ayub, Ahmad Fauzi, Gopal, Kathiresan
Format: Article
Published: Tresorix 2021
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/95208/
Description
Summary:This study identifies the success indicators of mathematical problem-solving performances among Malaysian matriculation students divided into four indicators: mathematical beliefs, mathematics attitudes, mathematics self-efficacy and metacognitive skills. For this purpose, 368 matriculation students from three matriculation colleges were selected as respondents using proportioned stratified sampling. This study utilized a descriptive correlational design approach. A set of questionnaires and a mathematics test were used as the instruments. Independent variables were measured using a questionnaire, while mathematical problem-solving performance was measured using a mathematics test. The findings show students had a high level in mathematics beliefs, attitude towards mathematics, mathematics self-efficacy and metacognitive skills. Statistical tests to determine success indicators predicting mathematical problem-solving performance revealed that mathematics self-efficacy does not contribute significantly to these variables and that metacognitive skills make the most decisive contribution, followed by mathematics attitude and mathematics beliefs. Hence, this study suggests that problem-solving should be included as an essential part of the mathematics matriculation syllabus to enable students to improve their problem-solving abilities.