Students’ Beliefs in Mathematics Education Related to Stream: The Case of Grade Eleven Students in West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

The beliefs that both natural and social science students have in mathematics education play an important role in their success or failure in school mathematics. Thus, studying students’ beliefs in mathematics education related to stream is essential in educational research. Accordingly, this research focused on investigation of students’ beliefs in mathematics education related to stream. To address this issue mixed-methods approach were employed. The data were collected from four schools in West Arsi Zone using multistage sampling. The quantitative data obtained were analyzed using percentage, mean, independent samples t-test, correlation and regression. Whereas, for the qualitative data collected through semi-structured interview and focused group discussion, thematic data analysis was emoloyed on the basis of common characteristics. Consequently, this study displayed that overall there was statistically significant stream difference in students’ beliefs in mathematics education, t (502.97) = 12.12, p<0.05. The main reason revealed from semi structured interview and focused group discussion for the belief difference between natural and social science students in this study were due to the nature of the subjects in natural and in social science, subject teachers’ partiality, and self beliefs in mathematics education. To change the situation it is important social science students to take the first initiatives to improve their beliefs in mathematics education. It is also very important to build students’ mathematics knowledge at elementary school so that both natural and social science students to come to learn mathematics in the high school with courage.