TEACHERS’ VARIABLES AS PREDICTORS OF STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS MATHEMATICS AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS` IN OGUN EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT

Abstract

This study investigated the predictive roles of teachers’ variables such as gender, qualifications, and teaching experience on students’ academic performance and attitudes toward Mathematics among senior secondary school students in Ogun East Senatorial District, Nigeria. Adopting a descriptive survey design, the study sampled 20 Mathematics teachers and 606 SSII students across four local government areas using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a Mathematics Performance Test (MPT) and a Mathematics Attitude Scale (MAS). Logistic regression was employed to test two hypotheses: whether students’ high achievement and positive attitudes toward Mathematics could be reliably predicted from the selected teacher variables. Results revealed that teachers’ qualifications significantly predicted both high achievement (p = .010) and positive attitude (p = .005) toward Mathematics. However, teachers’ gender and teaching experience were not significant predictors in either case. Based on the outcome of the study, the study recommends among others the need for professional development and the implementation of student-centered teaching approaches to enhance instructional quality. It also calls for a holistic educational strategy that includes adequate resources and stakeholder collaboration to further support student achievement and attitude in Mathematics.