Degree Name

EdD (Doctor of Education)

Program

Educational Leadership

Date of Award

August 1980

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between the variables of (1) sex, (2) attitudes toward mathematics, (3) college grade point average (GPA), (4) American College Test (ACT) mathematics scores, (5) number of mathematics courses taken, and the variable of (6) mathematics computation scores on the California Achievement Test (CAT) Form 6 - Level 19. A population of 220 applicants for admission to teacher education at East Tennessee State University were available for the study. Academic records of the students were searched for the following information: (1) sex of the subjects, (2) college grade point average, (3) ACT mathematics scores, (4) number of previous high school mathematics courses, (5) number of previous college mathematics courses, and (6) CAT mathematics computation scores. Attitudes toward mathematics was measured utilizing the Revised Aiken-Dreger Mathematics Scale. The following relationships were examined: (1) difference between the CAT mathematics computation scores of males and females, (2) correlation between the variables of attitudes toward mathematics and CAT mathematics computation scores, (3) difference between scores of males and females on the test of attitudes toward mathematics, (4) correlation between the variables of college grade point average and CAT mathematics computation scores, (5) difference between the college grade point average of males and females, (6) correlation between the variables of ACT mathematics scores and CAT mathematics computation scores, (7) difference between the ACT mathematics scores of males and females, (8) correlation between the variables of weighted number of mathematics courses taken and CAT mathematics computation scores, and (9) difference between the weighted number of mathematics courses taken by males and females. The findings of the study revealed that: (1) There was no statistically significant difference between the CAT mathematics computation scores of males and females. (2) There was a statistically significant correlation between the variables of attitudes toward mathematics and CAT mathematics computation scores. (3) There was no statistically significant difference between scores of males and females on the test of attitudes toward mathematics. (4) There was a statistically significant correlation between the variables of college grade point average and CAT mathematics computation scores. (5) There was no statistically significant difference between the college grade point average of males and females. (6) There was a statistically significant correlation between the variables of ACT mathematics scores and CAT mathematics computation scores. (7) There was no statistically significant difference between the ACT mathematics scores of males and females. (8) There was a statistically significant correlation between the variables of weighted number of mathematics courses taken and CAT mathematics computation scores. (9) There was no statistically significant difference between the weighted number of mathematics courses taken by males and females. Based upon the findings of the study, the following conclusions were warranted: (1) The study failed to support the hypotheses that differences existed between male and female teacher education applicants in regard to their (a) CAT mathematics computation scores, (b) attitudes toward mathematics, (c) college grade point average, (d) ACT mathematics scores, and (e) weighted number of mathematics courses. (2) The study revealed that in regard to teacher education applicants there existed a definite correlation between the variables of (a) attitudes toward mathematics and CAT mathematics computation scores, (b) ACT mathematics scores and CAT mathematics computation scores, (c) college grade point average and CAT mathematics computation scores, and (d) weighted number of mathematics courses taken and CAT mathematics computation scores.

Document Type

Dissertation - unrestricted

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