MATHEMATICS MOTIVATION AS PREDICTOR OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS

Abstract

Mathematics motivation is a variable in predicting undergraduate students’’ performance in mathematics. Correlational research design was adopted. Population consists of 120 first year undergraduate mathematics students from two public universities in North western Nigeria.  Sample of 92 undergraduate mathematics students participated in the study. Instruments for data collection was Mathematics Motivation Questionnaire (MMQ). Validity of MMQ was ascertained by experts in Mathematics Education. Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.78 was obtained for the MMQ. Finding revealed a strong positive r (0.82) indicating a significant relationship between mathematics motivation and undergraduate students’’ performance in mathematics. Additional results revealed mathematics motivation with t-value of 13.97 at p, 0.000 significantly predicts undergraduate students’’ performance in mathematics. The study recommends regular reward of students’’ academic excellence by university authorities and putting into consideration on how to improve undergraduate students’’ positive motive towards learning mathematics.