ambrad tudtud chapter 1

Chap 1 comments
1. it has been always crucial to students in passing mathematics. (faulty)
2. According to the definitions of UCF’s Student Academic Resource Center, (year?)
3. Studies have shown that motivation and attitude have impacted student achievement. (Cote & Levine, 2000; Singh, Granville & Dika, 2002). (period placement; only one period and should be after the parenthesis)
4. hat's why if we behave or act in a particular situation, other persons would be able to determine our state of mind on that particular thing in which behavior is manifested. (don’t begin with that’s why; weak)
5. This study aims to determine the gender differences on student attitudes towards mathematics; this will undergo the following questions: (weak connection; rephrase or break)

Chapter I
Introduction


Rationale of the Study

Gender differences between the male and females according to the article of Washburn (1994), the Reflections on a Psychoanalytic Theory of Gender Differences, adapted from the works of Choodrow (1979), Dinnerstein (1976) and Johnson (1988) suggested that there are some instances that gender asymmetries during the childhood development lead to gender differences to the later life. However, he also interpreted the difference that it is not a wide but rather a narrow difference between the two genders. Applying these differences, if there is any, would be really applicable in the existing difference in attitudes between male and females towards mathematics.
Due to the high importance of this subject as a basic knowledge to learn other sciences and courses, it has been always crucial to students in passing mathematics. Because of its fundamental importance, Metzler of The Associate Press (2010) reported that the first lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama stated that Math and Science are important keys to the progress of the nation suggesting among the grade school and high school students that they must do good in Math and Science for the common good.
According to the definitions of UCF’s Student Academic Resource Center, humans tend to do what they tell themselves to do, thus building up an attitude towards something, which holds math not exempted. Attitude is completely changeable even it is acquired, may it be a positive attitude or a negative attitude.
Studies have shown that motivation and attitude have impacted student achievement. (Cote & Levine, 2000; Singh, Granville & Dika, 2002). As an example, Bottge (2001) figured out that if mathematical problems were interesting and engaging enough, students with low mathematical solving abilities answers emphasizing their higher level of competence.
Attitude might also be a good way of viewing the roots of all these fears and anxious feelings of teenagers. Attitude serves as an evaluation of a person whether he/she likes or dislikes a thing, particularly the main subject of this study, mathematics. Attitude is one way of constructing a social reality. This form of social reality would be brought to existence by means of describing the difference in attitude towards math.
A simple definition of attitude towards Mathematics (Zan et. al., 2004) is either a positive or negative emotional and psychological disposition towards mathematics as an academic subject. The term attitude has many definitions if we are going to view it deeply. The American Heritage Dictionary (2005) simply defines it as a state of mind of a person. The Webster 9th New World Dictionary explains that it is a mental position related to a fact or state. Psychologist also believes that attitude is expectancy, or an organization of concepts. Attitude could also be defined as beliefs, habits, and motives associated with a particular object (UCF Students' Academic Resource Center, 2005). In layman's terms, we can simply define attitude as a state of mind or feeling towards a state or a fact. Behaviors are the main agent in showing off our attitudes. That's why if we behave or act in a particular situation, other persons would be able to determine our state of mind on that particular thing in which behavior is manifested.
This study would really be a useful tool in constructing a psychological understanding between genders and at the same time viewing attitude as one of the major factors affecting not just the females but the males as well. Emotions such as fear should not be instilled in our physiological states. We could deal with these problems and find some solutions by getting sufficient and accurate answers towards the students' performance, may it be male or female.














Statement of the Problem
This study aims to determine the gender differences on student attitudes towards mathematics; this will undergo the following questions:

1. Are the respondents:
1. Male?
2. Female?


2. What is the student attitude result of males and females towards Mathematics?
1. Is it positive?
2. Or negative?
3. Is there a significant difference between the student attitude results of the two genders?
4. What are the differences between the student attitudes of the two genders?



Hypothesis
There will be a significant difference between the student attitudes of males versus the females towards mathematics. Based on the literatures that are closely related to this study, there is a significant difference on the attitude of males from females towards mathematics.


Objectives
1. To know the student attitude result of males and females towards mathematics.

2. To decipher if there is a significant difference between the student attitude results of the two genders.

3. To determine the different differences between the student attitudes of the two genders.

Significance of the Study
Determining the occurrence (if there exists) of gender differences in student attitudes towards mathematics benefits different sectors in the society.
The results of this study will benefit students in such a way that their expansion of social awareness about the level of attitude of males and females maybe broadened. And this form of awareness may lead them into self-improvement. Attitude affects performance and so with the awareness, comes the action towards the attitude level
Not only would the students be able to develop the sense of awareness but the parents as well. Aside from that, the parents would also be able to articulate more things and think of measures that should be done for their children. During the adolescence period of a child, confusions and walls may start to build up between their parents and that may lead to a less and weak communication especially when it comes to school matters because their children are trying to live in their own world (i.e., being independent). With the results of this research, parents are given the idea about the attitudes that their son or daughter may have and do something about the matter.
Teachers are also benefited by the research in a way that they will know how to handle the different genders effectively in relative to their potential attitude level towards math.
Lastly are the future researchers that are willing or aiming to go into a more in-depth study on topics related to attitude level of the different genders can also benefit in this study by making the study a reference onto whatever information it may render for the better of future studies.