Factors impacted on students' beliefs and attitudes toward learning mathematics: Some findings from the Solomon Islands

Abstract

Currently, the educational system in the Solomon Islands faces tremendous challenges, including how to develop student skills and interest in subjects such as mathematics. The attitudes and beliefs of Pacific and non-Pacific students can impact on their mathematics learning and performance. This paper focuses on the educational implications of this dimension. It reports on a small study of Solomon Islands high school (Year 12) students' beliefs and attitudes about their mathematics learning. This study found that factors associated with individual student's knowledge of the subject and their classroom experience, as well as the attitudes of their teachers and peers, had a negative and positive impact on what students knew and how they thought about their mathematics learning. It is suggested that mathematics teachers may need to review, reflect and re-examine their teaching practices, and to seek new approaches to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics so as to foster the development of students' positive mathematical beliefs. Some ideas for a way forward are suggested.