The Mathematical Thinking and its Relationship with Students’ Attitudes and Achievement: A Study on Seventh Grade Students in Mathematic in Jordan

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the relationship between mathematical thinking and the seventh grade students’ attitudes towards math and achievement. The study sample consisted of (104) students from seventh grade in Jordan. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, three tools were applied: attitudes measurement, mathematical thinking test and achievement test. The first two tools consisted of (40) items each and the third one encompassed (50) items. The results showed that there were statistically significant differences between the mean averages of students’ marks on the dimensions of attitudes towards mathematics. There was a positive relationship between the difficulty of mathematics and its nature, academic achievement and mathematical thinking. The study recommended that there was a need to design and develop training programs for teachers of mathematics that focused on the attitudes towards mathematics and it spotlighted various dimensions of development. The study also concentrated on the students’ emotional goals and trends when developing and writing math curricula.