Malaysian and Singaporean students’ affective characteristics and mathematics performance: evidence from PISA 2012

Abstract

This paper attempts to identify the extent to which the affective characteristics of Malaysian and Singaporean students’ attainment compared to the OECD average in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012, and examine the influence of students’ affective characteristics, gender, and their socioeconomic status on mathematics performance at both student and school levels. Sample consisted of 5197 and 5546 15-year-old Malaysian and Singaporean students. Data were analysed using hierarchical linear modelling approach with HLM 7.0 software. Results showed that the Index of economic, social, and cultural status (ESCS), mathematics self-efficacy, and mathematics anxiety have significant effects on mathematics performance in Malaysia and Singapore at the student level. Proportion of boys at the school level has no significant effects on mathematics performance for both Malaysian and Singaporean students. ESCS mean at the school level has positive and significant effects on mathematics performance in Malaysia, but not in Singapore. Limitations, implications, and future studies were discussed.

Relationship between interest and mathematics performance in a technology-enhanced learning context in Malaysia

“…In relation to the relatively low mathematics test scores, it seems possible that these results were due to students' frustration and helplessness while answering the test questions could have been challenging to them. This result is similar to that of PISA 2012 in which Malaysian students had significantly higher levels of instrumental motivation and mathematical interest compared to OECD average but had a higher level of mathematics anxiety than OECD average too (OECD, 2014;Thien & Ong, 2015). One possible reason for this is that students could be feeling anxious about mathematics while being well aware of its utility value in the Malaysian education context.…”

“…classroom practices). In a related vein, Thien and Ong (2015) highlighted that in PISA 2012, unlike affective variables like mathematics self-efficacy and anxiety, mathematical interest did not significantly relate to Malaysian students' mathematics performance. In view of these inconclusive findings, this study intended to investigate the relationship between interest and mathematics performance among Malaysian students in a technology-enhanced learning environment.…”

“…It is believed that interest has a vital role in students' learning performance (Gilbert, 2016;Heinze et al, 2005;Kpolovie et al, 2014;Sauer, 2012). However, interest may not be a direct predictor of mathematics performance (Yu & Singh, 2016) and may not significantly relate to Malaysian students' mathematics performance after factoring in the results from PISA 2012 (Thien & Ong, 2015). Therefore, this preliminary study leveraged on the IDC theory to understand more about the relationship between interest and students' mathematics performance in the Malaysian context.…”

“…Also, Gilbert (2016) showed that students with a higher level of interest in mathematics had lower performance-avoidance goals for both types of mathematical tasks which required high and low cognitive processes. Moreover, Thien and Ong (2015) pointed out that mathematics anxiety and mathematics self-efficacy did affect Malaysian students' mathematics performance while Pantziara and Philippou (2013) revealed that self-efficacy in mathematics can directly affect students' interest in mathematics.…”

FTK Students’ Performance in Mathematics: Comparison between SPM and First Year Exam

“…Students may easily get bored and dislike mathematics if they could not solve mathematical problems. However, the study made by Thien and Ong [8] found that Malaysian students loved studying Mathematics and they believed that mathematics is necessary for their future careers despite of their mathematics competency.…”