Achievement Motivation and Metacognition as Predictors of Mathematics Achievement among Form Three Students in Busia County, Kenya
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Date
2024-06
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
A significant number of KCSE candidates in Busia County have been performing below
average in mathematics. Studies have been conducted in different counties in Kenya on
the factors that may be associated with poor performance in mathematics in national
examinations. However, despite the efforts that have been made, this is yet to be
satisfactorily addressed. In Busia County, achievement motivation, metacognition as
predictors of mathematics achievement have received little attention. This study sought
to examine achievement motivation and metacognition as predictors of mathematics
achievement in order to come up with a model that can be used to predict mathematics
achievement. The specific objectives were; to examine the relationship between
achievement motivation and mathematics achievement, to find out the relationship
between metacognition in mathematics and mathematics achievement, to examine if
there were gender differences between achievement motivation and metacognition on
mathematics achievement, and to determine the predictive weight of achievement
motivation and metacognition on mathematics achievement among form three students.
This study was based on two theories namely; achievement theory of motivation by
McClelland (1985) and model of cognitive monitoring by Flavell (1976). Quantitative
research methodology was adopted with a correlational research design. The target
population for this study was 5395 Form three students in 28 public secondary schools
in Samia Sub-County. Purposive sampling, proportionate sampling, and simple random
sampling techniques were used to select the participants. A sample size of 361 students
was selected from a target population of 5395. Academic motivation scale,
metacognition scale, and mathematics achievement score sheet were used to collect
data. Pilot study was conducted among 30 students in one public secondary school in
Samia Sub-County to establish the validity and reliability of achievement motivation
and metacognition scales. The researcher conducted a number of descriptive statistics
such as mean, percentage, and standard deviation to describe the study variables.
Inferential statistics was used to test the research hypotheses. Results revealed that
achievement motivation score had a strong, positive and significant relationship with
mathematics achievement, r (346) = .76, p < .05. Metacognition also had a positive and
significant relationship with mathematics achievement, r (346) = .52, p < .05. The
results on metacognition revealed that the mean differences between male and female
students were statistically significant, t (2, 344), p <.05. On achievement motivation
score, the results revealed that the mean differences between male and female students
were statistically significant, t (2, 344), p < .05. R square value was .70 which indicates
that 70% of the variance in mathematics achievement among form three students in
Busia County is jointly influenced by achievement motivation and metacognition. The
study recommends that teachers and curriculum developers should include and improve
ways of enhancing achievement motivation and metacognition like enquiry based
learning in their teaching methodologies and in the school curriculum to ensure that it
works for the benefit of the students in learning mathematics and better achievement in
the subject.
Description
A Research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education in Educational Psychology in the Department of Educational Psychology, Kenyatta University June, 2024
Supervisor
Josephine mutua