Effects of Self-Beliefs About Mathematics on Mathematics Achievement: Mediating Role of Time on Homework

• In Event: Roundtable Session 112
  In Roundtable Session: The Second Decade of the 21st Century: Moving Forward in the Millennium

Abstract

This study is inspired by the theoretical assumption that the social, cultural, and school environments may influence students’ efforts in learning mathematics that mediated the relationship between mathematics self-beliefs and achievements. It explores the casual relationships between students’ self-efficacy and their mathematics achievements as mediated by time on homework drawing on Hong Kong student data from TIMSS 2007. It found that Hong Kong students had overall lower self-efficacy scores in mathematics, they spent more time on homework, which helped them achieve higher mathematics performances. This finding explains the paradoxical relationship between self-efficacy and mathematics achievements found among Eastern Asian students and calls for further conceptualization and examination about the relationship between self-efficacy, mediating factors including efforts, and mathematics achievement.

Authors

• Qingmin Shi, University of Nevada - Las Vegas

• Jian Wang, University of Nevada - Las Vegas