A STUDY OF PARENTAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS MATHEMATICS EDUCATION AND STUDENTS MATH HOMEWORK BEHAVIOR

Homework is an essential component of teaching used by teachers to enhance levels of students commitment and engagement in learning. However, parental attitude is crucial in the homework and engagement behavior of the children. The present study investigates parental attitude towards mathematics and how it affects students math homework behavior. Ninety-six parents participated in the study. They completed a Parents Attitude Towards Mathematics scale and the Mathematics Homework Behavior Scale (MHBS). The result found that parents attitudes towards mathematics predicted math homework behavior. It is concluded that parental attitude towards mathematics is essential in increasing students math homework behavior.

Middle School Students' Reported Self-Regulation Strategies in Completing Online Mathematics Homework

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study is to benefit our understanding of the potential of online homework as it relates to developing and supporting students’ self-regulated learning (SRL). This descriptive case study explores the use of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies reported by students in the context of completing online mathematics homework (OHW). Eighth-grade students (10 total) from a traditional middle school were interviewed using a validated data collection instrument, the Self-Regulated Learning Interview Schedule or SRLIS (Zimmerman & Martinez-Pons, 1986, 1988). Students’ open-ended responses were interpreted using a framework of self-regulation theory and coded using 14 self-regulation strategies to identify the strategies used and to understand differences or similarities among students among different achievement groups (low or high). Students reported using a variety of SRL strategies while completing OHW. All but two students reported goal-setting and planning and seeking social assistance (from teachers, adults, and peers). Additionally, this study identified two new categories of seeking non-social assistance—online resources in general and those from the Khan Academy in particular. Among achievement groups, students in the high-achievement group reported greater use of the cognitive SRL strategy organizing and transforming, whereas students in the low-achievement group had more recurrent reports of no strategy. Students in the low-achievement group reported use of the motivational SRL strategies, environmental structuring and self-consequences, whereas students in the high-achievement group reported no use of motivational SRL strategies, but instead reported parent-initiated involvement.

Measuring Students’ Perceptions of Teacher Involvement in Mathematics Homework Assignments: A Scale Development

This study aimed to develop a scale to determine students’ perceptions of teacher involvement in mathematics homework assignments. An item pool (n = 30) was generated based on a literature review. Based on expert feedback, the number of items was reduced to 21 scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale. A draft named the “Scale of Teacher Involvement in Mathematics Homework Assignments (STIMHA)” was developed after the items were reviewed by a linguist. A pilot study was conducted with six middle school students to check for comprehensibility. The items were revised and finalized based on their feedback. The main study sample consisted of 751 middle school students from four schools in Demirci/Manisa in Turkey during the 2017-2018 academic year. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 24.0) and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS 21.0). Validity and reliability were established.