Relationship between first year students’ self-concept, intrinsic motivation and mathematics achievement

Abstract

The relatively low achievement of students in mathematics has been of concern to many parents and educators for some time now. Most research concentrated more on the cognitive factors, while the affective factors are ignored. Regrettably in Ghana, little attention is paid to the effect that students’ self-concept and intrinsic motivation have on mathematics achievement. Questionnaires were administered to a convenience sample of 89 students together with the end of first semester results were used for the study. The correlation study design was used to study the relationship between first year students’ self-concept, intrinsic motivation and mathematics achievement and further sought to determine the extent to which students’ mathematics achievement could be predicted from their self-concept and intrinsic motivation. The study identified a strong positive correlation between self-concept and intrinsic motivation; a moderate positive relationship between students’ mathematics achievement and self-concept; as well as a moderate positive correlation between mathematics achievement and intrinsic motivation. Although, both self-concept and intrinsic motivation are related to mathematics achievement, it is only intrinsic motivation which is able to predict mathematics achievement. This research has therefore highlighted the need to pay attention to the impact that self-concept and intrinsic motivation have on students’ mathematics achievement. Lectures concerned in teaching Algebra and Trigonometry should make every effort to design and implement teaching strategies that foster the development of students’ self-concept and intrinsic motivation.