5th and 8th grade pupils’ and teachers’ perceptions of the relationships between teaching methods, classroom ethos, and positive affective attitudes towards learning mathematics in Japan

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Pupils’ attribution of their perceived outcomes in learning mathematics

The pupils’ attribution of their perceived out∞mes in learning mathematics was
measured using a nominal (categorical) response system. Nominal (categorical) data
have neither numerical value nor an underlying continuum. The respondents are
expected to choose their own response(s) from a number of discrete categories
(Oppenheim, 1996). A single-choice question was employed. This aimed to obtain a
clear response as to how they attributed their mathematics performance. An ‘other
(please specify)’ category was adopted for 8^th graders, in order to avoid loss of rapport
due to their feeling that the choice of answers failed to do justice to their own ideas
(Oppenheim, 1996). 5^th grade teachers taking part in the pilot study commented that
such an additional response might confuse 5^th graders. Therefore, ‘other (please
specify)’ category was not adopted in the questionnaire sheet for 5^th graders.

A filter question, which excludes some respondents from a particular question sequence
if those questions are irrelevant to them, was employed. The pupils who responded that
they were very good, good or OK at mathematics were asked their views on why they
thought they were successful in learning mathematics. On the other hand, pupils who
responded that they were poor or very poor at mathematics were asked for their views
on why they thought that they were failing to learn mathematics.

Table 3.2.4: Statements indicating pupils’ attributions of their perceptions of their own
competencies in mathematics

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