The Causal Factors Influencing Mathematics Literacy in the 21st Century and Development of a Model to Promote Mathematics Literacy in the 21st Century For Grade 9 Students under the Secondary Education Service Area Office 26

Abstract

The purposes of this research were: 1) to study the causal factors Influencing mathematics literacy in the 21^st century for grade 9 students under the Secondary Education Service Area Office 26; 2) to find guidelines on promotion of the mathematics literacy in the 21^st century for grade 9 students under the Secondary Education Service Area Office 26. The sample consisted of 700 grade 9 students under the Secondary Education Service Area Office 26, obtained through multistage random sampling, and 5 teachers from the Mathematics Learning Strand, under the Secondary Education Service Area Office 26, obtained through purposive sampling. The research instruments were: 1) a mathematics basic knowledge test; 2) a learning aptitude test; 3) a test on mathematics literacy in the 21^st century; 4) a test on factors influencing mathematics literacy in the 21^st century; and 5) a structured interview inquiring guidelines on promotion of the mathematics literacy in the 21^st century for grade 9 students under the Secondary Education Service Area Office 26.  

The findings revealed that: 1) the model that had been developed was consistent with the empirical data, as seen from = -181.02, df = 135, p = 1.0000, RMSEA=0.000; 2) the variable that had a direct influence on mathematics literacy of students was the attitude towards mathematics. The  variables with direct and indirect influences were basic knowledge of mathematics, learning aptitude, achievement motive, and self-confidence; 3) from in-depth interviews with the teachers from the Mathematics Learning Strand on guidelines on promotion of  the mathematics  literacy in the 21^st century of grade 9 students under the  Secondary Education Service Area Office 26, guidelines were proposed as follows: mathematics teachers should be promoted and developed to have good knowledge of the content taught, having in-depth and thorough knowledge in related content; learning activity organizing should be promoted and developed; in organizing for learning mathematics, it is extremely necessary to encourage students to build the body of knowledge by themselves; measurement and evaluation should be promoted; the teacher should use various methods of assessment; and student promotion and promotion of the educational institution were also proposed.