Date of Award

9-6-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Education

First Advisor

Susanna Thornhill Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Dane Joseph Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Karen Buchanan Ed.D.

Abstract

This quantitative study investigated the relationship between the mathematics self-efficacy of high school seniors and their 11th grade mathematics scores on the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC). This study also examined the interactions of race, gender, and socioeconomic status with mathematics self-efficacy. This study employed survey research using the 8-item, self-efficacy subscale of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) created by Pintrich and McKeachie (1993), which was modified to measure mathematics self-efficacy. Seven hundred and fifteen high school seniors were invited to participate in the study and 233 responded, which constituted a response rate of 33 percent. A multiple regression model was used to analyze the relationship between students’ scores on the mathematics SBAC and their mathematics self-efficacy. Results indicated that 1) There was a statistically significant relationship between high levels mathematics self-efficacy and high scores on the mathematics portion of the SBAC. Race also significantly contributed to the multiple regression model created by this study to predict a negative relationship between students of color and mathematics SBAC scores. 2) There was no difference between the mathematics self-efficacy of low-SES students of color and low-SES White students; between White males and males of color, or between White females and females of color. While mathematics self-efficacy showed little difference in students across gender, race, and socioeconomic status, students of color showed a negative relationship to their scores on the SBAC. There continues to be an achievement gap in mathematics regardless of the mathematics self-efficacy of students of color.

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