Future teachers´ attitudes towards Mathematics

Abstract

Future teachers' attitudes towards mathematics can influence the teaching of this subject-matter in the earlier years. In order to know their attitudes, 1,150 Primary Education students (2nd, 3rd and 4th years) of the Faculty of Education at the University of Murcia were surveyed during 6 academic years. They were given the Auzmendi (1992) test which is composed of 25 items on a 1-5 Likert scale. The results show that 1 in 3 students has a negative attitude (lower than 3). They also show that men have a more favourable attitude than women and that 4th-year students have the highest attitude. The item with the highest score refers to the self-confidence factor whereas the one with the lowest score relates to the liking factor.