Effects of Student-Teacher Relationships on Student Achievement and Self-Efficacy

Andrea Horn

Date of Graduation

Spring 2007

Degree

Master of Natural and Applied Science in Mathematics

Department

Mathematics

Committee Chair

Linda Plymate

Abstract

This study examined the impact that a student-teacher relationship developed through student-teacher meetings had on self-efficacy and mathematical achievement. The participants (N=45) varied in age and gender but were all enrolled in an Intermediate Algebra II course at a southwest Missouri university. The participants were grouped into a control group (N=19) and a test group (N=26). All participants completed a math pre- and post-assessment. In addition to the math assessments, the test group also completed a self-efficacy pre- and post- questionnaire as well as 15-30 minute student-teacher meeting. The impact of gender, age, and student-teacher relationships were all examined during the study. The study was unable to prove that gender or age had a significant impact on achievement. Through self-efficacy pre- and post-questionnaires, it was found that gender only had an impact on self-efficacy in a few measurements. In this study, it was found that males enjoy studying math more and are more willing to take more than the required amount of math but tended to have less confidence in their ability in math and more strain during class. The questionnaires for this study also indicated that age differences occurred on the measure of prior enjoyment of math. When considering student-teacher relationships, the quantitative analysis of the study was unable to prove that these established relationships had any impact on achievement or self-efficacy. However, open-ended questions and observations indicated that the implementation of teacher-student meetings did have a positive impact on self-efficacy.

Keywords

self-efficacy, mathematics, achievement, student-teacher relationships, student-teacher meetings

Subject Categories

Mathematics

Copyright

© Andrea Horn

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Dissertation/Thesis

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