Assessing Academic Achievement and Attitude of High School Students towards Geometry: A Case of Southern Tigray Zone

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the academic achievement and attitude of high school students in geometry in southern Tigray zone. The study adopted a descriptive survey method. The target schools were selected using simple random sampling method. From the selected high schools, whole classrooms were selected using cluster sampling method. A sample of 299 grade ten students were included in this study.  The research was done based on qualitative and quantitative data.  The data collection tools were open ended questionnaire, attitude items, students' achievement test, and focus group discussion. A five-point Likert scale was used to measure students' attitude towards geometry. Cronbach’s alpha was used to check the internal consistency of the attitude items and a value of 0.7263 reliability coefficient was found. Kuder-Richardson Formula 20 was applied and a value of 0.6238 reliability coefficient of the achievement test was found. Moreover, the average difficulty level of the achievement test was 37.02 percent and the average discrimination power was 43 percent. The findings of the study showed that poor students' achievement and negative attitude towards learning geometry. Based on the results of the study, different recommendations are suggested in order to minimize the existed problems in the study area.