Factors that Influence Attitudes of Computer Science Students towards Mathematics and Related Courses at the Tertiary Level of Education

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence the attitudes of computer science students towards the teaching and learning of mathematics and related courses in a public university situated in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. To achieve this, a descriptive survey design was adopted. In addition, a quantitative approach to data collection and analysis was employed for the study. The target population for the study were all Bachelor of Education (Computer Science) and Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) students in the said university. In all, 150 students were randomly sampled and used as the respondents for the study. The main instrument used for data collection process was a structured questionnaire. The study found that instructor or lecturer-student relationship have an influence on the students’ attitudes towards the teaching and learning of mathematics and related courses. Also, the mathematics curricula used at the university have influence on students’ attitude towards the teaching and learning of mathematics and related courses. In addition, institutional factors such as time allocation on time table and the adequacy of teaching and learning resources has some form of influence on students’ attitude. Implications of the findings are further discussed in the study.