Structural equation modelling of affects and learning approach in mathematics education

As most students recognize that affect and context influence their learning methods, this is reflected in the theory of Student Approaches to Learning (Biggs, 1993). This paper investigates the relationship of preservice teachers’ affective characteristics and student’s learning approaches using structural equation modeling to examine the relative contributions of latent factors, and to find the strength of their impacts to mathematics achievement. Based on the presage-process-product model of student learning, a hypothesized model is proposed that preservice teachers’ mathematics self-concept, mathematics teaching self-efficacy, beliefs and attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics education, influence cognitive activities in the learning process and subsequently mathematics achievement outcomes. It is found that mathematics teaching self-efficacy acts as the mediator of affective characteristics, learning approaches and mathematics achievement. The finding proves useful to educators in the research areas of affective domain of mathematics education. The paper ends with discussions and limitations for the study. It is hopeful that the proposed model will become a useful reference for further investigations on affective domain of mathematics education.