Attitude towards mathematics in engineering students

Abstract

Affective factors have influence on the learning of mathematics and, in particular, attitudes constitute one of the most important factors since they express some degree of approval or disapproval to act on mathematics. The research aims to identify the attitude towards mathematics in engineering students of the Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander. Materials and methods: The research is framed within the quantitative paradigm, cross-sectional, explanatory and correlational. The sample was composed of 134 fifth semester students of the Faculty of Engineering during the second academic period of 2021. The information related to attitude was collected through intentional sampling by means of a virtual survey applied through the institutional platform and was contrasted with the academic results in the mathematics courses taken from the academic information system, once the academic semester was over. Conclusion: a positive attitudinal tendency towards mathematics and its teaching using information and communication technologies is evidenced. There is a positive correlation in the sense that students with a higher academic average in mathematics tend to have a better attitude towards mathematics, its learning and its applications. The study shows that even when mathematics presents a high degree of difficulty in its learning, it allows the student to interact with others, propose and defend ideas and points of view for the solution of problems and application of mathematics, which in turn develops self-confidence in the learning and use of mathematics.