<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Chipo Makamure</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PRIOR EXPECTATIONS AND THEIR ACTUAL EXPERIENCES OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS DURING PEDAGOGICAL INTERNSHIP IN ZIMBABWE</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">expectations of teaching</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">field experiences</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">mathematics knowledge</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">pedagogical internship (PI)</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">pre-service teachers (PSTs)</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2020</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">December/2020</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2020/457-1607329968.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">78</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Pedagogical internship (PI) is an important component of teacher training programmes in Zimbabwe. It is envisaged to give student teachers experience in the classroom. However, the variation between the theoretical expectations of pre-service teachers (PST) and their actual experiences in the field has been a relational lacuna in academic research in Zimbabwe. This research sought to address this by presenting data on the relation between college PSTs’ expectations about teaching mathematics and their actual experiences during PI in Zimbabwe. The study shares findings from a mixed methods study that employed two questionnaires completed by 120 PST before and during PI respectively, and a third questionnaire administered to school-based mentors. The researcher also conducted in-depth interviews with a few selected PSTs and teacher educators to elicit their views about the PSTs’ practices. The results show that there is, indeed, a conflictual relationship between the PSTs’ expectations of teaching mathematics and their experiences in the classroom. PSTs showed a consistent anticipation that they would sail through PI without many difficulties, but this expectancy turned out to be idealistic and impractical. The research also established that PSTs’ expectations about teaching mathematics prior to PI can influence their field practices, hence, determining their opportunities to learn to teach the subject. It is recommended that teacher training institutions organize programmes for PSTs before PI to prepare and acquaint them fully with the skills that are needed to face challenges of teaching that may otherwise come as a shock during PI.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">983-999</style></section></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Noor Ismail</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Halimah Awang</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ASSESSING THE EFFECTS OF STUDENTS’ CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTITUDES ON MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Problems of Education in the 21st Century </style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">attitudes towards mathematics learning</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">mathematics achievement</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">mathematics knowledge</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2008</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">November/2008</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://oaji.net/articles/2014/457-1392298052.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">9</style></volume><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">This paper analyzes mathematics performance of grade eight students using Malaysian data drawn from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2003. In particular it examines the effects of students’ characteristics and attitudes towards mathematics learning on their achievement. Background information including gender of students, parents’ education level and whether students speak the language of test at home are assessed in terms of their influence on mathematics score. The number of books in home, availability of study desks and computers in home are categorized as educational resources while students’ attitude takes into account students’ educational aspirations, their perception of being safe in school, time spent on mathematics homework, self-confidence in learning mathematics and the value students place on mathematics. Chi-squared tests and odds ratios are used to examine the associations and strength of the relationships of these factors with mathematics achievement. The results show that except for gender, language spoken at home and time spent on mathematics homework, all of the other variables have significant positive influence in classifying students to low, medium and high achievers. </style></abstract><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">34-41</style></section></record></records></xml>