Gladys Sunzuma

Secondary school students’ attitudes towards their learning of geometry: a survey of Bindura urban secondary schools

This study explores secondary school student’s attitudes towards their learning of geometry. The study adopted a quantitative descriptive survey design using simple frequency and percentages in analyzing the data as part of descriptive statistics. A sample of 100 ‘O’ level pupils were drawn, using stratified random sampling, from three urban high schools. The research was done quantitatively using a questionnaire that comprised of 15 closed questions which were adapted and then modified from Fennema-Shermann Mathematics Scale (1977). The study revealed that the students’ attitudes towards the usefulness of geometry were positive and that many of them believed that geometry is a valuable and necessary topic which can help them in their future careers. The result also showed that the majority of the students in Bindura urban, (80%) did not like solving geometrical problems. It also emerged that geometry is not a difficult topic to both male and female students and that though most students did not like solving geometry; they considered geometry to be useful.