Learning Styles and Self-Efficacy as Correlates of Academic Achievement of Students in Mathematics in Ogidi Education Zone

Résumé

This study examined the relationship among learning styles, self-efficacy, and academic achievement in mathematics among public secondary school students in the Ogidi Education Zone of Anambra State, Nigeria. The study was guided by five research questions and five null hypotheses tested at the 0.05 level of significance. A correlational research design was adopted. The population comprised 3,718 Senior Secondary Two (SS2) students drawn from 40 public secondary schools in the Ogidi Education Zone. A sample of 560 students was selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using the Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ) and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE). Data analysis was conducted using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that visual learning style had a moderate positive and significant relationship with mathematics achievement (r = 0.300, p < 0.05), while auditory learning style showed a very low but significant positive relationship (r = 0.083, p < 0.05). Kinesthetic learning style also demonstrated a low positive and significant relationship with mathematics achievement (r = 0.180, p < 0.05). However, self-efficacy showed a very low and non-significant relationship with mathematics achievement (r = 0.052, p > 0.05). The study further revealed a significant joint relationship among learning styles, self-efficacy, and mathematics achievement (R = 0.316, R² = 0.100, p < 0.05). The study concluded that learning styles significantly influence students’ mathematics achievement, while self-efficacy contributes jointly with learning styles to academic performance. The study therefore recommends that mathematics teachers adopt learner-centred instructional approaches that accommodate diverse learning styles and promote active student engagement in mathematics learning.