Florence Kyaruzi

2 Publications in AERD

Author Publications

Impact of gender on sources of students’ self-efficacy in Mathematics in Tanzanian secondary schools

By Florence Kyaruzi

This study investigated the impact of gender on the sources of students’ self-efficacy in Mathematics in Tanzanian secondary schools. Data were collected from 267 Form 3 (Grade 11) students sampled from three public secondary schools in Dar es Salaam region. A previously validated questionnaire scale was used for measuring the sources of students’ self-efficacy in Mathematics: mastery experience, vicarious experience, physiological state (emotional arousal such as anxiety) and social persuasions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, structural equation modeling and latent mean analysis techniques. Results from the structural equation modeling showed that the four-factor model best describes the sources of students’ self-efficacy in Mathematics. Results from descriptive statistics showed that students positively considered vicarious experience, mastery experience and social persuasions as credible sources of their self-efficacy in Mathematics. Results from the latent mean analysis showed significant gender differences in students’ perception of mastery experience. Meanwhile, vicarious experience and mastery experience positively predicted students’ Mathematics performance while physiological state was a negative predictor. The results imply that intervention for improving Mathematics learning ought to focus on fostering students’ sources of self-efficacy, particularly reducing psychological states that lower students’ self-efficacy in Mathematics. © 2021 International School Psychology Association.

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Students’ formative assessment perceptions, feedback use and mathematics performance in secondary schools in Tanzania

By Florence Kyaruzi

This study investigates the impact of secondary school students’ perceptions of mathematics teachers’ formative assessment practices and feedback delivery on their feedback use, and mathematics performance. The sample consisted of 2767 Form 3 (Grade 11) students from 48 secondary schools in Tanzania. Surveys and focus group discussions were used to measure students’ perceptions of formative assessment, feedback delivery, and feedback use. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) of survey data showed that students’ perceptions of the quality of teacher feedback delivery and perceived scaffolding positively predicted students’ feedback use whereas perceived monitoring negatively predicted feedback use. In turn, students’ feedback use positively predicted their mathematics performance to a small extent. Content analysis of focus group discussions illustrated that most students valued their mathematics teacher’s assessment practices. The findings imply that in Sub-Saharan African educational systems the quality of teacher feedback delivery and promotion of student feedback use can improve students’ mathematics performance. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

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