Development of attitudes during the transition to university mathematics – different for students who drop out?

Abstract

Students’ attitudes are assumed to play a big role for successful learning processes and to differ substantially between students. To gain a better insight in which way attitudes at the start of a mathematics study program and their development influence study dropout, we asked 219 students to state their interest in university mathematics and their mathematical self-concept at the start of their studies and six weeks later. Applying a cluster analysis, we identified four development profiles which differ in both attitudes at the start of their studies and in the development of both attitudes. The dropout rate among students with different profiles ranged from 7 % to 44 %, highlighting that the development of attitudes in the first semester is of major importance for a successful start