Compulsion in Studying Mathematics and Career Influence by Mathematics on Student Interest in Mathematics

Aims: This paper examined the effect of compulsion in studying mathematics and future career influence of mathematics on student interest in mathematics.

Study Design: This paper used mixed mode design to investigate the effect of compulsion and future career influence on the student interest in mathematics.

Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Technical education as well as faculty of vocational education of the University of Education, Winneba. College of Technology education, Kumasi-Ghana, from January, 2016 to April, 2016.

Methodology: The study targeted all post-secondary students in the faculty of vocational education and the faculty of technical education of the University of Education Winneba-Kumasi Campus. The researchers’ randomly selected one hundred (100) participants were administered with questionnaires. The study used chi-square test of independence as well as logistic regression analysis to evaluate the effect of compulsion and career influence on student interest in mathematics. The result from this study was generated using SPSS version 16.

Results: The paper established no connection between student interest in mathematics and the compulsion in studying mathematics (p>0.05) but established connection for career influence. The study found Career influence to significantly influence student interest P<0.05. However, the both compulsion and future career influence can explain 11% of student interest in mathematics. The study further reveals that both compulsion and future career influence by mathematics does not significantly predict student interest in mathematics.

Conclusion: The study concludes that, students’ interest in mathematics is independent on the compulsion nature of the subject to student but rather depends on the future career influence of mathematics. These findings led to new emerging theory among students-Theory of future anticipation. Students will be serious with mathematics if it will influence their career. The theory requires school leadership maximization by organizing career guidance and counseling for the student to know the importance of mathematics on their future career.