EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF AGE AND SEX ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ ALGEBRA ACHIEVEMENT: A MODERATION ANALYSIS

Authors

  • Yarhands Dissou Arthur Department of Mathematics Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Joseph Junior Gurah Department of Mathematics/ICT Education, St. Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa Akwamu, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Daniel Amoah Department of Mathematics Education, Berekum College of Education, Berekum, Ghana
  • William Yaw Awuah Department of Mathematics, Our Lady of Providence Girls' SHS, Kwasibuokrom, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v12i6.5977

Keywords:

age, Algebra 1, sex, interaction effect, mathematics achievement, preservice mathematics students

Abstract

A conceptual and meaningful understanding of Algebra is essential for developing other further mathematical concepts required for studies in Geometry, Calculus, Statistics and Probability. Algebra is one of the main mathematical concepts applied mostly in computer science. Since Algebra serves as a link to studying other disciplines in mathematics, understanding the factors that influence students’ achievement is crucial for stakeholders and educators in predicting students’ general performance. Therefore, using 290 undergraduate preservice mathematics students from a Ghanaian university, a research study was conducted to examine the main effect of age and sex together with their interaction consequence on first-year students' Algebra achievement test scores, which were obtained from students’ mid-semester examination in March 2024. A 2×2 NOVA was used as a data analysis technique to examine the impact of sex (male and female) and age on math students' teacher Algebra achievement test. Three primary age groups were formed from the participants: young, middle-aged, and elderly. Age (F (2, 284) = 83.92, p<.05) and sex (F (1,284) = 36.89, p=.001<.05) effects were statistically significant. The age group had a large effect size on Algebra performance, while sex had a medium.  The interaction of age and sex was also significant (F (2, 284) = 13.18, p=.001<.05) with a small (partial η2 = .085) effect size. A detailed exploration of the interaction effect revealed that for students less than 30 years old, there was a significant mean difference in Algebra scores between males and females, in favor of males. On the other hand, for 30 – 40 years, there was an insignificant mean difference in Algebra scores between males and females. For students who are above 40 years old, males' and females' Algebra scores were significant statistically in favor of males. The results further show that males outperformed their female counterparts in all three groups and hence, the researchers recommend a change in instructional practices by teachers to close the sex gap, particularly in the Algebra achievement test and mathematics as a whole.  Implications and suggestions for expanding this current study have been discussed explicitly.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Yarhands Dissou Arthur, Department of Mathematics Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Kumasi, Ghana

    Prof. Yarhands Dissou Arthur (PhD) is a full Professor at the Department of Mathematics Education, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development Kumasi Ghana with Orcid number 0000-0002-8950-136. He holds a PhD in mathematics education. The Researcher has over seventy (70) publications in referenced journals. His research interests are probability and statistics, research methods, quantitative techniques, the psychology of learning mathematics, theories in mathematics education, the history of mathematics, mathematical modeling in education, and applying mathematical models and methods to solve real-world problems.

  • Joseph Junior Gurah, Department of Mathematics/ICT Education, St. Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa Akwamu, Kumasi, Ghana

    Joseph Junior Gurah is a lecturer at the Department of Mathematics and ICT Education, St. Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa Akwamu-Ghana with Orcid number 0009-0007-4848-4486. He holds an MPhil in applied mathematics, Master of education in mathematics education and a Bachelor's degree in mathematics education as well. The researcher has other publications in referenced journals. His research interests are mathematical in modeling in epidemiology, the psychology of teaching and learning mathematics, methods of teaching mathematics and statistics and probability.

  • Daniel Amoah, Department of Mathematics Education, Berekum College of Education, Berekum, Ghana

    Daniel Amoah is an assistant lecturer at the Department of Mathematics/ICT, Berekum College of Education, Berekum-Bono. He holds an MPhil, M.Ed., and B.Ed. in mathematics education with Orcid number 0009-0001-9833-9234. The Researcher has three (3) publications in referenced journals. His research interests are research methods, quantitative techniques, theories in mathematics education, methods of teaching mathematics, and applying mathematical models and methods to solve real-world problems.

  • William Yaw Awuah, Department of Mathematics, Our Lady of Providence Girls' SHS, Kwasibuokrom, Ghana

    William Yaw Awuah is a mathematics facilitator at Our Lady of Providence Senior High School, Kwasibuokrom with Orcid number 0009-0007-2537-530X.  He holds Master of Philosophy in Mathematics Education and B.Sc. Mathematics Education.  His research interests are Algebra, statistics and calculus, research methods, mixed-methods techniques.

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Published

2025-04-22

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 6 (2025)

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