Attitudes towards mathematics: A study in first year students of the Latin American University of Science and Technology in the III quarter of 2024.

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the attitudes toward mathematics of students enrolled in Precalculus, Calculus I, and Calculus II courses at the Latin American University of Science and Technology (ULACIT) during the third semester of 2024. The research was conducted in the Costa Rican context, where recent studies have highlighted the influence of affective factors such as anxiety, motivation, and perceived usefulness on university academic performance and retention in STEM fields. A quantitative, descriptive-correlational approach was used with a sample of 475 students. Four null hypotheses were formulated to determine whether there were differences in attitudes toward mathematics according to gender, course enrollment, and field of study, as well as the existence of relationships between the attitudinal dimensions (enjoyment, anxiety, motivation, usefulness, and confidence). The analysis included Student’s t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlations. The results revealed statistically significant differences based on course enrollment and field of study, particularly in motivation, perceived usefulness, and confidence, while no differences were observed by gender. Significant correlations were also identified among several attitudinal dimensions. These findings demonstrate that academic progress and disciplinary field influence perceptions and attitudes toward mathematics, providing valuable input for designing pedagogical strategies and interventions aimed at strengthening mathematical learning within the Costa Rican university context.