Abstract:

Performance of South African learners in school mathematics is of concern because when compared with learners from other countries around the world they are not doing well as indicated in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) results. This concern is further exacerbated when the focus is on geometry. Learners’ self-efficacy may also be attributed to their performance. Self-efficacy is viewed as an extent to which learners’ believe in their own ability to complete the tasks and achieve their goals. Research has shown that learners’ self-efficacy is directly proportional to their ability to perform given tasks. Low self-efficacy may result in learners to view geometry tasks as being more difficult than they actually are. This may lead to poor task planning, an increased stress in learners that may lead to poor performance in geometry.

Participants were 324 learners from the Mpumalanga and North West Secondary school in South Africa. This study sought to establish the nature of concepts that learners perceive as problematic in understanding geometry. In order for teaching to be responsive to some of the obstacles related to learning of school geometry, learners were asked to indicate challenges they experience in the learning of school geometry. Mixed method was used. Qualitative data was collected by means of the survey questionnaire with open-ended questionnaire. Quantitative data was collected using Johnson’s mathematics students self‐efficacy survey focusing on item 17, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32, 34, 36, 38. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS and qualitative data was analysed with the aid of Atlas ti. The results show that learners still lack skills and knowledge of linking various key concepts through the basics features that each concept possess. The findings also revealed that learners lack sufficient time for exercises and also the teaching time contributed to the challenges. The results of this study may have pedagogical implication on the teaching approach and time allocated to mathematics, especially geometry if learning is to improve. It is recommended that teachers at school make use of the technology-enhanced method in teaching geometry as well as mobile App such as geogebra for students to practice more and at their own pace.

Keywords:

Learners’ self-efficacy, geometry, geometry challenges, secondary school.