Abstract
M.Ed.
Students who are being trained as teachers for the primary school must undergo subject-didactical training in mathematics. The attitude of these students towards mathematics is apparently not always positive. A survey of the literature indicates a universal concern of teacher-trainers, namely that it is precisely these future teachers who have to teach mathematics to the pupil in his formative years, who demonstrate a negative attitude towards the subject. It is imperative that those who develop a subject-didactics curriculum for mathematics at a college of education should determine in a scientifically responsible manner what the nature and extent of the students' attitude towards mathematics is. Attitude is a determining factor in each of the principles in curriculum design. An empirical investigation was conducted with first year students at the Goudstad College of Education as respondents. Their attitude towards mathematics in general and towards certain dimensions of mathematics in particular was measured by means of Visser's attitudinal scales. It was found that there is no meaningful difference in attitude towards mathematics between man and woman students, but a meaningful difference was found between students who had a
matriculation qualification in mathematics and those who did not. The former group indicated a more positive attitude towards mathematics than the latter. The attitude of
students who are prepared to teach mathematics as a school subject in the future is significantly more positive than that of those who are not prepared to do so. Negative
attitudes towards mathematics appear particularly in relation to a person's self confidence and motivation to be involved with mathematics. The most important implication of this investigation for the design of a subject-didactics curriculum is that it
should be borne in mind that certain groups of students reveal clear negative attitudes towards mathematics. The total curriculum should be directed to developing positive
attitudes where necessary and to improving and strengthening existing positive attitudes.