Exploring the Interplay of Beliefs and Values: A PLS-SEM Investigation into Self, Teacher, and Math Beliefs, and Their Impact on Math Value

Abstract

The current study used a quantitative research design to examine the complex structure of students' beliefs in mathematics education among Karachi eighth-grade students. Thirteen randomly chosen private schools produced a total of 130 students—65 boys and 65 girls. The research examined recent literature emphasizing how important student beliefs are to their academic achievement in mathematics. By evaluating the direct and indirect relationships between various beliefs, the study used structural equation modeling to uncover the underlying complexity within a theoretical model's framework. The findings indicate a strong correlation between students' perceptions of their personal capacity and their value in math. The study additionally examined at how gender mediated the relationship between various belief systems, highlighting the significance of a positive teacher-student relationship in raising the value of mathematics. The results have consequences for the design of evidence-based interventions that could improve mathematics education as well as for the establishment of supportive learning environments that promote the value of mathematics.