INFLUENCE OF SELF EFFICACY ON RETENTION ABILITY OF MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS IN TRIGONOMETRY AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of self-efficacy on Male and Female Students’ retention ability in trigonometry
among Senior Secondary School Students in Katsina State, Nigeria. Repeated design of correlational survey research
method was used. Three hundred and seventy four (374) sampled Students were used selected from a total Population
of sixteen thousand one hundred and forty one (16,141) Students in the study area using stratified and simple random
sampling technique. Trigonometric Retention Test (TRT) and Trigonometric Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) with reliable
coefficients of (r) = 0.85 and 0.87 respectively were used as instruments for data collection. The data collected were
analyzed using mean and standard deviation in order to analysed the data. However, Pearson Product Moment
Correlation Co-efficient was used to test the formulated hypotheses at p≤ 0.05 level of significance. Result showed
0.80 and 0.76 as correlation coefficients between self-efficacy and retention ability of Male and Female students in
trigonometry respectively. This means 64% in retention ability was accounted for self-efficacy of Male Students and
58% in retention ability was attributed to self-efficacy of Female Students in trigonometry. Hence, self-efficacy
significantly affected both Male and Female Students’ retention ability in trigonometry in particular and mathematics
in general. Based on these findings, it was recommended that: Teachers and Educational planners should consider self-
efficacy of Students in Teaching and learning.