Affective determinants of mathematical problem posing: The case of Chinese Miao students

Abstract

Students’ affective characteristics have been confirmed to shape their mathematics learning outcomes, including problem-solving performance and mathematics achievement. However, it remains unclear whether affect influences student mathematical problem posing - a process closely related to mathematical problem solving. Drawn from the expectancy-value theory (EVT), this study examined the relationship between students’ affective factors (self-concept, intrinsic value, and test anxiety) and their mathematical problem posing performance (complexity, quantity, and accuracy). Structural equation models were employed to analyze the data of 302 Chinese Miao students. The results showed that self-concept had a positive association with the complexity and accuracy of the problems posed. Intrinsic value was positively related to the complexity and quantity of the problems posed. Conversely, test anxiety negatively predicted the complexity of the problems. Our findings provide quantitative evidence of the significant influence of students’ affective characteristics on their problem posing performance and offer a better understanding of the problem-posing ability of Chinese minority students. Moreover, this study validates an instrument measuring student affect in mathematical problem posing based on EVT.