DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14483/23464712.23278Publicado:
2026-10-22The Role of Epistemological Beliefs in Predicting Engineering Mathematics Course Performance: The Mediating Role of Motivational Beliefs
El papel de las creencias epistemológicas en la predicción del desempeño en el curso de matemáticas de ingeniería: el papel mediador de las creencias motivacionales
O papel das crenças epistemológicas na previsão do desempenho do curso de matemática de engenharia: o papel mediador das crenças motivacionais
Palabras clave:
Epistemological Beliefs, Motivational Beliefs, Academic Performance, Engineering Education, Engineering Mathematics, Mathematical performance (en).Palabras clave:
Creencias epistemológicas, creencias motivacionales, rendimiento académico, educación en ingeniería, matemáticas para ingeniería, Rendimiento matemático (es).Palabras clave:
Crenças epistemológicas, crenças motivacionais, desempenho acadêmico, educação em engenharia, matemática de engenharia, Desempenho matemático (pt).Descargas
Resumen (en)
Learning mathematics and developing mathematical thinking skills are two of the most important aims of engineering coursework. However, engineering students often find it difficult to grasp the complexities of mathematics despite its importance to the field. The widespread lack of math self-confidence among engineering students is a major obstacle to a successful engineering mathematics education. Current research seeks to understand the mediating role of motivational beliefs in the relationship between epistemological and predictive beliefs. The statistical population consisted of all engineering students at Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e Ray Branch. From this population, 107 undergraduate male and female students in engineering fields—who had previously completed Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2, and Differential Equations courses—were randomly selected. The research was conducted during the first semester of the 2022–2023 academic year. After explaining the purpose of the study and recruiting participants, students filled out online versions of Schumer's Epistemology and Pentridge's Motivational Questionnaire. After collecting data using PLS, he analyzed it using his PLS technique. The subsequent outcomes are as follows. The three variables (epistemological beliefs, motivational beliefs, and academic performance) are all interconnected in significant ways. Academic success can be predicted in part by students' epistemological beliefs, with motivational beliefs acting as a moderator. In other words, epistemological and motivational beliefs influence students' academic performance.
Resumen (es)
Aprender matemáticas y desarrollar habilidades de pensamiento matemático son dos de los objetivos más importantes de los cursos de ingeniería. Sin embargo, a los estudiantes de ingeniería a menudo les resulta difícil comprender las complejidades de las matemáticas a pesar de su importancia para el campo. La falta generalizada de confianza en sí mismos en las matemáticas entre los estudiantes de ingeniería es un obstáculo importante para una educación matemática de ingeniería exitosa. La investigación actual busca comprender el papel mediador de las creencias motivacionales en la relación entre las creencias epistemológicas y predictivas. La población estadística estuvo compuesta por todos los estudiantes de ingeniería de la Universidad Islámica Azad, Sede Shahr-e Ray. De esta población, se seleccionaron aleatoriamente 107 estudiantes universitarios (hombres y mujeres) de carreras de ingeniería que habían cursado previamente las asignaturas de Matemáticas 1, Matemáticas 2 y Ecuaciones Diferenciales. La investigación se llevó a cabo durante el primer semestre del año académico 2022-2023. Después de explicar el propósito del estudio y reclutar a los participantes, los estudiantes completaron versiones en línea de la Epistemología de Schumer y el Cuestionario motivacional de Pentridge. Después de recopilar datos utilizando PLS, los analizó utilizando su técnica PLS. Los resultados posteriores son los siguientes. Las tres variables (creencias epistemológicas, creencias motivacionales y desempeño académico) están interconectadas de manera significativa. El éxito académico puede predecirse en parte a partir de las creencias epistemológicas de los estudiantes, y las creencias motivacionales actúan como moderadoras. En otras palabras, las creencias epistemológicas y motivacionales influyen en el desempeño académico de los estudiantes.
Resumen (pt)
Aprender matemática e desenvolver habilidades de pensamento matemático são dois dos objetivos mais importantes dos cursos de engenharia. No entanto, os alunos de engenharia geralmente acham difícil entender as complexidades da matemática, apesar de sua importância para o campo. A falta generalizada de autoconfiança matemática entre os alunos de engenharia é um grande obstáculo para uma educação matemática de engenharia bem-sucedida. A pesquisa atual busca entender o papel mediador das crenças motivacionais na relação entre crenças epistemológicas e preditivas A população estatística foi composta por todos os estudantes de engenharia da Universidade Azad Islâmica, campus Shahr-e Ray. Desse grupo, foram selecionados aleatoriamente 107 alunos de graduação (homens e mulheres) dos cursos de engenharia que já haviam cursado as disciplinas de Matemática 1, Matemática 2 e Equações Diferenciais em semestres anteriores. A pesquisa foi realizada no primeiro semestre do ano letivo de 2022-2023.Depois de explicar o propósito do estudo e recrutar participantes, os alunos preencheram versões online da Epistemologia de Schumer e do Questionário Motivacional de Pentridge. Depois de coletar dados usando PLS, ele os analisou usando sua técnica PLS. Os resultados subsequentes são os seguintes. As três variáveis (crenças epistemológicas, crenças motivacionais e desempenho acadêmico) estão todas interconectadas de maneiras significativas. O sucesso acadêmico pode ser previsto em parte pelas crenças epistemológicas dos alunos, com as crenças motivacionais atuando como moderadoras. Em outras palavras, as crenças epistemológicas e motivacionais influenciam o desempenho acadêmico dos alunos.
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