Examination of secondary school students' perceptions of mathematics course self-efficiency in Azerbaijan and Turkiye

The aim of this research is to examine the mathematics course self-efficacy perceptions of secondary school students studying in Azerbaijan and Turkiye in terms of various variables. Descriptive and relational survey methods were used in the research. The study group of the research consisted of secondary school students aged 10-14 in Ankara, Antalya and Baku. In the study, the personal information form prepared by the researcher and the Self-Efficacy Perception Scale against Mathematics prepared by Umay (2001) were used. The data of the research were analyzed using the SPSS 26.0 program. In the normality test performed before the data analysis, it was determined that the data showed a normal distribution. Descriptive statistical methods such as mean, frequency and standard deviation were used in the analysis of the data, and t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) from parametric tests were used to determine the relationships between the scale total score and independent variables. In the research findings, the mathematics course self-efficacy perceptions of the secondary school students studying in both countries were found to be moderate. In the analysis made according to the sub-dimensions of the scale, the self-efficacy perception in the mathematics self-perception sub-dimension was found to be high in both Azerbaijan and Turkey, and the self-efficacy perceptions in the sub-dimension of awareness of their behavior in mathematics and transforming them into life skills were found to be moderate. The self-efficacy perceptions of secondary school students studying in Azerbaijan differ significantly only according to the age variable. The self-efficacy perceptions of secondary school students studying in Turkey differ significantly only according to the working status of their mothers. In the analyzes made according to the sub-dimensions of the scale, the self-efficacy perceptions of the students studying in Azerbaijan differ significantly in the sub-dimension of mathematics self-perception and awareness of their behavior in mathematics subjects according to the age variable. In the sub-dimension of transforming into life skills, the self-efficacy perceptions of only students studying in Turkey differ significantly according to the age variable and the mother's education level variable. The fact that the perception of mathematics self-efficacy is moderate in both Azerbaijan and Turkey shows that there is a need for studies to increase the perception of self-efficacy in both countries.