Relationship of Problem-Solving Skills and Student Performance as Mediated by Mathematics Motivation among Mathematics Major in Teacher Education Program

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship of problem-solving skills and student performance as mediated by mathematics motivation among mathematics major teacher education program. The study was quantitative non- experimental research that utilized descriptive-correlational, and mediation analyses. Using stratified random sampling specifically proportional allocation for the sampling techniques and Slovin’s formula with 0.05 margin of error for the sample size, a sample of 152 randomly selected mathematics education students answered the surveys on the three variables. Results showed that the level of problem-solving skills and student performance were at all high level, moreover, the level of mathematics motivation was also at a high level. Results also revealed that the relationship between problem-solving skills and student performance, between problem-solving skills and mathematics motivation, and between mathematics motivation and student performance among mathematics major in teacher education program were all significant. Moreover, the results show that mathematics motivation fully mediated the relationship between problem-solving skills and student performance. In conclusion, the students demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills and achieved good academic performance. Additionally, they had a really strong motivation for mathematics. While the problem-solving skills, performance and motivation of the mathematics major students were strong, they still required development in the areas of creative thinking, strategic competency, and self-efficacy. Students concentrated on creating methodical ways, look for further practice, and used resources like textbooks, online tutorials, and tutoring to solve these inadequacies. Also, improvement required efficient study techniques and regular practice.