Math Students’ Perspective of their Academic Problems in the Faculty of Science and Arts at Shaqra University

Abstract

This study aims at identifying the academic problems that students in the Mathematics Department at Shaqra Faculty of Science and Arts face, and the variations in the nature of these problems in terms of gender and educational level. The researcher developed a questionnaire, which covered seven areas: students, teaching staff, university environment, academic course, academic guidance, study schedule and evaluation. The study Population consisted of all the students of Mathematics Department )n=211( male and female students while the sample was )n=154( male and female students. The results revealed that the arithmetic ratios of the most outstanding academic problems that the students face were around average. The highest one was that of the academic course, while the lowest was in the field of students. The results also proved the absence of statistically significant differences in the academic problems the students of Mathematics Department face, in relation to gender. While there were statistically significant differences in each of the fields of students, university environment, academic course, academic guidance, evaluation, and at the questionnaire overall responses in favor of the first level. There were no statistically significant differences at the field of teaching staff and study schedule. The researcher suggested several recommendations; one of which is setting a department committee to review some of the academic syllabuses, and emphasizing the importance of developing appropriate plans to address and solve academic problems revealed by the study.