Predicting Pre-University International Students’ Math Performance by Learning Strategies and Math Anxiety in Malaysia

Abstract

There is a rising interest in exploring factors that influence international students’ math performance in the Monash
University Foundation Year (MUFY) as the total number of international students enrolled in the pre-university program is
increasing and also their results in math will determine the degree programs to be taken in the university. The primary aim of this
study is to determine whether self-regulated learning strategies and math anxiety are significant predictors of math performance
for international students in the MUFY program. The use of self-regulated learning strategies was measured by the Learning and
Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), math anxiety was measured by a revised version of the Math Anxiety scale, and math
performance was measured by the final score of Fundamental Mathematics A. The study group was comprised of 76
international students in the pre-university program at a Malaysian private college. The analysis suggests that international
students’ math performance is positively correlated with attitude, motivation and test strategies, but negatively correlated with
math anxiety. And also attitude and test strategies are two significant predictors of math performance for international students.
The results of this study have significant contribution to the program at the college.