The Role of Curriculum Quality and Teaching Methods in Shaping Students’ Intentions to Pursue Mathematics in Higher Education

Orinthia Fisher-Howe¹ and Shaneille Samuels^1,

¹University of the West Indies, Mona, University of Technology, Jamaica, St. Andrew, Jamaica

Cite this paper:
Orinthia Fisher-Howe and Shaneille Samuels. The Role of Curriculum Quality and Teaching Methods in Shaping Students’ Intentions to Pursue Mathematics in Higher Education. American Journal of Educational Research. 2026; 14(1):14-29. doi: 10.12691/education-14-1-2

Abstract

Mathematics is the epitome of all societies, providing communication across STEM disciplines and other areas such as the arts, law, social sciences, and medical sciences. Throughout the years, there have been many mathematics interventions across all areas of the educational system; however, the enrollment rate at the tertiary level in mathematics-related degree programmes continues to remain comparatively low. This highlights issues related to students’ quality engagement with the mathematics curriculum in secondary education and their level of exposure to mathematics-related career fields. This study aimed to explore what influences students’ motivation to pursue mathematics in higher-level education, which is crucial for policymakers, educators, and curriculum designers. The research leveraged a mixed-methods approach, utilising the convergent parallel design with 434 students at the secondary level across 31 schools at the Grade 11-13 level, who were at least 18 years old. The data analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, themes and codes, and binary logistic regression. The findings revealed that the majority of the students (80.11%) believed their experiences in the teaching and learning process were very satisfactory. On the other hand, 66.82% of them were engaged with real-life mathematics applications, while, contrastingly, 88.7% expressed the need for better mathematics teachers who can influence their career decisions, particularly in mathematics-related fields. The association between students’ perceptions of teaching quality and their decision to pursue mathematics-related studies is moderately strong. While students who experienced high quality instruction were far more likely to pursue mathematics at the tertiary level. These findings highlight the urgent need for a more effective curriculum that is engaging, coupled with sustained teaching improvements and positive social influences to address declining enrollment. Combined, this would impact their attitudes and build long-term student interest. Additionally, the findings underscore the need for a longitudinal study focused on exploring instructional improvement as well as assessment of targeted professional development sessions for teachers that ultimately can influence students’ enrollment in mathematics-related degrees.

Keywords:
curriculum teaching methods mathematics education higher education

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