Benis, Vanessa Ganipis.2026-02-142015-05Benis, V.G.(2015).Learning psychology and learning performance of students in college Algebra.(Unpbulished master's thesis).University of the Cordilleras, Baguio City.https://dspace.uc-bcf.edu.ph/handle/123456789/526Mathematics education is one of the most challenging fields in terms of students' ability to perform and retain substantial knowledge and skills that would aid them in real life situations. Hence, improving mathematical performance for all students is an important policy issue and educational concern (Gales & Yan, 2001). As claimed by Soon, Lioe and McInnes (2001): Students have problems seeing the connection between real life contexts and mathematical representations. The learning of students is affected by what is emphasized in mathematics classrooms. Either a teacher focuses on developing a conceptual knowledge or a procedural skill. On the other hand, a person's learning psychology determines his/her beliefs and practices. Since learners have varied backgrounds and upbringings, it is expected that they have diverging learning psychologies. The ways they perceive mathematics education vary in a sense that they have different emphasis on how to acquire learning. As supported by the claims of Anderson, Reder and Simon (1999) on their study of Applications and Misapplications of Cognitive Psychology to Mathematics Education: Behavioural psychology has given way to cognitive psychology (based on models for making sense of real-life experiences), and technology-based tools have radically expanded the kinds of situations in which mathematics is useful. The study focused on comparing the differences of the learning performances of learners in terms of conceptual knowledge and procedural skills in college algebra based on their learning psychology. The main aim of this study was to determine the differences in the learning performance of freshman Accountancy students based on their learning psychology in college algebra. Specifically, the study answered the following: 1. What are the learning psychologies of the students? 2. What is the level of learning performances of students in college algebra in terms of conceptual knowledge, procedural skills and overall learning? 3. What is the difference in the level of learning performance of student in terms of conceptual knowledge and procedural skills? 4. What is the difference in the levels of learning performance of the students based on their learning psychology according to conceptual knowledge, procedural skills, and overall learning performance? 5. What teaching and learning guides would be proposed to enhance the level of learning performances of students in both conceptual and procedural skills in college algebra? The major findings of the study are the following: 1. There are more freshman Accountancy students who are behaviorist learners as compared to the number of constructivist learners. 2. Freshman Accountancy students performed on a high level in terms of procedural knowledge but at a low level in terms of conceptual knowledge in college algebra. 3. There is a significant difference in the procedural skill and conceptual knowledge of students in college algebra. 4. No statistical differences were found in the learning performances of students based on their learning psychologies. Based on the findings of the study, the following are therefore concluded: 1. Most freshman Accountancy students focus their learning by changing and conforming their behaviours and responses towards stimuli and reinforcements presented and expected by teachers, classmates, and learning environments in college algebra. 2. Freshman Accountancy student are able to perform well in terms of executing procedures and algorithms to solve mathematical problems but are not well-versed in applying or relating conceptual understanding and developing connections and networks of concepts in college algebra. 3. The procedural performance of freshman Accountancy students is higher than their conceptual performance in college algebra. 4. The learning performances of constructivist learners and behaviourist learners are at similar levels in terms of procedural skills and conceptual knowledge in college algebra. After a careful review of the findings and analysis of data, the following recommendations are forwarded: 1. Factors affecting the development of a learner's psychology in college algebra have to be identified and analyzed by determining their effects to a learner's learning psychology. Teachers have to be aware as well of the learning psychology of his/her students in order to be able to conduct necessary approach for both learning psychologies. 2. The levels of learning performances of students in terms of procedural and conceptual knowledge have to be gathered by teachers as a basis for knowing the strengths and weaknesses of learners and for guidance in determining the focus, the instruction, and the assessment to be used and to locate where to continue development. 3. Procedural instruction has to be supplemented by conceptual instruction in order to enhance the balance between procedural and conceptual performance in college algebra. Curriculum developers and teachers have to gain knowledge and skills on how to incorporate conceptual instruction and assessment in their algebra classes. 4. Although there are no significant differences in the learning performances of learners in terms of conceptual knowledge, procedural skills, and overall performance based on their learning psychology, beneficial practices and beliefs of each learning psychology have to be pursued by teachers and researchers to improve both conceptual knowledge and procedural skills in college algebra. Math teachers and curriculum developers have to further understand and analyze the relationship between procedural skills and conceptual knowledge in college algebra for them to be able to implement improved and effective plans. 5. Other recommendations: a. The correlation of a learner's learning psychology to his/her learning performances in terms of conceptual knowledge and procedural skills in college algebra is recommended. b. Another study to pursue is an experimental study in determining the effectiveness of conceptual approach in teaching as compared to procedural approach in college algebra. c. A study on the existing perceptions and biases of students regarding the value and usefulness of conceptual knowledge versus procedural knowledge in college algebra is highly advocated for a study. d. The study could be replicated in other fields of mathematics and other subject areas. e. The adoption of the teaching and learning guide for propounding balance between conceptual knowledge and procedural skills in college algebra for both teachers and learners is recommended.en-USThesis