Analysis of the factors affecting students attitudes to mathematics

The problem of students' understanding and mastering mathematics is currently one of the most emphasized topics of expert public discussion. New ways of teaching mathematics more effectively and attractively are being searched for. The information society brings new alternatives nowadays; it enables us to change established and rigid forms and methods in teaching. While searching an answer to the question why the student attitudes toward mathematics are so often negative and what could influence this situation in a positive way, we conducted a survey realized under the program ITMS -Flexible and attractive study at the University of Žilina for the needs of the market and knowledge-based society. The paper presents some of the out comes which have ensued from the data obtained in the project realization. 200 students from three faculties of the University of Žilina were addressed in the survey (Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications, Faculty of Special Engineering), in which their attitudes toward mathematics were detected as well as the factors determining these attitudes.