INFLUENCE OF GENDER, SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS, AND WORK ORIENTATIONS ON STUDENTS’ AND GRADUATES’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE RELEVANCE OF THE MARITIME EDUCATION AND TRAINING (MET) MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM

Author: Gabriel S. Akakpo

ABSTRACT

In Maritime Education and Training (MET), where mathematics underpins engineering competence, navigational safety, and technological problem-solving, understanding how individual characteristics influence perceptions of relevance is critical for effective curriculum development and student engagement. This study examines the influence of gender, mathematics self-efficacy beliefs, and work orientations on students’ and graduates’ perceptions of the relevance of the MET mathematics curriculum, using the Marine Engineering programme at the Regional Maritime University (RMU), Ghana, as a case study. Drawing on social cognitive theory, expectancy–value theory, and employability-oriented curriculum discourse, the study synthesizes empirical evidence from students and graduates and situates the findings within global research on engineering, mathematics, and vocationally oriented higher education. The findings indicate that gender differences do not significantly influence perceptions of curriculum relevance, whereas mathematics self-efficacy beliefs and work orientations play more substantial roles in shaping how mathematics is valued for academic progression and professional practice. The findings underscore the importance of viewing curriculum relevance as a psychologically mediated construct rather than a purely structural attribute of curriculum design. Learners interpret curriculum experiences through the lenses of confidence, motivation, and career aspiration, and these interpretations ultimately determine perceived relevance. The study argues that enhancing perceived relevance of MET mathematics requires pedagogical and curricular strategies that strengthen learner confidence, make utility value explicit, and align mathematical learning with diverse academic and occupational orientations within the maritime sector.

Keywords: MET mathematics, self-efficacy, gender, work orientation, curriculum relevance, marine engineering education

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