Negative Responses To Mathematics Education Essay

The intent of this study is to analyse the chief cause of mathematics panic in colleges and to offer solutions and give recommendations to the Head of the Department of Mathematics and Statisticss at Curtin University. By reexamining professional literature, scholarly diaries, and accredited web sites a better apprehension of the causes and effects of mathematics anxiousness, this study will accomplish the intent by analysing and reasoning the anterior research and give solutions that aimed at these issues. In add-on, the nature of the mathematics in general will besides be considered and associate mathematics to professional life.
The study will foremost travel into an overview of the issues in mathematics learning and larning before covering with the job of the math terror in colleges. A general overview of the nature and societal position of mathematics will be discussed, which will so take to a examination of what universities should make to assist to direct pupils ‘ attitude and apprehension of mathematics.
1.2 Background and recent findings

Because of its public-service corporation and importance, larning mathematics is described as a necessity for a individual ‘s full development in the twenty-first century ( Kogce et al. 2009, 291 ) . However, the popular image of mathematic as hard, abstract, non really practical, and mostly masculine, etc. Therefore, math terror appears in vary degree of schools. Mathematicss anxiousness is introduced foremost by Dreger and Aiken in 1957 and it is defined as “ a sequence of cognitive, affectional, and behavioural responses to a perceived self-pride menace which occurs as a response to state of affairss affecting mathematics ” ( Birgin et al.2010, 1 ) .
Mathematicss anxiousness is prevailing among the college pupils population ( Zakaria and Nordin, 2007, 27 ) . Harmonizing to Google-counting, mathematics anxiousness emerges in schools particularly “ in college ” has 26,000 happenings ( Brown 2008, 61-92 ) . In add-on, Birgin et Al. ( 2010, 1 ) have found that negative attitudes to mathematics or mathematics anxiousness is a barrier in larning mathematics and go toing callings which require mathematics. As a consequence of mathematics anxiousness, impacts like “ turning away of mathematics, hurt, and intervention with conceptual thought and memory procedures ” may even widen negatively in big life.
2.0 Causes & A ; consequence of mathematics anxiousness
Mathematicss anxiousness has been found that may be affected by many causes, including “ mathematics, educational and curriculum-related issues, parental attitudes, values, and outlooks toward mathematics ” ( Baloglu and Kocak 2006, 1325-1335 ) .
Numerous researches have analyzed the causes of mathematics anxiousness and the consequences are different from each other. Zakaria and Nordin ( 2008, 27-30 ) have claimed that low mathematics accomplishment normally accompany the happening of mathematics anxiousness. A pupil may be defeat by his/her ain fright that consequence from changeless failure in mathematics and do him/her to believe that he/she can ne’er make good on it. Furthermore, it is besides suggested that the chief cause of mathematics anxiousness has been in learning methods because most mathematics courses “ did non encouraged logical thinking and apprehension ” . It is besides believed that attitude towards mathematics can be one of the grounds of math terror ( Kogce et al. 2009, 291 ) . The attitude or value can be affected by instructors or parents. In add-on, clip force per unit area in mathematics trial should besides be considered when refers to causes of math anxiousness. The force per unit area created by clip restriction is the combination of emphasis may take to uncertainness about how to make the undertaking and fright of failure ( Buxton 1990, 153 ) .
Figure 1. Relationship between anxiousness and self-efficacy ( Beginning: Hoffman, B. 2010 )
As displayed above in Figure 1, the standardised tonss showed a regressive relationship between mathematics anxiousness and pupils ‘ self-efficacy in work outing simple mathematics jobs. It is clear that as anxiousness additions, self-efficacy falls which indicates a strong correlativity between these two points.
2.1 Value and attitude
One of the grounds for mathematics anxiousness is attitude towards mathematics. Students ‘ attitudes or values toward math normally come from instructors and parents. Some researches held by universities show that pupils perform better when making exercisings in mathematics categories without instructors than the pupils under instructors ‘ supervising. Additionally, Buxton ( 1990, 155 ) have argued that instructors should non curtail pupil ‘s thought by stating “ this is non the manner that written in books ” or maintain giving the right reply without taking the pupils to believe independently. Otherwise, pupils may experience deadening and confounding and their motive to seek mathematics jobs work outing chances may be decreased and conglomerate into fright and turning away.
Parents ‘ outlooks every bit much as instructors ‘ may besides give pupils force per unit area in mathematics. Parents normally stand in a place to judge their kids and fail to decide the position with expressed statements. For illustration, some parents show disappointedly on face when kids understand easy in mathematics. Therefore, kids may experience even harder to get the better of the jobs due to take down assurance and this turns into dying and turning away.
2.2 Lack of understanding
Harmonizing to Zakaria and Nordin ( 2008, 27-30 ) , a deficiency of apprehension is one of the chief causes of mathematics anxiousness and “ that understanding based acquisition is more effectual than drill and pattern ” . For most pupils, the first clip when they are afraid of work outing math jobs is when they can non understand the constructs in categories. Therefore, their assurance of larning mathematics may worsen and they lose involvement to get the better of the jobs. Lower accomplishment consequences and a damaging attitude towards mathematics may ensue from this sort of self-perceptions, which can impact their position of larning mathematics ( Hoffman 2010, 276-283 ) .
2.3 Time force per unit area
Many pupils suffer anxiousness when it refers to be giving a certain extent of clip to complete certain committedness ( Hoffman 2010, 276-283 ) . This can be one of the factors when discoursing about the causes of mathematics anxiousness. For illustration, pupils who familiarized to work outing jobs without clip restriction might experience dying if they are told to work out jobs rapidly.
Furthermore, harmonizing to some surveies, the emotional responses of pupils become intense often when pupils work on math jobs over an extended period of clip ( Buxton 1990, 153 ) . In other words, it is claimed that the more clip pupils spend on work outing math jobs, the more anxiousness they suffer. Most pupils failed in their mathematics tests due to blowing excessively much clip by worrying about the clip limitation and can non finish all the inquiries. Harmonizing to Hoffman ( 2010, 276-283 ) , the Test Anxiety Inventory ( TAI ) and the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Anxiety Scale ( MAS ) were co-operating for the Problems Test of mathematics anxiousness. The pupils were required to react to all the points by giving adequate clip. The pupils finished all the inquiries within 30 proceedingss, although no clip bound was set. Harmonizing to this survey, it can be suggested that job work outing clip limitation can be one of the factors that consequences in mathematics anxiousness.
However, Hoffman ( 2010, 276-23 ) suggests that “ high dying persons may really hold faster problem-solving times ” . Students may desire to complete the undertaking every bit shortly as possible when they are prompted feelings of dying or concern during the work outing mathematics jobs. This may ensue in faster completion of jobs, even though perchance at the loss of truth.
3.0 Mathematics & A ; gender
There is a hypothesis assumes that adult females have more mathematics anxiousness than work forces due to less experience with mathematics. As a consequence, Hoffman ( 2010, 276-23 ) points out that female are less likely to seek chances to work out mathematical job and even mathematics callings, and tend to avoid occupations to make with computing machines and engineering that link to mathematics. However, many surveies failed to confirm considerable gender differences in math terror, even though legion surveies support the position that female have more math anxiousness than male ( Baloglu and Kocak 2006, 1325-1335 ) .
3.1 Gender Stereotype
Harmonizing to Hoffman ( 2010, 276-83 ) , although ability may be the cause of public presentation differences, the pessimistic attitude to a high accomplishment shows females did non ‘try as difficult ‘ when work outing mathematics jobs. Some surveies suggest that more male than female enroll in the higher degree of classs in mathematics ( Meece, Wigfield, and Eccles 1990, 60-70 ) .
Gender stereotype, one of the grounds why females are much passive in larning mathematics, seems to be the most persuasive 1. Gates ( 2001, 53 ) explains that gender stereotype that maleness associate with ground while muliebrity with alternate attacks is the cause of gender differences in mathematics anxiousness. This difference can impact their feelings in relation to mathematics job resolution. Harmonizing to Gates ‘ survey, ‘masculine ‘ topic such as mathematics and natural philosophies are seen as ‘difficult ‘ by female but ‘interesting ‘ by male. Therefore, female pupils may hold the terror of larning mathematics because they perceive it as being hard although they are interested in this topic.
In contrast, Hembree ‘s meta-analysis claimed that the “ negative behaviours associated with mathematics anxiousness ” were more marked in males than females. In add-on, present research found that the influence of mathematics anxiousness on the accomplishments of males when work outing math jobs is stronger than females ( Hoffman 2010, 276-283 ) .
4.0 Teaching mathematics in college
“ Mathematicss anxiousness is prevailing among the college pupils population ( Zakaria and Nordin, 2007, 27 ) . ” Harmonizing to Google-counting, college pupils have 26,000 happenings of math terror which is the highest among schooling.
Zakaria and Nordin ( 2008, 27-30 ) further stated that the chief factor of mathematics anxiousness is learning methodological analysiss. For illustration, a study of Gabriella and Paul Rosenbaum Foundation called The Effect of Singapore Mathematics on Student Proficiency in a Massachusetts School District: A a Longitudinal Statistical Examination shows in figure 2 that after introduced the learning course of study of Singapore mathematics ( SM ) , the mathematics public presentation of pupils with Coded MCAS, who used to execute bad in this topic improved much better as overall.
Furthermore, it is predicted that more than 50 % of the pupils are underprepared when they enrolled in mathematics classs in college ( Baloglu and Kocak 2006, 1325-1335 ) . Therefore, instructors in colleges should stand in a place of guiding and rectifying.
Figure 2. Percentage of pupils with Coded MCAS, with and without SM ( Source: Goldman et al. 2009 )
4.1 What universities offering presently
Teachers presents make usage of learning AIDSs and resources such as artworks and theoretical accounts to assist pupils understand mathematical theories and rules ( Gates 2001, 53 ) . Resources are of import because they can supply an image or representation of the figure constructs and ease the apprehension of abstract nature of mathematics. It is argued that utilizing concrete resources in the procedure of larning mathematics can positively “ increases pupils ‘ mathematics accomplishment and their attitudes towards mathematics ” ( Kogce et al. 2009, 291 ) .
However, the job is whether these resources truly assist apprehension. For case, resource like counters can be used to assist pupils number but the fact is a large figure of pupils can non make mental computation and they focus excessively much on the facets of mathematics of numbering. What ‘s more, another common state of affairs in university mathematics schoolrooms is that non all pupils feel easy to larn mathematics with the aid of the resources and AIDSs and some of them fail to link different facets of math even with the aid of legion graphs and diagrams. Consequently, Gates ( 2001, 125 ) have suggested that a bipartisan interactions between instructors and pupils should be strongly considered. Some pupils may accept the acquisition method given by instructors and ne’er think by their ain and see whether the present method is the best for them.
4.2 Computer as instruction assistance
Modern engineering today is used in most universities help instructors to learn pupils. Computer should be one of the most utile technological tools in mathematics schoolrooms. Gates ( 2001, 167 ) have demonstrated that whether the usage of computing machine is effectual or non in mathematics is influenced by the categorization of functions of instructors and computing machines. Computers should be a instruction assistance by instructors and controlled by instructors.
Computers used as learning assistance provide a figure of advantages to let go of pupils from some troubles during the acquisition of mathematics and cut down their mathematics anxiousness. For illustration, computing machine presents is used normally as an ‘electronic chalkboard ‘ for expounding and presentation. As a beginning of assorted information through cyberspace, instructors can seek considerable extend information to assist to better pupils understanding of cognition. Furthermore, Gates ( 2001, 168 ) has besides stated that in the signifier of exercisings and games, pupils can pattern mathematics accomplishments and better their coherency of different facets of this topic. In add-on, vivid images and presentation by the usage of computing machine resources may increase pupils ‘ involvement and cut down their terror of the troubles. A perfect illustration of computing machines assisting larning math is the Integrated Learning Systems ( ILS ) . This system non merely sets exercisings but besides marks the work, evaluates and records advancement, and lead pupils to farther progress work ( Gates 2001, 169 ) .
5.0 Mathematicss in our life
Most people study mathematics until they lose involvement or until they find it excessively difficult for them. Low accomplishment or failure is one state of affairs that doing people reject larning a topic, and believe it ‘s non deserving to try.A However, mathematics is really of import to our life. Selby ( 1995 ) has explained how mathematics works in our day-to-day life individually for assorted facets. For illustration, numeration by manus or with a reckoner is necessary when people calculate weights or sums like money which appears in day-to-day life. Just like work outing mathematics jobs measure by measure, incorrect Numberss that show in one measure of a computation procedure would do all the remainder incorrect. Furthermore, when make fulling the revenue enhancement signifiers, people need to cipher with arithmetic followed the providing instructions measure by step.A Therefore, arithmetic as one portion of mathematics that taught in schools is utile and related to our life.
Additionally, people may reason that facets like Algebra and geometry which may utilize with expressions and theories are non related to our life.A However, people should “ understand expressions or calculation methods needed for loans, pensions and investings, A for store maintaining or purchasing and selling with markups or markdowns ” Selby ( 1995 ) . What pupils learn in mathematics categories in schools is about understanding how the formulas work and being sensible. By cognizing these, it will offer people more options during gaining, funding or puting money. What ‘s more, statistics, farther subject in mathematics, is really popular nowadays.A A Statistics is utile in theA measuring or appraisal of Numberss and the mistake or fluctuation in the estimations. Such as in the state of affairs of ciphering informations forA productiveness or the monetary value of merchandises, statistics used to connote of import information from values like mean number.A Therefore, as Gates ( 2001, 24 ) stated mathematics is a “ powerful tool ” in the universe that we live.
6.0 Decision
It is clear that the causes of mathematics anxiousness can be identified as, viz. , pupils ‘ values and attitude to mathematics which can be influenced by instructors, parents and even society ; pupils ‘ apprehension of mathematics constructs in categories ; and clip restriction in mathematics tests. There is a figure below helps to exemplify how anxiousness develops and affects pupils ‘ acquisition of mathematics. From chase to turning away, there may be a batch of grounds such as pupils find out they are non gifted at mathematics so they refuse to larn any longer, or female pupils may experience larning this topic is non appropriate for them due to gender stereotype. From assurance to anxiousness, unpleasant experience may be the chief cause. This experience may include deficiency of understanding consequence in failure in work outing jobs ; blamed by parents or instructors as low accomplishments or being compared with talented pupils ; clip restriction causes emphasis in test, etc. All theses causes above may take to failure in mathematics public presentation and turn back to even serious turning away and anxiousness.
Figure 3. Math Anxiety Dynamics ( Source: Strawderman, W. 2004 )
In add-on, there is a strong correlativity between gender differences and math terror that males are more likely to go to advanced mathematics classs than females. It has been considered due to gender stereotypes except abilities. However, mathematics is used everyplace in our life and callings. From single measures and disbursals computation to revenue enhancement and funding, we need mathematics as a usher to populate a more choice life.
7.0 Recommendations
After analysing the relevant issues in this study, assorted recommendations to the Head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics have been developed due to extended research showing the impacts of mathematics anxiousness on college pupils. These recommendations are possible solutions to and assist pupils to be more confident in their ain ability to understand mathematics and to advance mathematics in the twenty-first century. The undermentioned suggestions can be undertaken to cut down mathematics anxiousness and increase pupils ‘ accomplishment:
Teacher should develop an encouraging acquisition environment, free from tenseness and threatening of embarrassment or humiliation. This may cut down the pupils ‘ anxiousness about being judged by instructors while doing errors or neglecting to understand. Mathematicss instructor should show a caring attitude to their pupils to assist them get the better of mathematics panic.
Test taking schemes should be given suitably might assist pupils to raise their accomplishment and cut down their anxiousness of mathematics trial.
Students should set themselves under an test atmosphere when they making mathematics homework on a regular basis. Therefore, when they work outing jobs in tests, clip force per unit area will be reduced and pupils may experience more assurance.
Activities in categories should include both independent and group work. Group work helps pupils to interchange their thoughts with pickets and reflecting their apprehension to instructors. Therefore, their jobs can be solved instantly or they may recognize that others have the same job as they do.
Teaching AIDSs and resourced should be used efficaciously. Make a connexion of mathematics in schools and new engineerings.
Small categories like tutorials should be increased alternatively of go forthing countless prep to pupils to complete after categories. Once pupils confused or make non understand during their perusal, they can non acquire solutions instantly and they may lose the motive to go on. Increasing hours of tutorials may work out this job efficaciously.
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