Effects of math anxiety on student success in higher education

► Math anxiety affects students’ performance on a Research Design course. ► Math course anxiety is the most influential factor in explaining low exam grades. ► Math anxiety is not associated with grades on small-group assignments done during the course. ► Negative attitudes toward mathematics influe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of educational research 2013-01, Vol.58, p.36-43
Main Authors: Núñez-Peña, M.I., Suárez-Pellicioni, M., Bono, R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Achievement
Academic performance
Ansietat
Anxiety
Attitude Measures
College Instruction
College Students
Correlation
Educació superior
Enjoyment
Ensenyament de la matemàtica
Higher education
Learning
Learning Processes
Mathematical anxiety
Mathematics
Mathematics Anxiety
Mathematics education
Negative Attitudes
Outcomes of Education
Predictor Variables
Psicometria
Psychometrics
Questionnaires
Research Methodology
Selfconfidence
Statistical Analysis
Student Attitudes
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Summary:► Math anxiety affects students’ performance on a Research Design course. ► Math course anxiety is the most influential factor in explaining low exam grades. ► Math anxiety is not associated with grades on small-group assignments done during the course. ► Negative attitudes toward mathematics influence students’ performance. ► Affective factors negatively impact on teaching/learning processes in mathematics. This study examines whether math anxiety and negative attitudes toward mathematics have an effect on university students’ academic achievement in a methodological course forming part of their degree. A total of 193 students were presented with a math anxiety test and some questions about their enjoyment, self-confidence and motivation regarding mathematics, and their responses were assessed in relation to the grades they had obtained during continuous assessment on a course entitled “Research Design”. Results showed that low performance on the course was related to math anxiety and negative attitudes toward mathematics. We suggest that these factors may affect students’ performance and should therefore be taken into account in attempts to improve students’ learning processes in methodological courses of this kind.
ISSN:0883-0355
1873-538X
DOI:10.1016/j.ijer.2012.12.004