Conversations with an adult female student in a math anxiety course uncovered parallels between growing up Catholic and being taught math. The study highlighted the importance of considering total life experience in dealing with math anxiety. Crucial to change are group processes, questioning of self-concept, and questioning of social practices.…

Investigates the types of instructor behavior that created or exacerbated mathematics anxiety in students. Determines the grade level at which mathematics anxiety first occurred in these students. Concludes that several factors can cause mathematics anxiety, instructor behavior being one of them. (ASK)

The factor structure of three commonly used measures of mathematics anxiety was examined using a sample of 323 undergraduates in an algebra class. Six oblique factors were identified, but results did not support the existence of a single common dimension of mathematics anxiety as represented by the six factors. (SLD)

Discusses the image the populace has of mathematics. Suggest ways of overcoming the misconception of mathematics. (ASK)

Explores the phenomenon of math anxiety in a group of elementary school students by observing and conducting a survey to identify where students fit into the continuum of mathematics confidence. Discusses strategies to reduce math anxiety. (ASK)

Purpose: To establish the existence of barriers to communication and numeracy skills development and to establish the levels of these exhibited by accounting and business students at the commencement of their courses in higher education. Design/methodology/approach: Uses questionnaires to establish the levels of communication apprehension (CA) and…

Attitudes towards mathematics of college students in mathematics, psychology, and other fields were measured. Items describing mathematics as a good mental exercise and valuable mental training were selected by more than 55 percent of the students sampled. Overall similarity in attitudes among the three samples was high. Mathematics was highly…

Describes a remedial approach which provides math and communications instruction for applied arts and technology students. Looks at the problems of lack of time and math anxiety. Provides examples of math problems that show "real life" applications of math skills. Recounts how the problems are used in the classroom. (AYC)

Several programs to alleviate math anxiety are now being conducted for elementary and secondary teachers, as well as for high school and college students. (Author/MLF)

In 3 experiments, the authors examined mathematical problem solving performance under pressure. In Experiment 1, pressure harmed performance on only unpracticed problems with heavy working memory demands. In Experiment 2, such high-demand problems were practiced until their answers were directly retrieved from memory. This eliminated choking under…

Sixty-five preservice elementary teachers' math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach elementary mathematics and science were measured. The confidence scores of subjects in different math anxiety groups were compared and the relationships between their math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach mathematics and science were…

A unique early transfer scheme is described for one English secondary school and its eight feeder primary schools whereby all Year 6 children transfer to secondary school four weeks before the end of the summer term. The scheme has many implications. The main focus here comprises gender contrasts in children's perceptions of school life and…

A mediating approach is implemented into a section of Block I courses elementary pre-service teachers took in a cohort setting in Spring 2002. The paper discusses the components of the approach as well as the logistics of the initial implementation. Furthermore, the paper provides qualitative and quantitative analysis of a set of data gathered…

Within undergraduate psychology courses, students often have significant levels of anxiety and negative attitudes toward the statistical element. This has been attributed to poor interaction with teachers, fears about mathematical abilities, and simply being unaware of that portion of the course or its relevance to psychology. To address this, 196…

A study involving 245 sixth grade students in three Israeli schools examined the effects of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) with fixed and adaptive feedback on the subjects' mathematics anxiety and achievement. Although CAI students' scores on anxiety measures were significantly different, no other significant differences were found. (TJH)