Discusses confidence in learning math, anxiety, attributions of success and failure, and perceived usefulness of mathematics for both elementary and secondary samples. Three models for research are presented, and directions for future research are discussed. (RH)

This report reviews responses of students to the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS). Anxiety in English is contrasted with mathematics, and changes in teaching are suggested. (MP)

Analyzes factors influencing mathematics attitudes among 543 south Texas Mexican-American university students, tested for factors connoting fear and enjoyment. Survey results show ability, quality of preparation, college credits, and perceived importance of mathematics to be major determinants of math attitudes. No evidence linking ethnic or…

Summarizes several findings from review studies conducted on students' attitudes to mathematics. Suggests the methods to improve students' attitudes. Lists 26 references. (YP)

This study reports that artistic and social vocational-personality characteristics are associated with greater anxiety and less involvement or success in mathematics and computer courses. A concept of population variability in computer anxiety which is associated with individual differences in vocational personality is supported. (MVL)

Integrates research on mathematics anxiety, regarding its nature, effects, and relief by using meta-analysis. Concludes that mathematics anxiety depresses performance and that mathematics and test anxieties both relate to general anxiety. Discusses the sex difference of the anxiety and its effects on achievement. (Author/YP)

Discussion of equity in computer science education focuses on issues related to gender. Topics discussed include computers and society, including employment changes and the relationship of women to society; the relationship between mathematics anxiety and computer anxiety; instructional and curriculum design; evaluation equity; and computer…

Five steps designed to take anxiety out of statistics for social work students are outlined. First, statistics anxiety is identified as an educational problem. Second, instructional objectives and procedures to achieve them are presented and methods and tools for evaluating the course are explored. Strategies for, and obstacles to, making…

A study of 163 undergraduate social work students and 256 nonsocial work students found the social work majors had much higher levels of math anxiety than a cross-section of students enrolled in introductory statistics courses and were found to have taken fewer math courses in high school and college. (Author/MSE)

This study, with 103 nongifted students and 77 female and 76 male gifted students in grades 3, 6, and 9, found that gifted females evidenced self-defeating causal attributions for math performance relative to gifted males only in grade 9. For the nongifted subjects, the sex differences were not as pronounced. (DB)

Describes a summer mathematics inservice workshop for 39 elementary teachers from rural, small schools throughout New Mexico. Focused on minority participation, hands-on activities, and improvement of attitude towards the teaching of mathematics. Posttests revealed improvement in knowledge of manipulative use, confidence in use of manipulatives,…

Reports on a study of the association between computer anxiety and measures of positive and negative affect when using computerized vs. standard administration. Gender differences across the two modes of administration were assessed. Measures of state, trait, and mathematics anxiety were obtained to clarify the association between computer anxiety…

The attitudes about mathematics held by girls and boys participating in a regional mathematics contest, their parents, teachers, and mathematics coaches were investigated. Quantitative data regarding mathematics as a male domain, perception of importance of mathematics, confidence in learning mathematics, effectance motivation, and usefulness of…

This study deals with the demand of a task. A theoretical background shows the difficulty of applying the idea of demand (as established in the literature) to the data. This has been confirmed in the preliminary study of this paper, which deals with the analysis of university examinations. Some factors that affect the demand of a task have been…

Most of us want our students to feel that mathematics is an enjoyable and rewarding study for them … but do we succeed? Some of our students are successful whereas others are anxious and fearful. The performance of Malaysian students in mathematics has been generally been not good. It has been realized that poor mathematics performance of students…