Two faculty members in the department of mathematical sciences at a four-year university, with teacher-education experience, presented a workshop for in-service elementary and middle-school teachers. The intention was to address affective aspects of teaching including: teacher efficacy, learning styles, cognitive dissonance, relaxation, and…

For many students, the longer they are in school, the less they trust in their ability to do math and fail to see why math is important to know. How can middle and secondary school educators turn that tendency around? Teachers can explore how their colleagues are answering that question and improving math programs in grades 7-12 in this next…

Presents a historical overview and summary of research conducted on simple arithmetic in the past 20 years. Presents two seemingly different directions in current research, one on the role of working memory in mental arithmetic and one on the possible cognitive consequences of mathematics anxiety. Contains 108 references. (MKR)

Explores the relationship between mathematics instruction and writing instruction, particularly their similarity in causing student anxiety. Offers specific teaching methods for reducing writing anxiety. (HB)

Preservice elementary teachers have been shown to generally possess poor mathematical knowledge (e.g. Goulding, Rowland, & Barber, 2002) and also strong negative attitudes toward mathematics (e.g. MacNab & Payne, 2004). Recently, national organizations have proposed interventions to address these issues (Conference Board of the…

Student, teacher, and teaching causes of mathematics anxiety are discussed. Computer-assisted instruction can reduce mathematics anxieties due to lack of confidence, negative attitudes, teacher bias, authoritarian teaching, lack of variety, lack of relationship with the real world, emphasis on memorization or on speed, or computer phobia. (MNS)

This action research project was designed to increase students' math competencies and reduce math anxiety in targeted high school classes in a Midwestern suburb. The study included 37 students and took place from September through December in 2002. Factors influencing students' math achievement included self-perceptions of math competence,…

Humorous recounting of the trials and tribulations of someone with a photographic mind for retrieval of information but no learning mechanisms provided by her instructors for releasing stored data towards practical use -- especially in the area of mathematics. (See EA 504 500.) (WM)

Details a study that investigated the correlation between attitude toward mathematics learning and mathematics achievement. (FL)

United States has produced a generation of students who engage in problem solving without regard for common sense or the text of the problem. Three factors bear the blame: societal beliefs about mathematics, the typical math curriculum, and deficiencies in teacher preparation. New conceptions about learning should help spawn curriculum,…

Provides a review of the literature related to math anxiety, indicating that society needs to eradicate the myth that females are more anxious about mathematics than males. Several options for eliminating math avoidance and math anxiety are considered. (JN)

Math anxiety affects both sexes, and is not the cause of imbalance in mathematical professions. Attempts to broaden perceptions of mathematics deal only with the symptoms of math anxiety. The principal cause is the methodology used to teach mathematics. Problem-solving processes must be employed. (MNS)

Elementary education majors were administered the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) to determine their level of anxiety toward mathematics. Results suggested that a high proportion of the female students were math anxious, and this could affect their pupils. (MNS)

A historical view of changes in participation of women in mathematics education shows that more females are enrolled in mathematics and science courses now than 10 years ago. Cultural attitudes appear to be changing but still have influence. A current problem lies in computer education, which is now dominated by men. (DF)

The purpose of this study was to examine the computer-related experiences and anxiety of mathematics education majors across a ten-year period, the 1985-1986 through 1994-1995 academic years. This study centers on 10 years of data collection concerning mathematics education majors at West Virginia University in terms of their previous computer…