Math Anxiety: Childrens Attitudes and Achievements

1
Math Anxiety Childrens Attitudes and
Achievements

• Shannon Stoll
• Senior Thesis
• April 12, 2002

2
Outline

• Interpretation of math anxiety
• Problem
• Studies surrounding the fourth grade
• Research outline
• Results
• Variables
• Variations of this experiment

3
Interpretation of Math Anxiety

• Reporting a number of negative attitudes toward
  math
• attitudes nervousness, isolation, uneasiness,
  low confidence

4
Problem

• People with math anxiety have negative attitudes
  toward math careers
• Elementary school teachers

5
Studies Surrounding the Fourth Grade

• The Role of Instructors in Creating Math Anxiety
  in Students from Kindergarten Through College
  
  Carol Davis Jackson Jon Leffingwell, 1999
• Fourth Grade Math The Beginning of the End?
  
  Daniel Swetman, 1994

6
Research Outline
7
Test 1 Results
8
Test 2 Results
Class Averages
9
Variables

• Single school district
• Heisenberg effect
• State exams
• Family backgrounds
• Survey questions

10
Variations of this Experiment

• Different settings
• Larger student sample
• Teachers anxiety levels
• Different lessons
• Gender differences
• Special education
• Longitudinal study

11
Acknowledgements

• Southern Cayuga School District
• Fourth grade teachers
• Professor Thomas Stiadle
• Professor Carol Shilepsky
• Family and friends