Mathematics Anxiety and the Nontraditional Student

Document Type

Presentation Abstract

Presentation Date

5-6-2014

Abstract

Mathematics anxiety has many dimensions. While an initial definition would be assumed to be easily offered, further investigation into the origins and actual perception of individuals with mathematics anxiety show that there are many layers to take into account. Past research has investigated mathematics anxiety; both in general and with respect to the nontraditional student. Origins of the theory have been posed from Mitchell Lazarus and Sheila Tobias, while other researchers suggest how mathematics anxiety can affect different ages, whether it affects men and women differently, and how it affects the biology of the brain. These topics are highlighted and the research is focused on the mathematically anxious, nontraditional student at the two year college level. To gain the perspective of students who are actually coping with mathematics anxiety, participants from a two-year Northwestern school help to answer the questions regarding their personal origins with mathematics anxiety, how this anxiety specifically affects them, and what they believe can be done to help alleviate this stress in the classroom.

Additional Details

Presentation of Master's Project.

Master's Committee: Dr. Jim Hirstein, Chair (Mathematical Sciences), Dr. Ke Wu (Mathematical Sciences), Dr. Matt Roscoe (Mathematical Sciences)

Tuesday, May 6 at 2:10 pm in Math 108

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