National Seminar on Social Media Networks and Society organised by Tamil Nadu Teachers Education University, Chennai and Indian Council of Social Science Research (IMPRESS), New Delhi on 3rd February 2021

1. A study on “Changing students’ attitude towards learning
mathematics by appropriate use of Social Media”
Dr. C.V. Suresh Babu1
, S. Geetha2
1
Professor, Sathyasai B.Ed. College, Chennai, TN, India
dr.c.v.suresh.babu@gmail.com
2
M.Ed. Student, Sathyasai B.Ed. College, Avadi, Chennai, TN, India
akshayagnanas@gmail.com
Abstract –This paper discusses various reasons for the lack of interest in
Mathematics among the present student community. Education system has
undergone many drastic changes. Our traditional methods of teaching and
learning process are slowly transforming to activity-based learning and task-
oriented learning. Still now many students experience Mathematical anxiety.
Many students after their high school education are avoiding maths stream,
they are looking for courses without the subject Mathematics. Mathematics
anxiety in student’s origin from lack of proper understanding of
mathematical symbols and their respective meaning and the inability to
follow the algorithms. Another important reason is that the abstractness of
the subject, high school mathematics and higher education mathematics are
often felt vague since it lacks its direct connection with day-to-day life.
Social media might help the students to develop interest, since they get ideas
about the various applications of the content learned in their classrooms.
KEYWORDS: Mathematical anxiety, Motivation, Social media network
1 Introduction
"Mathematics is the queen of the sciences and number theory is the queen of
mathematics."- claimed Carl Friedrich Gauss, one of the greatest mathematicians. The
applications of Mathematics are pervasive in almost all fields of life. In today’s technology
driven world, mathematics is the core of all technological developments. This is the reason we
are trying to integrate STEAM in school education. But still many students develop
mathematical anxiety and try to avoid Mathematics in their higher education. This paper
reveals about the reasons for Mathematical anxiety among the students and the possible ways
to be implemented in school education to overcome this anxiety through social networks.
2 Rationale background
Today, many schools are trying to make use of social network to teach mathematics in
an effective way, so that students will learn in an experiential form so that they will build skills
and get deep concept learning. Mathematics is one of the important core subjects of STEAM
education. Many students are afraid of Mathematics and trying to avoid it.
Primary Objective:
 To study the effect of integrating different social media in teaching Mathematics, a way
to bring positive attitude towards learning Mathematics among students.
Secondary Objective:

2.  To improve motivation towards learning mathematics.
 To develop critical and innovative thinking.
 Frequently handling of digital tools.
 Outcome based mathematical activities.
3 Literature Review
There has been numerous studies to investigate about the Mathematical anxiety among
students. According to Dreger and Aiken mathematics anxiety is “the presence of a syndrome
of emotional reactions to arithmetic and mathematics.” (KodalSevindir& et al, 2014a) “Highly
math-anxious individuals are characterized by a strong tendency to avoid math, which
ultimately undercuts their math competence and forecloses important career paths” (Ashcraft,
2001). Prior research suggests that “Female students stated more positive responses than males
to questions about feeling nauseous, breathing hardly, sweating, getting heart palpitations,
palms sweating, loose of concentration and getting nervous when facing a math problem.”
(KodalSevindir& et al, 2014a). A number of authors have recognized “mathematical anxiety
has attracted recent attention because of its damaging psychological effects and potential
associations with mathematical problem solving and achievement” (Zhe Wang & et al, 2014).
4 Research Design
4.1. Hypothesis and Research Questions
i. Simple hypothesis:
 Appropriate use of Social media in teaching mathematics helps students to
learn mathematics with interest, which reduces their mathematical anxiety.
Questions
1) How to implement social media in mathematics education?
2) Does it improve the motivation of students to learn mathematics?
Independent variable: Appropriate use of Social media in teaching mathematics
Dependent variable: change in attitudes of students, improvement in their performance
outcomes, proper understanding of the subject.
ii. Complex hypothesis:
 Students who hate Mathematics but appreciate and value wide application of
Mathematics are more likely than other students to
 Seek other digital resources to get to know the applications of the
concepts learned.
 Seeks the help of teachers and mentors, who can help them to get clarity
about the subject.
 Students who are strong enough in prior mathematical knowledge are less likely
to develop mathematical anxiety.
Questions:
1) How to bring awareness about the importance and vital application of
mathematics in almost all fields of life?
2) What are the digital resources available which makes mathematic concepts
easier and connects with real life situations?

3. 3) How to equip teachers to update their knowledge and make them comfortable
with using technology for teaching mathematics?
4) How to make the students understand the mathematical language properly?
5) Does students who have sound prior knowledge have less mathematical
anxiety?
iii. Null hypothesis:
 There is no significant change in student’s attitude towards learning
Mathematics when social media is use in classroom activities.
Questions
1) How can we use social media for mathematics education?
2) Does implementation of social network tools bring positive attitude of students
towards mathematics?
iv. Alternative hypothesis:
 Student’s mathematical anxiety will reduce when social network is used for
teaching Mathematics.
 Students change their hatred attitude towards mathematics learning when
outcomes-based education is practiced as opposed to traditional methods of
mathematical education.
Questions
1) Does mathematical anxiety of students will get reduced if social media is
used?
2) How far this process will be accepted by the students ‘population?
3) What will be the response from the parent side if Social media is used for
teaching mathematics?
v. Logical hypothesis:
 If Social media is used for teaching mathematics, it helps students to learn
mathematics with enthusiasm.
Questions
1) If Social Media is used does it improves student’s enthusiasm
2) Does implementation of technology tools, further create complexity in
students to understand mathematics?
vi. Empirical hypothesis:
 Students who were taught in video and audio process shows love in learning
mathematics than the students taught with traditional methods of teaching
Mathematics.
Questions
1) Does the usage of social media in teaching mathematics creates love for
learning Mathematics?
2) Does the usage of social media in teaching mathematics further leads to
mathematical anxiety in students?

4. 5 Suggestions
1) Stimulate interest in learning mathematical concepts by demonstrating the
applications of learning concepts using available digital tools (you tube videos
and many more).
2) Concentrating more on comprehensive knowledge rather than aiming for
achieving good marks and grades.
3) Teacher must be equipped to make use of social media network in teaching
and learning mathematics so that learning mathematics will be more fun and
meaningful for the learners.
6 Scope for Further Research
Future research suggestions:
1) Future research on appropriate use of social media in teaching mathematics might
extend the explanations of improving students’ motivation in learning mathematics. Future
studies could fruitfully explore this issue further by incorporating social media in teaching and
learning process to a group of students and observe the change in their attitudes towards
mathematics.
2) Regardless, future research could continue to explore the available Social networking
resources which help us in teaching mathematics in a more effective way.
7 Conclusion
For today’s digital learners, the traditional methods of teaching Mathematics won’t be
suitable. Students’ attention span is getting lesser and lesser day by day. Our students are
getting smarter, they want to know the applications of the concepts they are learning in the
schools. The concepts which they don’t use in real life situations don’t gain their attention. So,
one of the means to gain their attention is making use of social media network in imparting the
mathematics education.
8 Acknowledgment
We thank all our Faculty members, Math’s Educators of various schools in Chennai and our
students and other anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on our draft paper.
9 Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
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