3. NLT Conference Strands
• Purpose-creating a sense of purpose and relevance
• Effective teaching strategies
• Contextualised learning
• Engagement-engaging learners and meeting needs
• In-class learning
• Digital learning
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4. Background
• Interests in mathematics especially its relationship
with literacy & numeracy. TEC Initiatives
(NCALNE) leading to Masters in Adult Literacy &
Numeracy (AUT).
• Teaching Business Computing, Statistics and other
Information Technology Courses at levels 3-7
• Work and educational settings laden with math
concepts and can be a common barrier to fuller
academic development of student’s potential
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5. Introduction
• Large quantity of literature on Math Anxiety
• Wide selection of resources, support and initiatives
to help math learners at all levels and contexts
• Overseas and NZ initiatives on Literacy &
Numeracy. TEC Strategy implementation.
• However Math Anxiety is alive and well (Whyte and
Anthony, 2012).
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6. Local Examples
• Statistics for Commerce students: demanding literacy,
numeracy requirements with some mathematical content
and anxiety associated with it.
• Pre-entry Nursing students working with Excel formulae
and drug calculations
• Remedial mathematics offered by colleagues to students
in trades, environmental management, and nursing
• IT students learning the binary number system
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7. Investigation
• Gain a better understanding of this phenomenon
through the literature; reflection; and application.
– Define Math Anxiety (MA) and consider the formal &
informal contexts
– Classify and analyse potential MA risk factors
– Classify and analyse potential strategies to address MA
– Represent risk factors and strategies visually
– Conclusion(s)
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8. Definition(s)
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“a feeling of tension, apprehension, or
fear that interferes with math
performance” (Ashcraft, 2002)
“the panic, helplessness and anxiety
that some individuals experience
when required to solve a
mathematical problem”
(Benner, 2010)
9. Risk Factors
– Intrinsic: focused on intrapersonal, affective
aspects e.g. fear of numbers, performance, stress,
self-confidence, emotional responses, negative
attitude to mathematics
– Extrinsic: focused on interpersonal and
environmental aspects e.g. the teaching style,
methods of problem-solving, teacher’s MA, lack
of empathy, approach to errors (students and
teachers)
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10. Strategies:
Intrinsic
– Learners’ responsibility to develop a
positive attitude
– Develop mathematical resilience,
seek help
– Collaborate with others, learn to
channel their emotions into
determined problem-solving
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Teaching Conference 2013
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11. Strategies:
Extrinsic
– Group work, positive attitude modelled to learners,
empathy, informal methods of problem-solving, up
skilling teachers, managing teacher’s MA, use of
computers and applications e.g. Excel to support
manual workings, Kinaesthetic approaches e.g.
“Math Propulsion”
– Making explicit connections between informal and
formal knowledge
– Positive attitude to errors as learning opportunities
and expose alternative approaches / perspectives
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Teaching Conference 2013
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12. Results
– MA is a highly complex and multi-dimensional
phenomenon
– Teacher mathematical content knowledge crucial
– Multiple problem-solving strategies repertoire
– The power of informal methods for mathematical
problem-solving shifting the locus of control
– One strategy could address multiple risk factors
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Teaching Conference 2013
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14. Application of Results in Context: making explicit connections between
informal and formal . E.g. Confidence Interval for mean travel times.
[Broad similarities in concepts that students often have an informal
instinctive knowledge of.]
Informal
• Multiple journeys
• Accuracy of estimated time
• Number of journeys
• Best case (shortest time)
• Worst case (longest time)
• Typical weekly time
• Typical semester time (long
run – but unknown)
Formal
• Repeated samples
• Confidence level
• Sample size
• Lower confidence level
• Upper confidence level
• Sample mean travel time
• Population mean travel time
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15. Reflection-Positive
Plenty of resources and strongly motivated educators recognise
MA and are keen to help. There is broad evidence that MA is
learned and hence has potential for ‘unlearning’.
– TEC’s foregrounding of Literacy and Numeracy makes
MA more visible
– MA is clearly a fascinating challenge that offers many
opportunities for educators professional development, and
continual reflection into the learning process
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Teaching Conference 2013
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16. Reflection-Minus
– MA can involve very strong emotions in learners and
teachers
– The evidence in the literature and from personal
experience that MA is a pervasive challenge to students
and to some extent educators
– MA occurs at many academic levels and even ‘advanced’
students can suffer from the effects of MA when they
encounter numerical situations
– Limited PD opportunities for full qualification of existing
teachers
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Teaching Conference 2013
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17. Reflection-Interesting
– More highly-qualified teachers have the strongest position
to teach from: however this must be complemented by a
keen sensitivity to the difficulties and anxiety that many
individuals experience on their mathematical journeys
– Informal methods of mathematical problem-solving need
to be valued and respected as part of the repertoire of
strategies learners bring to their study
– Collaboration, group work, kinaesthetic approaches, and
emphasis on hybrid multiple strategies are important and
need to be respected
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18. Summary
– Math Anxiety is a real and persistent challenge(level and
sector-wide)
– Risk factors (visible and more subtle) exist and can be
classified as Intrinsic or Extrinsic
– Many strategies exist and the power of one strategy
addressing multiple risk factors
– Representation of Math Anxiety on continua
– Emotional component important (acknowledgement and
management)
– Students’ responsibility for their learning and the focus on
the teacher as the source of the problem needs redress
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19. Opportunities
• Opportunities
– Continually review one’s teaching in the light of research
– Recognise and support staff in their PD and dealing with
their MA
– Keep and open mind to whatever helps students to learn
and overcome (or manage MA)
– Try to develop mathematical resilience in our students
(and selves)
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