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exploration of the relationship between mathematics anxiety level and perceptual learning style of adult learners in a community college setting

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Date Issued:
1997
Summary:
This study investigates the relationships between and among math anxiety level, perceptual learning style (audio, visual, tactile/kinesthetic), age, gender, and math performance. The subjects were 501 community college students taking remedial credit Introductory Algebra and college credit Basic College Algebra. A questionnaire measuring math anxiety level, perceptual learning style, and personal demographics was developed and administered to the participants. Math anxiety level was measured by the Brief Math Anxiety Rating Scale (BMARS), a subscale of Suinn's Math Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS). Perceptual learning style was measured by the Learning Style Inventory-Adapted (LSI-A), an adaptation of the CITE Learning Style Inventory. The results showed that math anxiety level was significantly correlated to one or more learning styles for all groups studied. Math Anxiety level was also significantly correlated to gender but did not have significant correlations with age or math performance. For the female subjects, there were significant positive correlations between math anxiety level and two learning styles: tactile/kinesthetic and audio. For males, there was a significant positive correlation between math anxiety level and audio learning style only. While the math anxiety levels of females were significantly higher than those of males, their course grades were as well. They were also significantly older than the males in the study group and had significantly higher preferences for the visual learning style than the males. Multiple regression analyses were performed with the predictor variables of age, gender, learning style; and the criterion variable math anxiety level. The regression models were statistically significant and predicted up to 15% of the variance in math anxiety level. Multiple regression analyses were performed on subgroups of the original groups. These groups were comprised of the participants who received letter grades from A-F. Those receiving incompletes or withdrawals were not included in this part of the study. The predictor variables for the regressions in these models were: age, gender, math anxiety level, and perceptual learning style. The criterion variable was math performance, measured by the final grade in the course. All but one of the regression models were statistically significant, predicting up to 16% of the variance in math performance. The remedial credit model was not significant. Further research is needed with a more comprehensive learning style instrument and possibly a different measure for evaluating math performance that would also include all the incomplete grades and withdrawals.
Title: An exploration of the relationship between mathematics anxiety level and perceptual learning style of adult learners in a community college setting.
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Name(s): Cook, Roberta Parrino.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Guglielmino, Lucy M., Thesis advisor
Morris, John D., Thesis advisor
College of Education
Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1997
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 120 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: This study investigates the relationships between and among math anxiety level, perceptual learning style (audio, visual, tactile/kinesthetic), age, gender, and math performance. The subjects were 501 community college students taking remedial credit Introductory Algebra and college credit Basic College Algebra. A questionnaire measuring math anxiety level, perceptual learning style, and personal demographics was developed and administered to the participants. Math anxiety level was measured by the Brief Math Anxiety Rating Scale (BMARS), a subscale of Suinn's Math Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS). Perceptual learning style was measured by the Learning Style Inventory-Adapted (LSI-A), an adaptation of the CITE Learning Style Inventory. The results showed that math anxiety level was significantly correlated to one or more learning styles for all groups studied. Math Anxiety level was also significantly correlated to gender but did not have significant correlations with age or math performance. For the female subjects, there were significant positive correlations between math anxiety level and two learning styles: tactile/kinesthetic and audio. For males, there was a significant positive correlation between math anxiety level and audio learning style only. While the math anxiety levels of females were significantly higher than those of males, their course grades were as well. They were also significantly older than the males in the study group and had significantly higher preferences for the visual learning style than the males. Multiple regression analyses were performed with the predictor variables of age, gender, learning style; and the criterion variable math anxiety level. The regression models were statistically significant and predicted up to 15% of the variance in math anxiety level. Multiple regression analyses were performed on subgroups of the original groups. These groups were comprised of the participants who received letter grades from A-F. Those receiving incompletes or withdrawals were not included in this part of the study. The predictor variables for the regressions in these models were: age, gender, math anxiety level, and perceptual learning style. The criterion variable was math performance, measured by the final grade in the course. All but one of the regression models were statistically significant, predicting up to 16% of the variance in math performance. The remedial credit model was not significant. Further research is needed with a more comprehensive learning style instrument and possibly a different measure for evaluating math performance that would also include all the incomplete grades and withdrawals.
Identifier: 9780591616583 (isbn), 12528 (digitool), FADT12528 (IID), fau:9419 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): College of Education
Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1997.
Subject(s): Education, Community College
Education, Mathematics
Education, Adult and Continuing
Education, Educational Psychology
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12528
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.