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Science and Mathematics Education Commons™
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Full-Text Articles in Science and Mathematics Education
Math Anxiety And Avoidance Of Mathematics At The College Level: Undergraduate And Their Sense Of Not Belonging In Math Classrooms, Kay C. Lashley
Math Anxiety And Avoidance Of Mathematics At The College Level: Undergraduate And Their Sense Of Not Belonging In Math Classrooms, Kay C. Lashley
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Negative experiences and perceptions of the subject often influence the avoidance of mathematics at the college level. This study explored this issue by investigating the relationship between math anxiety, belongingness in math classes, and help-seeking behaviors among STEM and non-STEM majors. The study involved 41 participants, including 24 STEM majors and 17 non-STEM majors, all undergraduate college students aged 18 to 54. The results revealed that most students (39 out of 41) felt a sense of belonging in their math classes. Correlation analyses showed a significant positive relation between math anxiety and self-reported math competency, “r(41)= .44, p < .01,” and that higher levels of math anxiety were linked to a greater likelihood of avoiding math classes, “r(41)= .35, p = .02”. Students with lower math anxiety were marginally more inclined to seek help from family or friends, “ X2 (12, N = 42) = 20.1, p = .065”. However, there were no significant differences in help-seeking behaviors between STEM and non-STEM majors. Overall, these findings are consistent with previous studies. Nevertheless, more research and interventions are needed to develop supportive math learning environments at the college level, especially for students with higher anxiety.
The Connective Tissue Of Well-Developed Interests: A Case Study Of A Science Research Classroom, Deborah M. Brand
The Connective Tissue Of Well-Developed Interests: A Case Study Of A Science Research Classroom, Deborah M. Brand
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to examine ways that long-term interests in high school students could be inspired and facilitated in educational contexts. In particular, it explored how a high school Science Research (SR) program cultivated belonging and supported autonomy in ways that inspired and promoted well-developed individual interests. This type of interest is characterized by an enduring desire to pursue learning out of an intellectual and emotional need to gain understanding; it drives behavior, motivation, and cognition toward particular activities and ideas. Classroom belonging is derived from this sense of connection and purpose a student feels from the …
Factors Related To Student Persistence In A New Residential Stem High School: The Case Of The Tennessee Governor’S Academy For Mathematics And Science, Amy Cinci Sullins
Factors Related To Student Persistence In A New Residential Stem High School: The Case Of The Tennessee Governor’S Academy For Mathematics And Science, Amy Cinci Sullins
Doctoral Dissertations
Public and private sectors are grappling with decreasing numbers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals as the need for them rises. State-supported STEM residential high schools may be the premier conduit to educate and socialize students in order to prepare for STEM college majors and careers. Gaining understanding of how these schools can nurture students academically and affectively so that they successfully matriculate to university STEM settings is valuable; however, minimal research exists related to the affective domain in relationship to retention at state-supported STEM residential schools. This exploratory, mixed methods case study describes factors that contribute to …