Missed Opportunity in Mathematics Anxiety

Barbara Jane Melissa Brewster; Tess Miller

doi:10.29333/iejme/8405

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Barbara Jane Melissa Brewster ¹ ^* , Tess Miller ¹

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¹ University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, CANADA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

In our technologically advanced society proficiency in mathematics is paramount to success in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) employment sector. Mathematics anxiety negatively affects an individual’s physiological and cognitive functioning, which results in the individual obtaining lower achievement in mathematics. The consequences of low mathematics achievement can have devastating consequences for the individual’s career in STEM fields which require high level mathematics. This article will provide a review of the prevalence of mathematics anxiety, its historical development, as well as theories from education, psychology, neuroscience and causal factors purporting to provide a comprehensive understanding of mathematics anxiety. We propose a fourth causal factor, missed opportunity, in which the individual is high functioning academically, but exhibiting mathematics anxiety. He or she is not able to perform well in mathematics due to missing the opportunity to learn the foundational mathematics knowledge necessary in STEM fields.

Keywords

mathematics anxiety
mathematics achievement
STEM
causal factors

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Review Article

INT ELECT J MATH ED, Volume 15, Issue 3, October 2020, Article No: em0600

https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/8405

Publication date: 19 Jul 2020

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How to cite this article

APA

Brewster, B. J. M., & Miller, T. (2020). Missed Opportunity in Mathematics Anxiety. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 15(3), em0600. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/8405

Vancouver

Brewster BJM, Miller T. Missed Opportunity in Mathematics Anxiety. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2020;15(3):em0600. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/8405

AMA

Brewster BJM, Miller T. Missed Opportunity in Mathematics Anxiety. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2020;15(3), em0600. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/8405

Chicago

Brewster, Barbara Jane Melissa, and Tess Miller. "Missed Opportunity in Mathematics Anxiety". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education 2020 15 no. 3 (2020): em0600. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/8405

Harvard

Brewster, B. J. M., and Miller, T. (2020). Missed Opportunity in Mathematics Anxiety. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 15(3), em0600. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/8405

MLA

Brewster, Barbara Jane Melissa et al. "Missed Opportunity in Mathematics Anxiety". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, vol. 15, no. 3, 2020, em0600. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/8405