Abstract:
The study investigated the nature and causes of mathematical anxiety among Senior
High School (SHS) students and the extent to which age and anxiety level can predict
their mathematics performance. Cross-Sectional survey design with a mixed-method
approach was adopted to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Purposive and
simple random sampling techniques were used to sample of 270 final year students
from non-science departments of four (4) public Senior High Schools in the Agona
West municipality at the Central region of Ghana for the study. Questionnaire and semi structured interview protocol were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data,
and later, secondary data was also collected on students’ mathematics examination
scores. Frequency count, percentage, Pearson’s product-moment correlation
coefficient, and regression analysis were the statistical tests used in analysing the
quantitative data collected for the study while the qualitative data was presented in
descriptive words. The result showed that 64% of the respondents have high
mathematical anxiety, while only 2% have low mathematical anxiety. However, 34%
of the participants have moderate mathematical anxiety. Besides, it was discovered that
students’ mathematical anxiety stemmed from assessment practices such as poor test taking, poor test preparation, examination conditions, the structure and content of
assessment items, etc. as a prevalent cause. Pearson’s correlation coefficient revealed a
strong and significant negative relationship between students’ mathematical anxiety
and their performance in mathematics, while a regression analysis unearthed that
mathematical anxiety score can be considered as a significant variable in predicting
students’ mathematics performance at the Senior High School level of education.
Finally, the researcher concluded based on the findings that Ghanaian SHS students
have a high level of mathematical anxiety which is strongly connected to assessment
practices as the cause and has a converse relationship with their academic performance
in mathematics. Also, students’ mathematical anxiety scores can predict their
performance in mathematics.
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of Mathematics Education, Faculty of Science
Education, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Mathematics Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
JULY, 2019