DISSERTATION THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATH ANXIETY AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS Submitted by William Matthew Siebers School of Education In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Spring 2015 Doctoral Committee: Advisor: Donna Cooner Gines Heidi Frederiksen Gene W. Gloeckner Cindy O’Donnell-Allen Copyright by William Siebers 2015 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATH ANXIETY AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS A 12-item Math Questionnaire (MQ) was developed and distributed to 381 middle school students in a northern Colorado middle school during the 2013-2014 school year. Data from the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) during the 2012-2013 school year were used to compare mathematics achievement to mathematic anxiety. Middle school grades consist of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students who range in ages of 11 to 14 years old. Results from the quantitative study showed there were statistically significant differences between mathematics anxiety and achievement on TCAP. Students who have high mathematics anxiety tend to have low mathematics achievement. Other results showed that sixth grade students had less mathematics anxiety than seventh grade students. Sixth grade students had less mathematics anxiety compared to eighth grade students. Seventh grade students had a higher level of mathematics anxiety compared to eighth grade students. Lastly, results showed sixth grade students had the highest mathematics achievement across the middle school grades. Eighth grade students showed the lowest mathematics achievement compared to sixth and seventh grade. Overcoming mathematics anxiety is a recipe for success in helping students achieve and grow in mathematics. By understanding, recognizing, controlling, and coping with our mathematical anxiety, students can go further in mathematics than ever before (Boaler, 2008; ii Tobias, 1993). A number of recommendations for further research and implications for action are provided in chapter five of this study. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to start off by thanking Dr. Donna Cooner Gines, my advisor, for her guidance in helping me appreciate the dissertation journey and the constant push for excellence. Big thank you to my committee members: Dr. Gene Gloeckner, Dr. Heidi Frederiksen, and Dr. Cindy O’Donnell-Allen for their well-appreciated feedback. My sincerest appreciation goes to my motivational coach, Karen Koehn, my sounding board and constant positive voice, Christine Smith, and editor, Kandace Stoltz. I am deeply appreciative to Dr. Heidi Frederiksen for her support and guidance during a rough time of this dissertation process. I want to acknowledge my mother who passed away before beginning this process. Knowing she has been there since the beginning giving me the strength to see this through, will always be remembered. Thank you to my sister, Veronica DeGard, for being there when I needed to talk. Thank you to a good friend, Karen Caruso, who constantly reminded me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you to the staff at my former middle school for their patience and motivation throughout this long journey. Finally, I am grateful to my family especially my two sons, Hayden and Carter, who certainly motivated me throughout the endless hours of research and writing. They had a way to make me smile with the persistent conversations about when they get to call me Dr. Dad or Dr. Coach. Because of them, I never gave up; I wanted to show them that dedication and perseverance are important characteristics for being successful in life. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1 Background and Setting ..............................................................................................................1 History.........................................................................................................................................3 Rationale for Study .....................................................................................................................3 Purpose of the Study ...................................................................................................................5 Research Questions .....................................................................................................................6 Definition of Terms.....................................................................................................................6 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................................7 Delimitations ...............................................................................................................................8 Limitations ..................................................................................................................................8 Researcher’s Perspective ............................................................................................................8 Summary ...................................................................................................................................11 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................13 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................13 Mathematical Academic Achievement .....................................................................................14 Anxiety Defined ........................................................................................................................15 Math Anxiety Defined ..............................................................................................................15 Concept of Math Anxiety..........................................................................................................16 v Elementary Math Anxiety ...................................................................................................17 Middle School/Secondary Math Anxiety............................................................................18 Reasons for Math Anxiety ........................................................................................................23 Parent Role ................................................................................................................................24 Teacher Role ............................................................................................................................27 Classroom Experience .............................................................................................................30 Attitude on Performance ..........................................................................................................31 Instruments to Measure Math Anxiety .....................................................................................32 Mathematical Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) ....................................................................32 PHCC Test Anxiety Questionnaire .....................................................................................33 Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitudes Scale ...............................................................34 Defining High/Low Math Achievement ...................................................................................35 Mathematical Assessments .......................................................................................................36 Transitional Colorado Assessment Program (TCAP) ..............................................................37 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)............................................................39 Achievement Differences..........................................................................................................40 Student Attitudes Towards Mathematics ..................................................................................43 Achievement Goal Theory ........................................................................................................43 Mathematical Self-efficacy ......................................................................................................45 Summary and Conclusion .........................................................................................................48 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................50 Research Rationale....................................................................................................................50 Research Design........................................................................................................................50 vi School Demographics ...............................................................................................................53