Abstract
Mathematics-specific anxiety is anxiety that impedes mathematical thinking and progress, and creates distress for many learners, or at the least a tendency to avoid mathematical thinking. Such anxiety is prevalent. The importance of mathematics to economic recovery is well-established; in order to meet the need for mathematics, the high levels of mathematics anxiety that stand in the way of individual mathematical progress should be addressed. Using a case study involving an adult learner, we use self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci, 2017) to explain why mathematical resilience (Lee and Johnston-Wilder, 2017) is a concept which can work against anxiety and for a positive stance towards mathematics. Work on mathematical resilience demonstrates that well-informed, subject-specific interventions can help people manage emotions, including anxiety, and improve progress and uptake in mathematics. We illustrate ways in which the focus of self-determination theory on meeting basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness), to enhance wellbeing and prevent harm, provides grounding for much good practice in mathematics education and specifically for work in mathematical resilience. The tools of mathematical resilience go beyond what is currently proposed in SDT research. We illustrate ways in which these tools can specifically facilitate learners’ emotion regulation, which we propose is integral to mathematical learning competence, leading to greater mathematical wellbeing, learning, and release from mathematics anxiety.
Highlights
The two months-long lockdowns in the UK due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020/21 resulted in all schools being closed to most pupils. Widnall et al (2020) found that, during this time of COVID-related school closures, anxiety amongst some school-aged children was significantly reduced
We illustrate ways in which these tools can facilitate learners’ emotion regulation, which we propose is integral to mathematical learning competence, leading to greater mathematical wellbeing, learning, and release from mathematics anxiety
We have shown how Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is useful as a framework for exploring mathematics anxiety, and how it resonates with and supports the outplaying of many of the ideas integral to mathematical resilience
Summary
Research in mathematics classrooms supports the conclusion that basic needs as set out in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) (Ryan & Deci, 2018) are routinely thwarted and that ill-being results, mathematics-specific anxiety (Durmaz & Akkus, 2016). Jackie is a middle-aged tutor of UK engineering apprentices She contacted Sue as she wished to address her own “anxiety and avoidance, even hatred, towards mathematics” and had become aware of the work that Sue had been doing with her colleagues. Sue offered her as many one-to-one sessions as she needed at a mutually agreed venue. In these sessions, they would talk through her feelings towards mathematics and work on some straightforward mathematics together. When asked if her data could be used in a publication, she readily gave informed consent
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