Heuristic: Its Influence to the Mathematics Anxiety and Coping Mechanism

Abstract

This is a quantitative-qualitative study that aims to determine the influence of heuristic or problem-solving strategies (PS) to the mathematics anxiety of 97 or 87% of the Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) second-year students of Western Visayas College of Science and Technology enrolled in the subject Problem Solving during the second semester, SY 2014-2015. It also aims to find out the coping mechanisms and perceived causes of mathematics anxiety of the participants. For the quantitative data, a one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The Mathematics Anxiety-Apprehension Survey (MAAS) was administered before the start of the intervention and at the end of the intervention. For the qualitative data, the participants were asked to write a journal on the perceived causes of their math anxiety and their coping mechanism. Personal interviews were conducted to participants with high math anxiety regarding their coping mechanisms. The statistical tools used were the mean, standard deviation, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, and Kruskal-Wallis Test. The test in the hypothesis was set at .05 alpha level. Results showed that, as an entire group, and when grouped according to sections, the participants have “moderate” mathematics anxiety. Likewise, the participants have “moderate” mathematics anxiety before and after learning heuristic strategies. There is no significant difference in the level of mathematics anxiety when the participants were grouped according to sections and before and after learning heuristic strategies. The perceived causes of mathematics anxiety of the participants were mostly attributed to their bad experience with their teachers in basic education such as “terror” teachers, physical or verbal punishment, as well as time pressure during math examinations/quizzes. Another identified factor was the quality of teaching like teachers spoke too fast or spoke with a low voice. Some of the common coping mechanisms of the participants were “studying harder”, “utilizing problem-solving strategies or heuristics”, “ asking help from peers”, “listening attentively during class “, and “developing positive attitude” in mathematics.