| Abstrakt: |
Math anxiety is pervasive in our society, and it is causing problems for students who want to enter a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pathway. Recent research has suggested that math anxiety, and not math ability, is a better predictor of performance and perseverance in STEM. Interventions to mitigate this anxiety must get to the root of the problem and provide students tools to help ease these feelings when they come to disrupt performance. Our approach uses techniques from mindfulness and self-compassion, which have been linked to reducing anxiety. We have developed modules that can be used in a math (or science) courses to help students understand the anxiety they face. In this paper we examine one of the interventions used, the pre-exam writing, and how it showed a 75 percent increase in statements of confidence and a doubling of statements of positive feelings over the semester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
