Investigating mathematics anxiety among mature students in service mathematics courses using the mathematics anxiety scale U.K.

Abstract

The decision to undertake undergraduate studies as a mature student poses challenges, especially when service mathematics is part of the programme of study, giving rise to mathematics anxiety. Mathematics anxiety comprises negative feelings pertaining to a person’s engagement with mathematics. While much research into mathematics anxiety concentrates on students in second-level and higher education, there has been a paucity of research focusing on mature students learning service mathematics, and particularly in an Irish context. The drive to widen access to undergraduate education means that more and more mature students engage with programmes with obligatory service mathematics courses. The current study employs a quantitative approach to investigate mathematics anxiety among mature students learning service mathematics in Ireland. A survey was administered comprising biographical questions and the Mathematics Anxiety Scale U.K. (MAS-U.K.). The findings demonstrate that mathematics anxiety exists among this cohort, with situations of mathematics evaluation resulting in higher levels of mathematics anxiety. The findings also critique the MAS-U.K. as a method of investigating mathematics anxiety among mature students, and present suggestions for effectively using the scale in future studies.

KEYWORDS:

• Mathematics anxiety
• Mature student
• Service mathematics
• Undergraduate education
• Mathematics Anxiety Scale U.K. (MAS-U.K.)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 A higher education college in the Republic of Ireland offering career and market-oriented programmes to part-time and full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students, and aligning with International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) levels 5–8 (HEA, 2020; UNESCO Institute for Statistics [UIS], 2012)

2 Disciplines of study grouped using Ireland’s Higher Education Authority classifications (HEA, 2020).