The issue of math attitude and math anxiety in STEM students has been till now overlooked. However, the issue occurring in many countries is students’ falling out of the STEM education system during their studies. One of the reasons for this problem may be high math anxiety and a negative math attitude among students. The present study fills a gap in knowledge about this phenomenon among STEM students. 371 Polish STEM students filled questionnaires of math attitude (MASA) and math anxiety (MAQA, SIMA, AMAS). The results are as follow: The mean results show that STEM students have a very positive math attitude in affective and cognitive dimensions and a rather positive math attitude in the behavioral area; On average, STEM students feel very weak anxiety related to math problem solving, weak general math anxiety and math learning anxiety, and a moderate level of math testing anxiety; Among STEM students there are those who present a very negative/negative math attitude and very strong/strong math anxiety; Women feel more intense anxiety related to math problem solving, but there is no gender gap in general math anxiety, math learning and math testing anxiety, and in math attitude. The results suggest that math attitude and math anxiety of STEM students should be monitored. Indeed, not all STEM students have a positive math attitude and feel no math anxiety. Moreover, proper interventions are recommended to decrease math anxiety and improve positive math attitude that in turn may prevent the students’ dropping out from STEM studies.
Starting in the early years of education, math anxiety is negatively related to mathematic outcomes, therefore there is a need for its adequate measurement in young children. This study presents the psychometric properties of the modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale for Elementary Children (mAMAS-E) for first- to third-grade children based on mAMAS. The validity of mAMAS-E was determined by a series of tests. The analysis confirmed its two-factor structure (Testing and Learning), positive relationships between mAMAS-E and math, general, and test anxiety, and a negative relationship with mathematical achievement. Children with a high level of math self-esteem and math self-confidence (but not Polish language self-esteem and self-confidence) have lower math anxiety in comparison to those with a moderate level. The results also indicate that girls have a higher level of math anxiety than boys. The validity and internal consistency of mAMAS-E are satisfactory; therefore, mAMAS-E may be a recommendable questionnaire for measuring math anxiety in young children.
Little is known as to what extent the pandemic lockdown has changed the perceived level of stress and stress-coping strategies. In response to this gap we present the results of quantitative and qualitative studies on stress levels and coping with stress conducted among Polish adults during the COVID-19 lockdown. The first study indicates that the lockdown has changed stress appraisal moderately, and it has also affected stress-coping strategies in various areas. The second study reveals miscellaneous reasons for stress appraisal (health, economic, political, social, freedom restriction, and religious). Participants perceived pandemic and lockdown as a moderate stressor, more as a challenge than a threat. Moreover the avoidant style recognized as the most adaptive reaction on stress in our study, confirms that people have a natural ability to adapt to unpredictable and unexpected situations like COVID-19 lockdown.
W związku z szybkim rozwojem neurobiologii i psychologii poznawczej rosną nadzieje rodziców i nauczycieli wobec możliwości wykorzystania osiągnięć tych dziedzin wiedzy w edukacji. Metody i techniki kształcenia, które u podstaw teoretycznych posiadają wiedzę na temat struktury i funkcji mózgu uważane są powszechnie za bardziej skuteczne niż inne. Przekładanie wyników badań naukowych na konkretne metody wspomagające edukację, a w szczególności ocena ich skuteczności przy zachowaniu wysokich standardów metodologicznych, jest złożonym i trudnym zadaniem. Z tego względu pojawia się szerokie pole do nadmiernych uproszczeń wyników badań, a na tej podstawie tworzone są niesprawdzone metody „wspomagania” nauczania. „Innowacyjne” metody kształcenia (niejednokrotnie z rzetelną wiedzą mające niewiele wspólnego) promowane w popularnonaukowej literaturze stanowią podstawę szkoleń dla nauczycieli i programów kształcenia. W artykule wskazano kryteria rzetelnej oceny skuteczności metod nauczania oraz przedstawiono powszechnie obecne w nauczaniu szkolnym mity na temat mózgu, dokonując ich krytycznej analizy.
XX
Progress in neuroscience and cognitive psychology has raised parent and teacher expectations about possible applications in education. Teaching methods claiming to be based on understanding of the brain are perceived as more efficient. Unfortunately, application of neuroscience to teaching methods and its strictly controlled evaluation is very difficult. Therefore, there is scope for oversimplification and misinterpretation of data leading to the introduction of teaching methods without proper scientific support. „Innovative” methods are especially popular in teacher training and books on the subject. Here we present the evaluation criteria for teaching methods which need to be met for their acceptance. Myths about brain function relevant to education are reviewed and analysed.
In this paper we aim to present The Number Race computer game by Anna Wilson and Stanislas Dehaene (Wilson et al. 2006a) – the tool for remediation of dyscalculia and enhancing math competence for children without specific learning disorders. The game is based on current knowledge about mental representation of numbers and neural structures underlying mathematical cognition. We also present the principles underlying the design of the game as well as research on effectiveness The Number Race. We also point perspectives of using Polish language version of The Number Race.
Poziom kompetencji matematycznych ma bardzo duże znaczenie dla osiągnięcia sukcesu edukacyjnego, wpływa również znacząco na jakość i poziom życia w wieku dorosłym. Niski poziom kompetencji matematycznych może być dla jednostki bardziej dotkliwy niż deficyty w zakresie czytania. Największe możliwości wspierania rozwoju kompetencji matematycznych pojawiają się na początku edukacji, gdyż z czasem deficyty te się pogłębiają. Liniowo zorganizowane gry planszowe z kolejno ponumerowanymi polami stanowią interesujące narzędzie wspomagania kompetencji matematycznych u dzieci. Pomagają wykształcić odpowiednią reprezentację liczebności, a efekty interwencji z ich wykorzystaniem wykraczają poza poprawę w zadaniach, które przypominają bezpośrednio trenowane umiejętności. W pracy przedstawiono przegląd wyników badań nad skutecznością takiej interwencji oraz propozycję zastosowania ich na polskim gruncie. Co więcej, interwencje z ich wykorzystaniem można przeprowadzić w krótkim czasie i przy niewielkim wkładzie finansowym.
EN
Number competence strongly influences educational success, as well as life quality and well-being. Low numeracy can be more of a handicap than poor reading skills. Early deficits are not remedied spontaneously but prevent the development of more advanced skills. There is therefore a need for methods to improve numeracy. Intervention aimed at enhancing number competence is most effective at the earliest stages of the education. Linear number board games are an effective tool that facilitates development of proper linear representation of magnitude in children. The effects of short and inexpensive intervention are prevalent and stable. In the paper we review current research on board game intervention and present a Polish game.
JavaScript jest wyłączony w Twojej przeglądarce internetowej. Włącz go, a następnie odśwież stronę, aby móc w pełni z niej korzystać.