A study of student attitudes in the mathematics classroom : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

Abstract

With so much research on affect and mathematics it is hard to know what to start with. A variety of different situations and experiences influence what a student may feel and believe about math. Things such as anxiety, social norms, gender roles, teachers, and student confidence all play some part of student's attitudes. There is still a lot of research to do in the area of affect and mathematics, but a lot can still be taken from what is known. By having a better understanding of what effects student's attitudes, educators will be able to help students more. I have included several aspects of student attitudes by looking at research and my own study during my student teaching experience. Information and my own ideas about dealing with math anxiety are also included in this paper.