An of investigation of mathematics anxiety among diploma engineering students

Abstract

Mathematics anxiety has been the focus of much psychological and educational research in the past few years. Mathematics anxiety and mathematics phobia are broad terms that can cover a wide range of symptoms and behaviors. Besides that, mathematics anxiety in many ways is easy to describe and define: it is the feelings of anxiety that some individuals experience when facing mathematical problems. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the level of mathematics anxiety among diploma engineering students in Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP). A total of 169 diploma students participated in this survey. Anxiety was measured using the Math Anxiety Survey (MAS). The data were analyzed by using the SPSS 13.0 statistical program. In conclusion with the analysis, the level of mathematics anxiety among diploma engineering students was interpreted as moderate anxiety. The study also examined the differences towards mathematics anxiety base on gender and diploma programme.