Abstract
Mathematics anxiety is prevalent in Nigeria where students have a fear of the subject. Much research has been conducted on the level of mathematics anxiety, the differences between the genders, and its relationship with performance. However, little has been done on the factors for mathematics anxiety, and even less on peers’ contribution towards mathematics anxiety. The photovoice approach was applied to capture peers’ speech and behaviour, which can intensify or minimize mathematics anxiety. The findings revealed that peers’ behaviour, such as poor students causing trouble and intelligent students dominating the lesson, and speech, such as using frightening and discouraging statements in the mathematics classroom, has a direct effect on intensifying mathematics anxiety. However, the findings also showed that peer behaviour, such as achievement of peers and group discussions, and speech, such as positive advice, also minimize mathematics anxiety among students. It can be concluded that peers in their day-to-day interaction can have an effect on students’ mathematics anxiety.
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License
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article Type: Research Article
EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 16, Issue 2, February 2020, Article No: em1815
https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/112622
Publication date: 28 Oct 2019
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Article Downloads: 4675
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