The Relationship between Mathematics Score and Mathematics Anxiety among Biology Education Students

Abstract

Students need to be anxiety free when it comes to Mathematics. This phenomenon is an unpleasant sensation that interferes with someone’s ability to communicate well with Mathematics. Although several studies have investigated the relationship between Mathematics anxiety and Mathematics proficiency, none has explored the effect of Mathematics anxiety on individual student’s Mathematics scores, particularly of Biology education students. A correlational analysis was performed with quantitative research method to explore the association between Mathematics scores and Mathematics anxiety. 68 participants were recruited for the study, using non-probability sampling, voluntarily and purposively. A student’s mathematics anxiety was assessed using a mathematical anxiety scale. The data was analysed by correlation and regression analysis to determine whether Mathematics anxiety was associated with the students’ success. The mathematical model is the best approximation of the relationship between variables described by the equation (3.6 + 0.0 A1 - 0.5 A2 - 1.6 A3 - 2.3 A4 - 2.9 A5). The results suggest that poor Mathematics skills increase with levels of anxiety. Students with the least amount of anxiety are predicted to get passing grades of A and B, whereas those with more anxiety are likely to get lower grades of D and E.