Mathematics anxiety vs mathematics self efficacy: An introduction to an effective self-designed mathematics board game

Abstract

Many Hong Kong secondary school students suffer from Mathematics anxiety. They experience the learned helplessness, possess low self-esteem and develop fear of mathematics. In exams, they turn to attribute positive outcome to external events and negative outcome to their inefficacy and inability in mathematics. This study reports how two consecutive workshops with a set of self-designed board game can create new mathematic learning experiences for a group of secondary students by promoting their self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation in mathematics. Five Form 2 students took part in this workshop dealing with mensuration, basic geometry, algebraic expressions and percentage problem. The intended small size of the group is to maintain sufficient attention to each student. During the process, optimal challenge was attended in the mathematics question item design to ensure a positive learning experience with verbally acknowledgement of their progress. Sufficient cue cards were given to accompany their journey to challenge of more difficult questions, which went in line with a psychological experience of building up their competence and self-confidence. In addition, social modelling effect in a group learning environment helped participants to reduce their stress when they tackle the mathematical problems together as a group. A puzzle (i.e. a letter) was given to them after spontaneously taking the challenge and successfully answering the questions. Therapeutic empowerment for arranging the puzzle game in the wordings “CONFIDENCE” underlines their process and effort to strive for their own confidence. The results of pre and post measures of Mathematics problem-solving test, self-efficacy questionnaire and subjective evaluation questionnaire confirmed the effectiveness of the workshops with the self-designed mathematic board games.