Impact of Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge on Students Mathematics Anxiety

Year 2017, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 8 - 17, 19.12.2017

Alioune Khoule Nana Osei Bonsu Hassan El Houari

Abstract

The study investigated the
relationship between conceptual knowledge and mathematics anxiety of remedial
mathematics students in an urban community college. The study sample consisted
of 105 remedial mathematics students from four elementary algebra sections. Two
of these four sections were under Conceptual treatment. The other two sections
were under procedural treatment and served as the control group. Students’
mathematics anxiety was measured using the Mathematics Anxiety Rating
Scale-Revised (Fennema and Sherman, 1976). To measure subjects’ conceptual and
procedural knowledge, the participants completed two quizzes (a conceptual quiz
and a procedural quiz) a week before the final exam. The study found that the
conceptual treatment had more positive impact on students’ mathematics anxiety
as compared to the procedural treatment.

Keywords

Mathematics anxiety, Procedural knowledge, Conceptual knowledge

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