EFFECT OF MATHEMATICS ANXIETY ON GRADE 10 STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: IN THE CASE OF AMEYA WOREDA SECONDARY SCHOOLS, SOUTH WEST SHOA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

Mathematics Anxiety is a negative emotional reaction to mathematics that can be debilitating. It has been defined as “a feeling of tension and anxiety that interferes with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in ordinary life and academic situations.” The severity of Mathematics Anxiety can range from a feeling of mild tension all the way to experiencing a strong fear of mathematics. people with higher levels of mathematics anxiety tend to perform more poorly on assessments of mathematics skills whilst those with better performance in mathematics tend to report lower levels of mathematics anxiety The study was conducted to analyze the prevalence and level of mathematics anxiety and the association between mathematics anxiety and students achievement among grade 10 students in South West Shoa Zone of Ameya Woreda secondary schools. The study sample was 105 male and 87 female students which were selected from the population of 412 male and 340 female students using systematic sampling method from two secondary schools. The descriptive survey design was used and questionnaire was used in the collection of data. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 was used to analyze data collected from the sample under study to perform variety of data analysis. The findings of the study led to the conclusions that level of mathematics anxiety of grade 10 students in both schools was high and there were moderate negative correlation (r (192) = -.551, p=<.001)between mathematics anxiety and students achievement. The study found out that there was no significant mean difference between mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement of male and female students. The study also found that mathematics anxiety and attitude towards mathematics were highly influential and strong predictors of mathematics achievement. Finally, the study recommended that to decrease the anxiety level of students and improve mathematics achievement teachers be aware of the effect of mathematics anxiety on students achievement and should provide the students with the information and skills necessary to manage and overcome their mathematics anxiety.