Patricia Pérez-Tyteca

[Objective] Several researchers point out that future primary school teachers experience Mathematics Teaching Anxiety (MTA), negatively affecting subject teaching and learning and students' affective domain. Therefore, further study is needed in this population. [Methodology] The study used a quantitative approach and a correlational cross-sectional design. Data were collected using a questionnaire based on the Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale and administered to 117 future primary school teachers at Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, during the first semester of 2024. Results were statistically analyzed based on the four MTA dimensions: Content Knowledge (CK), Didactic Knowledge or Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Self-Efficacy (SE), and Attitudes towards the Teaching of Mathematics (AT). [Results] In general, participants have an average MTA level; 62% of the participants are grouped into medium, high, or very high levels. Furthermore, they present a medium level of anxiety in CK and SE, and a low level in PCK and AT. The correlation between the MTA and its dimensions showed positive and significant relationships in all cases. [Conclusions] In MTA, SE and CK are the most influential dimensions. Age, academic performance, and preference for specific subjects or grades influence anxiety levels; those who consider mathematics their least preferred subject show greater MTA. Consequently, comprehensive teacher training that addresses MTA is needed.

[Objective] This study aimed to deepen the understanding of anxiety associated with teaching mathematics among university students in Primary Education programs in Costa Rica. [Methodology] A descriptive quantitative study was conducted with students from the three public universities offering the Primary Education program in Costa Rica. The sample consisted of 223 pre-service primary teachers. The significance of 11 sociodemographic variables regarding anxiety levels towards teaching mathematics was investigated. Differences between groups were analyzed using t-tests for dichotomous variables and one-way ANOVA for the remaining variables. Data was analyzed with SPSS, and results were considered significant if p < 0.05. [Results] Most participants exhibited a medium level of anxiety regarding the teaching of mathematics. Significant differences were found in academic performance for the general construct and for the dimensions of content knowledge, self-confidence, and attitudes toward teaching mathematics. Significant differences were also observed according to employment status in the content knowledge dimension, the grade they least preferred to teach in that same dimension, and age in the didactic knowledge dimension. [Conclusions] Participants with lower academic performance showed higher levels of anxiety overall. In addition, participants who avoided teaching sixth grade and older subjects exhibited higher levels of anxiety related to their content knowledge and didactic knowledge, respectively.

[Objective] This research project analyze math anxiety and anxiety experienced when teaching math by primary school teachers working for the Ministry of Public Education in Costa Rica. For this purpose, math anxiety and its three dimensions and math teaching anxiety and its four dimensions were determined. In addition, the influence of some variables such as academic performance, sex, and work experience on anxiety were also analyzed. [Methodology] The study was quantitative and had a sample of 372 practicing teachers (336 women and 36 men) from six regions of Costa Rica: San Carlos, North-North Zone, Limón, Los Santos, Puriscal, and Alajuela with ages between 23 and 63 years. Their experience as primary school teachers range from one year to 35 years, while 55 of them are still studying and 317 are not pursuing university studies. [Results] Higher academic performance is associated with lower MA and MTA scores. Furthermore, teachers suffer MA (Math Anxiety) and MTA (Math Teaching Anxiety), years of experience do not improve this situation, and less self-confident subjects experience more MTA. In addition, a positive correlation was found between MA, MTA, and their dimensions, being the correlations between GA (General Anxiety)-EA (Exam Anxiety), MA-GA, SC (Self-Confidence)-AMT (Attitude towards Math Teaching), and MTA-CK (Content Knowledge) the strongest. [Conclusions] The study concludes that the sample shows a significant percentage of MA and MTA, as well as their dimensions, which negatively affects attitude towards mathematics and teachers’ perception and self-confidence when teaching this subject.

El siguiente artículo analiza el nivel de predisposición desfavorable hacia el aprendizaje de la matemática en el estudiantado de la educación secundaria oficial diurna costarricense matriculada en el año 2022. Este se entiende como la “percepción desfavorable hacia el enfrentamiento o abordaje de tareas en el ámbito matemático. Se expresa como disgusto, desagrado, falta de perseverancia o desinterés hacia las tareas matemáticas” (Cerda, Pérez, Aguilar y Aragón, 2018). Se trata de una investigación cuantitativa de tipo descriptivo, que estudia la variable por sexo, nivel educativo o zona de ubicación del colegio, al aplicar la “Escala de Predisposición hacia las Matemáticas (EPMAT)”, creada y validada por Cerda, Ortega, Casas, Del Rey y Pérez (2016). La muestra constó de 2497 estudiantes en el año 2022 (53% mujeres) y fue seleccionada por muestreo simple por conglomerados. En el análisis de los datos se utilizaron las técnicas estadísticas t de Student y ANOVA (complementada con la prueba de Scheffé). Como resultado, se determinan diferencias entre hombres y mujeres en el nivel de predisposición desfavorable hacia el aprendizaje de la matemática: los primeros muestran menores niveles con tamaño del efecto bajo. Además, se detectaron diferencias entre el estudiantado de sétimo y décimo año, los últimos presentaron niveles mayores. También, se detectaron diferencias en la predisposición desfavorable hacia la matemática por tipo de zona de ubicación del colegio, con niveles mayores para los de zona rural y con tamaño del efecto bajo. La investigación devela que aproximadamente un 70% del estudiantado manifestó niveles de predisposición desfavorable hacia el aprendizaje de la matemática bajo, lo cual se valora como un hallazgo positivo. No obstante, se desprende la conveniencia del desarrollo de programas de intervención que mejoren el nivel en esta variable para el 30% restante, sin que sea necesario diferenciar por sexo, nivel o tipo de colegio, porque las diferencias detectadas tienen un “tamaño del efecto” bajo.

Introduction. The results of a study on the perception of mathematics as a male domain in official day high school students in Costa Rica are presented. The study was conducted to evaluate the need to develop intervention programs that promote that women have the same capabilities as men in mathematics. "Male domain" is understood as the belief that men have better conditions than women to learn mathematics and, in general, to perform in environments related to that discipline. Method. This descriptive quantitative research studies the variable by sex, educational level, or school location area, applying the scale Mathematics as a male domain by Fennema and Sherman (1976).The sample consisted of 3,581 students in 2018 (50.8% female), selected by simple cluster sampling. In the data analysis, the statistical techniques of Student's t and Welch (complemented with the Scheffe test) were used. Results. Differences were found between men and women, with men showing higher levels in the variable, with a moderate effect size. Differences were detected between the seventh and eighth level students with those of the ninth, tenth and eleventh levels, with higher values for the first two levels. Differences were also found between schools located in urban areas and those in rural areas, showing higher levels of perception of mathematics as a male domain in the latter, with a moderate effect size. Discussion. The research reveals that approximately 84% of the students have low to very low levels of perception of mathematics as male dominance, which is seen as a positive finding. The results suggest the convenience of developing intervention programs that promote that women have the same competencies as men in mathematics.

El objetivo principal de la investigación fue estudiar el nivel de actitud hacia la matemática de los padres y las madres de familia de estudiantes de la educación secundaria oficial diurna costarricense, analizando la existencia de diferencias por sexo, por nivel de estudio y rango de edad. La investigación es de tipo cuantitativa descriptiva-exploratoria. La muestra estuvo integrada por 1851 personas padres o madres de estudiantes de la educación secundaria pública, académica y diurna costarricense; el diseño muestral fue simple aleatorio estratificado, según la zona de ubicación (rural o urbana) y área geográfica (provincia) a la que pertenecía el estudiantado matriculado en el 2019. Asimismo, las técnicas estadísticas aplicadas fueron la t de Student y ANOVA de un factor para el estudio de las hipótesis de la investigación. Como resultado se infiere que existen diferencias entre hombres y mujeres en el nivel de actitud hacia la matemática, mostrando los primeros niveles superiores con tamaño del efecto bajo. Además, se detectaron diferencias entre las personas con educación primaria incompleta o educación secundaria incompleta con las que tienen educación universitaria completa, mostrando niveles mayores de actitud los últimos. También, se detectaron diferencias en la actitud hacia la matemática entre las personas con edades entre los 35 y los 50 años, con las de edades mayores, con tamaño del efecto bajo. Se concluye que un 75.6 % de las personas encuestadas manifestó niveles de actitud hacia la matemática altos, lo que se valora como un hallazgo positivo.

Mathematical anxiety is one of the affective reactions that have the most significant influence on students' performance. This affective construct negatively influences factors such as academic performance, gender, and the choice of the degree. Earlier studies concluded that there are students in Costa Rica and Spain who suffer from mathematical anxiety; so this article, derived from a research project, deeply analyzes the phenomenon and compares its presence in university students from the National University of Costa Rica and the University of Granada in Spain, and specifies this comparison observing what happens in each country in relation to gender differences and the choice of the degree program. A Likert scale was used to collect the information, which even allowed grouping the data into three categories: mathematical anxiety when facing problems, mathematical anxiety at the moment of exams, and mathematical anxiety in general. In this last category are included situations while teaching mathematics classes. The research is quantitative. The analysis implemented a factorial design in which the measures of mathematical anxiety and its sub-constructs act as dependent variables, and the nationality of the students, sex, and type of career students are enrolled in are the factors considered in the said design. The research revealed that the students of both countries showed similar behaviors concerning their mathematical anxiety. Besides, both in Costa Rica and in Spain, the students with a greater quantity of mathematics courses showed mathematical anxiety, mathematical anxiety when facing problems, mathematical anxiety at the moment of exams, and mathematical anxiety in general, significantly less than the rest of students. We did not find statistically significant differences based on gender in the country; this evidenced that, in both countries, it is accepted that women show higher mathematical anxiety when facing problems, mathematical anxiety at the moment of exams, and mathematical anxiety in general than men. We also found a significant positive correlation between the dependent variables.

El objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizar el uso de una trayectoria de aprendizaje de la longitud y su medida como instrumento conceptual para favorecer la adquisición de la competencia docente “mirar profesionalmente” el pensamiento matemático de los niños. Participaron 64 estudiantes de la carrera de maestro de educación infantil que siguieron un módulo de enseñanza. Este módulo estaba articulado en torno a una trayectoria de aprendizaje sobre la longitud y su medida, con objeto de que los futuros maestros la usaran como instrumento conceptual para describir e interpretar las respuestas de niños de educación infantil a situaciones de enseñanza-aprendizaje (primer esquema de acción instrumental) y proponer tareas en función de la comprensión inferida (segundo esquema de acción instrumental). Los resultados muestran que hay estudiantes que se preparan para ser maestros que no desarrollan ningún esquema de acción instrumental, y otros desarrollan el primer esquema y algunos, ambos; esto proporciona evidencias de la adquisición de la competencia arriba señalada.