The Relationship between Mathematics Teaching Anxiety and Mathematics Anxiety

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between pre-service teachers' anxiety levels in relation to teaching of mathematics and their mathematics anxiety levels, as well as to determine gender differences in these two anxieties. A total of 316 pre-service teachers were involved in this study. Of the total, 100 were pre-service primary school teachers, 115 were pre-service elementary mathematics teachers, and 101 were pre-service secondary mathematics teachers. A 23-item Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale and a 45-item Mathematics Anxiety Scale were used in data collection. Data analysis involved Pearson Product Moments Correlation Coefficient analysis in order to investigate the relationship between mathematics teaching anxiety and mathematics anxiety and an independent samples t-test in order to examine gender differences in mathematics teaching anxiety and mathematics anxiety. The results indicated a positive, moderate relationship between pre-service teachers' mathematics teaching anxiety and mathematics anxiety. No significant gender differences were found in pre-service teachers' mathematics teaching anxiety and mathematics anxiety.