The relationship between epistemological beliefs and teaching anxiety in mathematics

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the anxiety of teaching mathematics and epistemological beliefs of prospective teachers. Research was carried out on 279 teacher candidates studying in the primary education mathematics teaching, secondary education mathematics teaching and class teaching programs. A 23-item Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale and a 35-item Epistemological Belief Scale were applied to the teacher candidates included in the sampling. In the analysis of the data, the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient analysis was applied to determine the relationship between the anxiety of teaching mathematics and epistemological beliefs. As a result of the analysis, it has been determined that a weak, negative correlation exists between the anxiety of teaching mathematics and epistemological beliefs in the teacher candidates. © 2010 Academic Journals.