The Anxiety Level of Selected Grade 11

Students of Malabon City Technical

Vocational and Entrepreneurship Senior
High School towards studying Mathematical
Problems

Prepared and Submitted by:

MarcAldem N. Salac
Vincent F. Iligan
Maria Donita T. Nocum

Submitted to:

Ronald Dianzon
 I. CASE BACKGROUND

Mathematics is one of many learning matters of students and Mathematical

Problems are drills to learn and appreciate mathematics further. However there are still
many learners specifically in high school who struggle in this matter. This is also
observable in MALABON CITY TECHVOC AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP SENIOR
HIGH SCHOOL (MCTVE) students, in a traditional classroom setting, don’t have
enough groundwork or preparation before the class, don’t have enough focus to learn
while the teacher is discussing the concepts and complete the day’s apprehension with
a homework that will be submitted before the next session. It is like an unending cycle,
but then knowledge retention became more of a problem, not to mention the perceptions
of the students about Mathematical Problems.

Another concern is the time. The practice of activities involving practical and
group-based works in a classroom consumes much time. The average amount of time
in Mathematics class in the Philippines ranges from 3 to 5 hours a week; this is enough
only for the teacher to deliberate comprehensively and properly Mathematical concepts,
but fewer opportunities to the students to indulge in the certain topic. The lesser the
teaching time the cloudy the conclusion the teacher can give during a classic
Mathematics class period. This also results to higher anxiety levels of students when
dealing with mathematics more specifically in Mathematical problems. This is where
outside classroom activities are needed to enhance instructions.
 II. INTRODUCTION

Stress is described as any factor that makes adaptation to an environment difficult

for the individual to maintain a state of equilibrium between himself and the external
environment (Humphrey, Yow & Bowen 2000). It includes a physical and mental
response to meet the demands of the stressful event (Richlin-Klonsky & Hoe 2003).
These events or conditions that put a strain on the individual are called stressors
(Santrock 2003). There are variations in individual reactions to stressors. The factors
for the variations may be due to the differences in their age, sex/gender, ethnicity,
genetic predisposition, medical history, religious beliefs, physical fitness, attitudes and
behavior patterns, social support, education status, and socioeconomic background
(Larkin 2005).

College students in the Philippines are very often in the late adolescent years. As
students, they are said to experience a unique cluster of stressors (Garrett 2001) which
may have a significant impact on their ability to cope with college life (Dussellier etal.
2005). Some of these may be internal while some may be external to the individual.
There are interpersonal, intrapersonal, academic and environmental stressors (Ross,
Neibling & Heckert 1999). Generally, it was the intrapersonal stressors (change in
sleeping habits, desire for vacation/break, change in eating habits, new responsibilities)
which were reported as the most frequent sources of stressors of college students. The
fifth source was the increased class workload. Agolla and Ongori (2009) specifically
pointed out stressful activities such as exams, papers, organization activities, deadlines
and the like. How adolescents perceive stress is crucial to their well-being as individuals
and learners. The individual's perception of the stressor and ability to adapt to the
stressor are significant in the perception of whether the stressor is equal to or exceeding
his emotional and behavioral resources to cope (Hardesty 2006; Amponsah & Owolabi
2011). Exposure to many stressors during this period can be related to psychological
symptoms such as depression and anxiety (Charbonneau et al. in Moksnes et al. 2010).
If it is severe and prolonged, it could affect the student’s academic performant
 III. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In MCTVE Senior High School, students are prepared with capability in using
technology. This element benefits teachers to use technology during classroom lessons
with ease. The use of technology creates a good ambience while discussing
Mathematics and furnishes development of interests of the students. By the research of
Myllykoski (2006) he found out that the practice of instructional videos during
discussions produced positive response from the students; they have reported that the
instructional videos and other methods using technology aided them to recall the
specific matters in Mathematics. Even the results in their exams displayed great
development. Also, almost all of the students who were stated to be peer learners have
learned better with the help of their peers, solved mathematical problems by themselves.
This shows that if used properly, technology-aided classroom teaching will produce
better confidence, retention and performance of the students. Thus, it is a way of
lowering anxiety levels of students towards Mathematics, let alone Mathematical
Problems.
 IV. ANALYSIS ON THE ISSUE, CAUSES AND OTHER FACTORS

1. Anxiety

Anxiety is a term used to describe a normal feeling people experience

when faced with threat, danger, or when stressed. When people become anxious,
they typically feel upset, uncomfortable, and tense - AGDoH (2014)

In his research, Mutodi (2014) claimed that is actually the old-style Mathematics
class practices that case the great anxiety among many students, these alleged traditional
practices include imposed authority, public exposure and time deadlines. He further
explained that the best ways to reduce anxiety and probably, a sense of competition and
tension among students, is to apply teaching methods which include less lecture, more
student directed classes and more discussions.

“Cooperative groups provide students a chance to exchange ideas, to ask questions

freely, to explain to one another, to clarify ideas in meaningful ways and to express
feelings about their learning. Much of the anxiety happens in the classroom due to the
lack of diversity in learning styles of students. Mathematics must be looked upon with
a positive attitude to reduce math anxiety. Therefore, teachers must re-examine
traditional teaching methods which often do not match students’ learning styles and
skills needed in a technologically advanced society. Lessons must be presented in a
variety of ways which accommodates students’ different learning styles. It may also be
due to the complexity of the mathematics curriculum where more advanced concepts
are introduced at the higher level. These results may also have an impact on the way
mathematics is taught in the lower grade levels. Teachers need to use instructional
strategies that are suitable for the cognitive abilities of the students and progression of
the content should be gradual. The current data suggest that both challenging and caring
environments positively influence math self-efficacy. It is interesting to note that
perceptions of teacher caring effected math self-efficacy as strongly as perceptions of
challenge and mastery. It is not hard to imagine that when students believe that their
math teachers have a personal interest in their well-being and concerns, they have less
anxiety and are more confident in their ability to do their math work.” (Mutodi, 2014)

This is what anxiety in Mathematics essentially springs out from negative

experiences in a mathematics class. In his Research, Hamza (2013) defines it as a
situation wherein students feel frustration because of the lack of explanation of the
phases of mathematical processes. Thus, the student does not immediately grasp the
procedures or ideas being taught at a specific class or session. Furthermore, too many
activities and drill exercises contribute to frustration and anxiety which in turn results
to frustration of not being able to keep up with the lesson more specifically with the
whole class.

2. Learning Mathematics

Mathematics knowledge is the outcome of the interweaving progressions done in a

mathematics classroom teaching. Aside from the processes, this is continuously affected
by how Mathematics is perceived by the students and presented by the teacher. Most of
the times, this is being traced to how the educator teach rather than how the students
learn. This conflict is one of the things that need to be discussed since Knowledge about
Mathematics is actually a creation of both.

As quoted by Pagtulon-an and Tan (2018), there are many factors that contribute to
low performance in Mathematics among students. These include classroom
environment, teacher’s personality and teaching approaches. Most of these reasons are
due to the fact that teachers do not innovate their classroom style and are more focused
on what they should od rather than what the students should do. This is an understanding
that the traditional setup is not anymore conductive to meet the new way and methods
of student’s learning.
 V. IDENTIFIED SOLUTION/ BEST SOLUTION CHOSEN

The Flipped Classroom Model

Source: Bishop, J. & Verleger, M. (2013). The Flipped Classroom: A Survey of the
Research. Utah State University

The Flipped Classroom model is a model for teaching where technology is used
to influence the learning in the classroom, so that the teacher can allocate more time
interacting with students instead of lecturing. It is called the flipped class model because
the whole classroom/homework paradigm is “flipped”. In its simplest terms, what used
to be classwork (lecture) is done at home via teacher-created videos and what used to
be homework is now done in class.

In result of this method, students are able to work at their own pace, have more
confidence and became curious resulting to all students learn in their own individualized
way.

As observed by Marlowe (2012), he noticed some improvements. The students

exhibited the greatest increase in semester grades with low performing students. This is
because these students were given more opportunities for small group work/ discussion
and one-to-one contact with the teacher. He continued the flipped classroom model and
it influenced more students to succeed. The top achievers will be motivated and learn
regardless of the teaching style, but if the flipped classroom model will help motivate
middle and low achieving students to work harder and learn in a more efficient manner,
that is worth exploring. The flipped classroom model became an appropriate method
for differentiation and for creating an independent learner.

The most important part of teaching in a flipped learning model requires teachers
to not just present lectures on videos and in classroom, it must be face-to-face class time
for dynamic and active, inquiry-based, and cooperative learning opportunities for the
students.

VI. CONCLUSION/ RECOMMENDATION

Devising a Flipped type of a classroom inspires students of different intelligences

to learn in their own pace, style and manner. The Theory of Multiple Intelligences by
Howard Gardner explains that not all students learn through listening to a lecture, to
which a similar concern brought out by a Flipped classroom. Those students who like
to see how a thing is done, those students who like to learn in their own, those students
who like to use technology in learning, those students who like to learn without time
restrictions, those students who like to be responsible in discovering their own learning
and other type of students as mentioned by Gardner is being catered by the Flipped
classroom.

Mathematics teachers may use the necessary and available technology to

enhance learning. Teachers may also consider the concept of having prepared
instructions done outside the class schedule. Teachers are encouraged to refrain from
using home based activities like assignments as a final summary of the previous lesson,
but rather, to use them as an introduction and pre-discussion of the next lesson.

Mathematics educators are encouraged to apply the Flipped Classroom model in

class improve the students anxiety level and create more meaningful and healthy
exchange of ideas inside the class. In connection to this, teachers are encouraged to
prepare amply activities inside the class and maximize the class with interaction rather
than pure lecture-discussion
VII. REFERENCE LIST

1. Myllykoski, T. (2016). Educational Videos and the use of Tools in

Mathematics Remedial Instruction. Tampere University of Technology

2. Australian Government Department of Health (August 20, 2014)- What is an

anxiety Disorder? Brochure

3. Mutodi, P. & Ngirande, H. (2014). Exploring Mathematics Anxiety:

Mathematics Students’ Experiences. Mediterranean Journal Of Social Sciences,
Vol. 5, No. 1 30.

4. Hamza, E. & Helal, A. (2013). Maths Anxiety in College Students across

Majors: A Cross-Cultural Study. Educational futures, Vol. 5 (2)

5. Pagtulon-an, E. & Tan, D. (2018). Students’ Mathematics Performance and

Self-Efficacy Beliefs in a Rich Assessment Tasks Environment. Asian
Academic Research Journal of Multidisciplinary, Vol.5, Issue 2. 54-6

6. Bishop, J. (2013). The Flipped Classroom: A Survey of the Research. Utah

State University.

7. Marlowe, C. (2012). The Effect of Flipped Classroom on Student Achievement

and Stress. Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana.