From Misery to Mastery: Supporting Adult Online Learners Experiencing Math Anxiety in Quantitative Business Courses
Concurrent Session 3
Brief Abstract
Many adult learners suffer from math anxiety, which affects their performance in quantitative business coursework. Our study suggests that using supplemental instruction delivered in a servant leadership instructional style significantly reduces math anxiety. Learn about the instructional techniques, ideas, and methods used to reduce math anxiety in the online modality.
Presenters


Extended Abstract
Math anxiety is very common among adult learners and influences performance in quantitative business coursework. This presentation, based on a study of adult online undergraduate business students, identifies the possible causes and developments of math anxiety in adult online learners. We also investigate the impact of supplemental instruction delivered in a servant leadership instructional style in reducing math anxiety.
In sharing our research, the students in the study were enrolled in a business statistics course, a requirement of their bachelor’s degree program. The adult learners’ math anxiety was measured using the Math Anxiety Rating Scale Short Version (MARS-SV) with a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. During the course, the students in the treatment group were supported with supplemental instruction methods delivered in a servant leadership instructional style. The statistical analysis of the pretest and posttest results of the MARS-SV, supported a significant reduction in the levels of math anxiety for the students in the treatment group.
This interactive presentation includes a self-test measurement of math anxiety and offers techniques and strategies for reducing math anxiety in adult online students.
Session Outcomes
- Define the causes and developments of math anxiety in adult learners.
- Identify personal level of math anxiety.
- Describe servant leadership behaviors.
- Demonstrate ways to reduce math anxiety using supplemental instruction and modeling servant leadership behaviors.
- Review the various technologies used to supplement quantitative business instruction in the online modality.