Test anxiety and mathematics anxiety as a function of mediated learning experience and metacognitive skills

This study investigated the relationship of metacognitive strategies, self efficacy, resource management strategies, gender, and tutors' intensity of mediated learning experience with students' mathematics and test anxiety. Data were collected from 232, eighth grade students on the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire and the Mathematics Anxiety Scale. Demographic information such as student's gender, age, dream job, marks scored in last mathematics exam and occupation of both parents was also collected. Data were also collected from 28 mathematics tutors, of the participating eighth grade students. The researcher observed the tutors' teaching style for half an hour while they taught the group. The researcher rated the tutors' application of concepts of mediated learning experience using the Mediated Learning Experience Rating Scale.;The following conclusions were drawn from this study: (a) There is a statistically significant relationship between students' scores on test anxiety and mathematics anxiety. (b) Best predictors of students' test anxiety were tutor's intensity of mediated learning experience, students' scores on elaboration dimension of cognitive and metacognitive strategies and students' scores on self efficacy. (c) Best predictors of students' mathematics anxiety were tutor's intensity of mediated learning experience, students' scores on self efficacy, students' scores on rehearsal and elaboration dimensions of cognitive and metacognitive strategies and students' scores on effort regulation dimension of resource management strategies. An explanation of strategies helpful in reducing students' test and mathematics anxiety, as well as recommendation for future research is included.