Teaching Methods in Mathematics and Their Impact on Sixth-Grade Students' Mathematics Anxiety, Attitudes, and Achievement

The focus of this study was to determine if statistical significant differences occurred in sixth grade ability-grouped students' mathematics anxiety, attitude towards mathematics, and mathematics achievement when taught by three different teaching methods. Additionally, it was questioned as to whether gender affected the outcomes. Three different assessments were utilized in this quasi-experimental, nonrandomized control group, pretest-posttest design study. The 67 participants were taught using three instructional approaches: (a) technology-based instruction, (b) multiple intelligence-based instruction, or (c) traditional-based instruction. The Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale and the Attitude Toward Mathematics Inventory, as well as the Foundations of Algebra Assessment were utilized to determine significance. Using a three-way MANOVA, the results showed that collectively, significance was seen in gender and the interaction of method and ability group. Moreover, the interaction of teaching method, ability group, and gender also showed significance. When the analysis was performed on the independent variables, results showed significance was observed in male and female attitudes. Males showed preference for the technology-based instruction while females showed preference for the multiple intelligence-based instruction. Furthermore, significance in attitude was observed with ability groups. High ability students and average ability students favored the technology approach while low ability students favored the multiple intelligence approach. Significance was also apparent when teaching methods were compared. Both males and females scored significantly higher with the traditional approach. When the interaction of teaching method, ability group, and gender was analyzed, attitude for males and females exhibited significance. High ability male students preferred the technology approach while average ability male students preferred the traditional approach. Somewhat similar, low ability male students preferred both the multiple intelligence approach and the traditional approach. Attitude for high ability female students showed significance with the multiple intelligence method, whereas attitude for average ability female students showed significance with the technology approach. Attitude for low ability female students showed significance for the multiple intelligence approach. When ability group with achievement was compared, high ability students scored significantly higher than average ability students and low ability students. No significance occurred when anxiety was examined.