CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Education of mathematics has long demonstrated that math learning

difficulties is a common and important problem among students of all ages. It

is understood that math is difficult to understand and of little interest to certain

people. Mathematics has importance over and above the application of basic

numeracy skills. It is also the primary tool for developing higher-order

cognitive skills and student’s logical thinking. In this connection, a positive

attitude towards mathematics among students is an important goal of

mathematics education in many areas. It cannot be denied that mathematics

plays an important role in life but the reality is majority of students find it very

difficult to acquire the different mathematical skills and processes that are

useful in their everyday lives. Some students view mathematics as their

weakness, as result students perform poorly in Math (Ganal, 2014).

Mathematics has often been termed the “gatekeeper” of success or failure for

high school graduation and career success (National Research Council

[NRC], 1989). In addition, statistics show that the school performance in the

recently concluded National Achievement Test (NAT) administered last March

2014, the Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of the mathematics subject is only

69.75% which is far from its target of 75% mastery level (DepEd, 2014).

In school, most students find Mathematics as one of the most difficult

subjects. Normal settings show that usually, young people display fear and
negative views about this particular subject (Piad, 2012). According to Garnett

(1998), many students face math learning problems of different types; these

learning difficulties range from easy to hard, and require instructional attention

and various treatment methods. Some of the most common math learning

problems include: (a) difficulty in memorizing basic number facts; (b)

computational and arithmetic weakness; (c) confusion about terminology and

the written symbolic notation system of school math; and (d) weak

understanding of concepts due to students’ learning styles (Garnett, 1998).

This learning problems result to the students’ lower performance in math

activities.

Apart from lower performance in math exercises and tests, these math

learning difficulties can also result in avoidance behavior and negative insight

of the particular subject. Often, students with math learning difficulties exhibit

high math anxiety, which is defined as “a feeling of tension, apprehension, or

fear that interferes with math performance” (Ramirez, 2015). This math

related problem was first reported by Dreger and Aiken (1957), who noticed

that students demonstrated emotional reactions to arithmetic and

mathematics. According to their study, math anxiety is distinct from general

anxiety, not necessarily related to overall intelligence, and can contribute to

poor performance in mathematics. These findings were substantiated and

reinforced by more recent research (Richardson and Suinn, Tobias and

Weissbroad, Wingfield and Meece, Ashcraft and Kirk, 1972, 1980, 1988,

2001), indicating that there is a negative correlation between math

achievement and math anxiety. Mathematics Anxiety is the result of the

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student’s negative attitude or embarrassing experience with their Math

teachers in previous years. This negative mindset results to loss of focus and

poor performance in Mathematics.

Students who do not get it the first time are not likely to get it the next

several times it is taught in the usual manner. These reasons may cause

students to fail in this subject or else may lack of mathematical knowledge

such as terms, facts, formulas and procedures as they move to next grade

level. Some of them may find it difficult to cope with new and higher

discussions. They may lack motivation as they face on their Math subject next

grade level (Philips, 2015).

Educational games have the potential of addressing these problems.

Interactive immersive games can consume children’s attention for hours while

providing them with effective instruction and an engaging learning experience.

Games have been widely used to promote children’s mathematics

achievement in various domains including problem-solving and algebra skills

(Abramovich, 2010). People of all ages love to play games that are fun and

motivating. Games give students opportunities to explore fundamental

number concepts, such as the counting sequence and computation strategies.

Engaging mathematical games can also encourage students to explore

number combinations, place value, patterns, and other important

mathematical concepts. Further, they afford opportunities for students to

deepen their mathematical understanding and reasoning (Rutherford, 2015).

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 As part of recent reform efforts in mathematics education,

mathematical discussion and use of technology have emerged as key

characteristics of high-quality instruction and engaging mathematics.

Mathematical discussion enables students to think about “what it means to

know mathematics, what makes something true or reasonable, and what

doing mathematics entails. It is central to both what students learn about

mathematics and how they learn it” (Anderson-Pence, 2017).

According to (Anderson, 2016), Mathematical games give the

opportunity to model good strategies and reveal any misconceptions. He also

finds it a great way to develop and continue good relationships with the

students. Playing mathematical games encourages strategic thinking, problem

solving, and develops fluency. They give the chance for students to apply

their learning in a different context and the opportunity to explain and discuss

the mathematics with their peers often without fear of failure.

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Problem Statement

Gingoog City Comprehensive National High School is one of the

schools having huge number of Grade 7 enrollees. With regards to this, grade

7 students were required to enroll mathematics as their pre-requisite subject.

Most of the students admitted that Mathematics is one of the tough subjects

they have encountered. Some students view mathematics as their weakness,

as result students perform poorly in Math. Normal settings show that usually,

students display fear and negative insights about this particular subject. M.H.

Del Pilar is one of the Grade 7 sections of GCCNHS having fifty-eight (59)

students of school year 2016-2017.

Based on the remarks given by one of the advisers of Grade 7,

result reveals that among fifty-nine (59) students, there were 6.78% students

had failed on their Math subject, 10.27% of them dropped out and 3.39% of

population had retained. Other students have lesser increase in their

diagnostic result, the rest have no post-test, dropped the subject and

transferred to other school. These results reveal that most of the students find

Math difficult. This proves that this students experienced math anxiety.

Among fifty-nine (59) students, 74.58% of the population has the higher

chance of failing based on the diagnostic result. 3.39% of the population got

higher increase from the pre-test to post-test result which indicates that they

acquire lower chance of failing.

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 Due to the problem stated above, the researchers propose Arithmetic

Adventure: Mathematical Tool to Reduce Students’ Math Anxiety.

Mathematical game provides students with opportunities to explore

fundamental number concepts such as counting sequence and computation

strategies. Engaging mathematical games can also encourage students to

explore number combinations, patterns and other important mathematical

concepts. Further, this provides opportunities for the students to deepen their

mathematical understanding and learning.

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Objectives:

Arithmetic Adventure: Mathematical Tool to Reduce Students’ Math

Anxiety and Improve Math Subject Performance primarily aims to improve the

math subject performance of the Grade 7 students in Gingoog City

Comprehensive National High School (GCCNHS), Gingoog City. It will

engage themselves in Math activities that will reduce student’s Math anxiety

and motivate them to potentially learn and love Mathematics 7 subject.

Research Questions:

1. What are the causes of math anxiety of the grade 7 students

enrolled in mathematics algebra at Gingoog City Comprehensive

National High School?

2. What is the level of respondents Math Anxiety?

3. What is the level of respondents Math subject performance in terms

of Diagnostic Tests?

a. Pre-Test b. Post-Test

4. Is there a significant difference in their math subject performance

when their level of math anxiety was reduced through the Arithmetic

Adventure: Mathematical Tool to Reduce Students’ Math Anxiety?

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Conceptual Framework

Input Process Output

Figure 1.0 Conceptual Framework of Arithmetic Adventure

This research will use the Arithmetic Adventure to lessen the student’s

math anxiety and help students improve their Math subject performance. This

research will need the students’ diagnostic test results and their level of

anxiety for Mathematics subject. Also, this research will need Gamification

Theory, Game-based Learning Theory, and Cognitive-learning theory.

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Scope and Limitation

This research only covers the grade 7 students of Gingoog City

Comprehensive National High School; section Tandang Sora particularly in

their math subject performance. The research covers only from first grading

up to second grading period of their math class for the school year 2017 –

2018. This study will not include student’s behavior, absenteeism, student’s

background, student’s status and will only focus on math anxiety of the

students. Also, Grade levels from grade 8 to up to college level will not be

involved in this research. In addition, this research will not include other

schools that carry problems regarding mathematics subject. The targets of

this research are the grade 7 students, who were poor in mathematics due to

some reasons.

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Significance of the Study

This research is significant to the following:

Researchers: This study is important to the researchers because it will

help the grade 7 students to actively engage in Mathematics. Also, it will

develop their skills, better way to improve and practice themselves in actual

application of their learnings as Information Technology students.

Students: This is beneficial to the students who find Mathematics

difficult. This will help the students to have a better Math performance.

Arithmetic Adventure: Mathematical Tool to Reduce Students’ Math Anxiety

will potentially support students to learn and love Mathematics. This is for

students’ opportunity to develop their abilities and Mathematical skills while

they enjoy playing the game.

Teachers: This study is also significant to help the Math teachers in

Grade 7. This will be used as a support for other teaching methods directed at

improvement of teaching and goals realization. It will be a useful aid in

learning mathematics. Using game-based Mathematics for teaching will

increase students’ Math performance, motivation and participation.

Community: This study is important in the community in order to learn

Mathematics that will be needed for productive participation in everyday

situations. This will be a great influence on better achievements in learning

and improving skills necessary for social problem solving and new situations

arise in community.

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 Definition of Terms

The following are the terminologies used in the research:

1. Diagnostic Test – a test to identify areas of strengths and

weaknesses of students for the teachers to design, formulate and

implement appropriate interventions for the sustained improvement

of their academic standing referred from (Fuentes, 2009).

2. Arithmetic Adventure – a game-based mathematical tool to reduce

math anxiety and improve math subject performance.

3. GCCNHS – refers to Gingoog City Comprehensive National High

School, a secondary school located at Brgy. 23 National Highway

Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental Philippines.

4. Mathematics 7 – mathematics subject code for grade 7 level of

students that demonstrates understanding of key concepts and

principles of number sense, measurement, algebra, geometry,

probability and statistics as applied in critical thinking, problem

solving, reasoning, communicating, making connections,

representations and decisions in real life referred from (DepEd,

2012).

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5. Math Anxiety - a feeling of tension, apprehension, or fear that

interferes with math performance referred from (Ramirez, 2015).

6. Math subject performance – measures the mathematical literacy of

a student to formulate, employ and interpret mathematics in a

variety of contexts to describe, predict and explain phenomena,

recognizing the role that mathematics plays in the world referred

from (OECD, 2016).

7. Periodical Grades - a number that indicates how a student

performed in a class on the subject in a grading period referred

from (DepEd, 2017).

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