Creative Writing Activities: Effects on Student Anxiety, Attitude and Achievement in Mathematics

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of using creative writing activities in mathematics on students’ mathematics anxiety, attitude towards writing in mathematics, and mathematics achievement. The relationship between attitude towards writing in mathematics and mathematics anxiety and their relationship to mathematics achievement were also analyzed. Using a quasi-experimental design, the data were collected from 60 respondents from three intact classes of college freshman students from a university in Iloilo City from June 23, 2014 to October 2, 2014.

Results of the study showed that significant differences were noted in the mathematics text anxiety of students who were exposed to Treatment 1, Treatment 2, and Conventional set up. The post hoc test revealed that students exposed to Treatment 2 and significantly lower mathematics test anxiety than the Conventional group.

Likewise, significant differences were noted on students’ attitude towards writing in mathematics. The post hoc test showed that students exposed to Treatment 2 have a significantly more positive attitudes towards writing in mathematics than students exposed to Treatment 1.

On the other hand, no significant increase was noted on students’ mathematics achievement after exposure to the three methods of instruction. There was no significant decrease in the mathematics anxiety of students after exposure to Treatment 1 and the Conventional set up. However, there was a significant decrease in the mathematics anxiety of students after exposure to Treatment 2.

There was a significant decrease in the mean score of students in the Writing Attitude Scale after exposure to Treatment 1 and the Conventional set up. However, there was no significant increase in the mean score of students in the Writing Attitude Scale after exposure to Treatment 2.

The paired-samples t-test showed that there was a significant increase in students’ mathematics anxiety and attitude towards writing in mathematics. Finally, the result of the Standard Multiple Regression analysis revealed that mathematics anxiety was a significant predicator of mathematics achievement.

It was concluded that creative writing activities done in small groups could help reduce students’ mathematics text anxiety. Furthermore, a reduced level of mathematics anxiety will likely have a corresponding increase in mathematics achievement test scores.

It was recommended that creative writing activities should be done in small groups to help reduce students’ mathematics test anxiety.