Date
5-22-2024
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Jonathan Matthew Bracewell
Keywords
adult learner, mathematics anxiety, motivation, phenomenology, self-efficacy
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Ofosu-Anim, George Asare, "The Perceived Influence of Mathematics Anxiety on Self-Efficacy among Adult Learners at a Technical College in Georgia: A Phenomenological Study" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5619.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5619
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to discover the perceived influence of mathematics anxiety on self-efficacy among adult learners at a technical college in Georgia. The theory of self-efficacy introduced by Albert Bandura which explains how learners develop their self-efficacy beliefs by executing a series of actions while dealing with diverse situations, guided this research study. The central question, “What is the perceived influence of math anxiety on adult learners at a technical college in Georgia?” was answered through this study. Data collection followed a systematic criterion with 10 interviews conducted from a purposeful consideration of the diverse backgrounds of adult learners and their respective motivational levels. Other data collection methods considered for this transcendental phenomenological study included participant observations and document analysis. The data analysis followed a methodical plan including epoché, bracketing, and phenomenological reduction. The three themes that emerged from the study were vicarious, mastery, physiological and emotional, and verbal persuasion experiences. The findings revealed that the influence of mathematics anxiety on the self-efficacy of adult learners stemmed from the absence of factors such as prior knowledge of course content, lack of positive feedback from teachers and peers, deficiency in emotional management skills, and inability to observe and replicate how others solve mathematics problems. Future research should concentrate on utilizing (a) participants enrolled in a university setting, (b) a quantitative approach, (c) a case study to describe adult learners' interaction with teachers, peers, and technology in a mathematics class over some time.
