Impact of Cooperative Learning and Peer Tutoring to Students who are Experiencing Anxiety in Mathematics

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Students are facing difficulties and experiencing Mathematical anxiety. It's been a burden to mathematics teachers since one of our goals is to uplift the students’ confidence when it comes to numbers and problem-solving. Math must be looked upon in a positive way to reduce numbers anxiety. This research determined the creative teaching through cooperative learning and peer tutoring to help students' who experience mathematics anxiety and build up their confidence level in working with numbers.

METHODS

Mathitude Survey was used. A survey conducted to the students chosen in relation to the students' attitude in Mathematics. Then, the participants who had high mathematics anxiety were selected based on the responses from the survey. Data were collected from the four stages: Stage One: Peer Tutoring Model, where each participant have an assigned tutor of their own. The tutor had to give suggestions and provide explanations and check and report the student's works. Stage Two: Cooperative learning Model, where the teacher prepared tasks that will be accomplished in cooperative groups. Stage Three: Observation, was a teacher as the researcher listened, observed, and analyzed the focus groups. Stage Four: The Interview, which was carried out again after the conduct ofthe research.

RESULTS

The result of this study revealed that the students' mathematics anxiety was reduced when they worked together with their friends. They tried to face and challenge it because they really learned to become better in mathematics in cooperative learning. It makes the students understand their own as well as their friends’ learning process. In connection to this, the students have gained self-esteem and confidence in working with mathematics since their anxiety level have been overcome.

DISCUSSIONS

Teachers should encourage students to work cooperatively through peer tutoring because collaboration is useful and able to reduce stress and tension in mathematics learning. However, the creating of peer tutoring and cooperative learning environment for students does not mean that it allows the teachers to escape from their responsibility. The teachers play a very important role as the facilitator and coordinator for the tutoring and cooperative discussing learning activities.