Math anxiety is a pervasive problem faced by STEM students and teachers, both nationally and globally.  Math anxiety undermines student performance and interest in math, discourages students from pursuing math-related careers, and reduces teaching self-efficacy among STEM teachers.  Recent research in educational psychology has revealed important insights into the causes of math anxiety as well as simple strategies that can mitigate its effects.    This course presents the current state of research on math anxiety along with evidence-based psychological strategies that can be implemented immediately to reduce the negative impact of math anxiety on students.  

The first half of the course introduces the topic of math anxiety and examines its causes and consequences. The second half of the course provides easy-to-implement strategies for combating math anxiety.  The course provides downloadable templates for some of the strategies. Participants will ultimately complete a final project in which they develop a multi-faceted plan, with measurable objectives, for reducing the effects of math anxiety using the ideas and strategies learned throughout the course. 

In addition to designing a classroom culture in which students feel safe to take risks, participants will be provided simple, easy-to-implement evidence-based techniques for reducing the impact of math anxiety on students.  The techniques are designed to teach students how to think differently about anxiety and the meaning of success and failure. 

Participants complete this ONLINE course at their own pace. NOTE: All CE Credits classes must be completed by August 31, 2019. After registering through PD Enroller, email kaylal@ncesd.org to receive an email with an enrollment code and instructions on how to register. Upon completion of your course, email your certificate of completion to kaylal@ncesd.org. NCESD will mark you attended so you can go to your PD Enroller account, complete an evaluation and then purchase your clock hours.

When an individual enrolls in a course it stays at the Not Started status until they select “start”. On their initial click to start their course they are asked if they are ready to start and are required to read that they have 180 days (a semester) to complete their course. They then check “yes” they are ready to start. If they do not finish within 180 days they can request and pay a $30.00 fee to extend their course for an additional two weeks. This option can be selected from the “student homepage”.