Mathematics Anxiety and Educational Inequalities: A Territorial Perspective on Mathematics Learning
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70860/ufnt.rbec.e17458Keywords:
mathematical anxiety, academic achievement, mathematical education, school contextAbstract
ABSTRACT. This study investigated the relationships among mathematics anxiety, mathematics achievement, and territorial inequalities. Participants were 312 students from the 5th and 6th grades of elementary education, aged between 9 and 12 years, enrolled in public schools located in different educational territories. Mathematics anxiety was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale for Elementary Children (MARS-E), while mathematics achievement was measured through students’ school grades in mathematics. The results revealed differences associated with educational territories regarding both mathematics anxiety and academic achievement. Students from urban contexts demonstrated higher mathematics achievement than those from non-urban contexts. Specific sex-related differences were also observed across the different territories analyzed. The negative association between mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement reinforces previous evidence concerning the impact of academic emotions on learning. The findings are discussed in light of the Rural Education literature, suggesting that historical, social, and educational inequalities may contribute to the production of differentiated experiences of mathematics learning. The study highlights the importance of educational policies committed to reducing territorial inequalities and promoting more equitable conditions for access, retention, and learning.
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