Exploring Mathematics Anxiety in Business Mathematics Students and Its Perceived Influence on Academic Achievement in Higher

Abstract

Mathematics is a foundation of business education, many business students approach it with fear and low motivation. This study explored students’ experiences and sources of mathematics anxiety in Business Mathematics and their perceptions of how that anxiety affects their academic achievement. Achievement was explored as students perceive it; no grades or test scores were collected. A qualitative case study was carried out at a private higher education institution in Rwanda. Eight undergraduate students from the Faculty of Social, Economic Sciences and Business Management who were studying a mathematics module took part. Participants were purposively sampled, and recruitment stopped when the interviews were judged to provide enough information for the study objectives (code saturation). Data came from semi-structured interviews and were analysed with Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-stage thematic analysis, in which codes were grouped into themes and quotations were used only as illustrations. For the first objective, six themes emerged: persistent fear, worry, and physical tension; negative prior schooling experiences; abstract, procedural, and fast-paced teaching; fear of mistakes and judgement by peers; panic during tests and examinations; and recognition that mathematics is basic, yet low attitudes toward it. For the second objective, six further themes emerged: perceived lower test and examination performance; avoidance and withdrawal from mathematics activities; weakened self-efficacy and negative self-labelling; perceived difficulty in applied business modules; reduced persistence, confidence, and progression; and concern about workplace and field readiness. Participants held low attitudes toward mathematics even though they recognised it as basic to accounting, economics, finance, statistics and daily work tasks. The findings suggest that a contextualised, confidence-building approach to teaching Business Mathematics qualities development and testing.