ABC News Online has reported on maths anxiety and how it affects a student’s ability to process information and perform at their best.
While estimates of how many people experience maths anxiety vary, studies have suggested that it’s somewhere between 6 to 17 per cent of the population. The 2017 Westpac Numeracy Study found maths anxiety affects as many as a third of adults and children in Australia, writes ABC News Science Reporter, Gemma Conroy.
The report references data by the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) that shows Year 12 enrolments in maths has fallen to an all-time low of 66 per cent.
If left unaddressed, maths anxiety can end up shaping decisions you make further down the track, according to Sarah Buckley, who has conducted research on maths anxiety at the Australian Council for Educational Research.
“You might choose not to study maths when it becomes a choice, or you might choose not to pursue a particular career,” she said.
“But even if it feels like numbers will always be your worst enemy, the good news is maths anxiety doesn’t have to rule your life,” Dr Buckley said.
Read more on ABC News Online.
