Motivation
The mathematics skills of high school students are under pressure. This has led to challenges among students enrolling in math-intensive courses, such as Physics. Students who experience negative emotions, such as anxiety and hopelessness, are more vulnerable in their study behaviour and learning performance. Koen van Asseldonk and Lennert van Tilburg are organising a Mathematics Warm-Up Week (WUW) to offer students extra support in strengthening maths skills. In what ways can a Warm-Up Week best help students reduce negative emotions related to their skills?
Hypothesis
Lennert and Koen investigate whether students who register for the Warm-up Week differ from those who do not: do they experience more negative performance emotions? In addition, they are looking at which elements of the Warm-up Week respond to this. Having investigated this, they will see whether a redesign of the Warm-up Week, based on the data obtained, can contribute to students experiencing more positive and less negative maths performance emotions.
Desired solution
Lennert and Koen's research project aims to investigate the role of negative performance emotions, to ultimately improve students' learning in mathematics. Upon completion of the study, recommendations can be made to better tailor Warm-up Week to students' needs.
Plan of action
Lennert and Koen use surveys, interviews and maths grades for data collection. The surveys are distributed to prospective first-year students of maths intensive courses. The interviews are conducted after the Warm-up Week and focus on identifying which components in the Warm-up Week have an effect on perceived performance emotions. They are interested in the scores of performance emotions before, immediately after and long after the Warm-up Week. Ultimately, recommendations are formulated to improve the Warm-up Week so that it contributes to reducing negative performance emotions in students.