Indian Science Techno Festival ISTF-2021 (Virtual) organized by Raman Science & Technology Foundation, National Council of Teacher Scientist, India and APJ Abdul Kalam National Council of Young Scientist on 26-28 Feb 2021

1. A study on “CHANGING STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS
LEARNING MATHEMATICS BY APPROPRIATE USE OF
TECHNOLOGY”
THEME: Science and Technology for Innovation and Sustainable
India
SUB-THEME: How Teaching become more interesting with the help
of Technology
Dr. C.V. Suresh Babu1
, S. Geetha2
1
Professor, Sathyasai B.Ed. College, Avadi, Chennai, TN, India
Mobile : +91 98402 37456
dr.c.v.suresh.babu@gmail.com
2
M.Ed. Student, Sathyasai B.Ed. College, Avadi, Chennai, TN, India
Mobile : +91 99411 70827
akshayagnanas@gmail.com
PAPER PRESENTATION FOR TEACHERS
10-02-2021

2. ABSTRACT
This paper discusses various reasons for the lack of interest in Mathematics among the
present student community. Education system has undergone many drastic changes. Our
traditional methods of teaching and learning process are slowly transforming to activity-
based learning and task-oriented learning. Still now many students experience Mathematical
anxiety. Many students after their high school education are avoiding maths stream, they are
looking for courses without the subject Mathematics. Mathematics anxiety in student’s
origin from lack of proper understanding of mathematical symbols and their respective
meaning and the inability to follow the algorithms. Another important reason is that the
abstractness of the subject, high school mathematics and higher education mathematics are
often felt vague since it lacks its direct connection with day-to-day life. Technology might
help the students to develop interest, since they get ideas about the various applications of
the content learned in their classrooms.
KEYWORDS: Mathematical anxiety, Motivation, Technology

3. 1 Introduction
"Mathematics is the queen of the sciences and number theory is the queen of mathematics."-
claimed Carl Friedrich Gauss, one of the greatest mathematicians. The applications of
Mathematics are pervasive in almost all fields of life. In today’s technology driven world,
mathematics is the core of all technological developments. This is the reason we are trying to
integrate STEAM in school education. But still many students develop mathematical anxiety
and try to avoid Mathematics in their higher education. This paper reveals about the reasons
for Mathematical anxiety among the students and the possible ways to be implemented in
school education to overcome this anxiety through social networks.
2 Rationale background
Today, many schools are trying to make use of social network to teach mathematics in an
effective way, so that students will learn in an experiential form so that they will build skills
and get deep concept learning. Mathematics is one of the important core subjects of STEAM
education. Many students are afraid of Mathematics and trying to avoid it.
Primary Objective:
 To study the effect of integrating different Technology in teaching Mathematics, a way
to bring positive attitude towards learning Mathematics among students.
Secondary Objective:
 To improve motivation towards learning mathematics.
 To develop critical and innovative thinking.
 Frequently handling of digital tools.
 Outcome based mathematical activities.
3 Literature Review
There has been numerous studies to investigate about the Mathematical anxiety among
students. According to Dreger and Aiken mathematics anxiety is “the presence of a syndrome
of emotional reactions to arithmetic and mathematics.” (KodalSevindir& et al, 2014a) “Highly
math-anxious individuals are characterized by a strong tendency to avoid math, which
ultimately undercuts their math competence and forecloses important career paths” (Ashcraft,
2001). Prior research suggests that “Female students stated more positive responses than males
to questions about feeling nauseous, breathing hardly, sweating, getting heart palpitations,
palms sweating, loose of concentration and getting nervous when facing a math problem.”
(KodalSevindir& et al, 2014a). A number of authors have recognized “mathematical anxiety
has attracted recent attention because of its damaging psychological effects and potential
associations with mathematical problem solving and achievement” (Zhe Wang & et al, 2014).
4 Research Design
4.1. Hypothesis and Research Questions
i. Simple hypothesis:
 Appropriate use of Technology in teaching mathematics helps students to learn
mathematics with interest, which reduces their mathematical anxiety.
Questions
1) How to implement Technology in mathematics education?
2) Does it improve the motivation of students to learn mathematics?

4. Independent variable: Appropriate use of Technology in teaching mathematics
Dependent variable: change in attitudes of students, improvement in their performance
outcomes, proper understanding of the subject.
ii. Complex hypothesis:
 Students who hate Mathematics but appreciate and value wide application of
Mathematics are more likely than other students to
 Seek other digital resources to get to know the applications of the
concepts learned.
 Seeks the help of teachers and mentors, who can help them to get clarity
about the subject.
 Students who are strong enough in prior mathematical knowledge are less likely
to develop mathematical anxiety.
Questions:
1) How to bring awareness about the importance and vital application of
mathematics in almost all fields of life?
2) What are the digital resources available which makes mathematic concepts
easier and connects with real life situations?
3) How to equip teachers to update their knowledge and make them comfortable
with using technology for teaching mathematics?
4) How to make the students understand the mathematical language properly?
5) Does students who have sound prior knowledge have less mathematical
anxiety?
iii. Null hypothesis:
 There is no significant change in student’s attitude towards learning
Mathematics when Technology is use in classroom activities.
Questions
1) How can we use Technology for mathematics education?
2) Does implementation of social network tools bring positive attitude of students
towards mathematics?
iv. Alternative hypothesis:
 Student’s mathematical anxiety will reduce when social network is used for
teaching Mathematics.
 Students change their hatred attitude towards mathematics learning when
outcomes-based education is practiced as opposed to traditional methods of
mathematical education.
Questions
1) Does mathematical anxiety of students will get reduced if Technology is used?
2) How far this process will be accepted by the students ‘population?
3) What will be the response from the parent side if Technology is used for
teaching mathematics?
v. Logical hypothesis:
 If Technology is used for teaching mathematics, it helps students to learn
mathematics with enthusiasm.
Questions

5. 1) If Technology is used does it improves student’s enthusiasm
2) Does implementation of technology tools, further create complexity in
students to understand mathematics?
vi. Empirical hypothesis:
 Students who were taught in video and audio process shows love in learning
mathematics than the students taught with traditional methods of teaching
Mathematics.
Questions
1) Does the usage of Technology in teaching mathematics creates love for
learning Mathematics?
2) Does the usage of Technology in teaching mathematics further leads to
mathematical anxiety in students?
5 Suggestions
1. Stimulate interest in learning mathematical concepts by demonstrating the applications
of learning concepts using available digital tools (you tube videos and many more).
2. Concentrating more on comprehensive knowledge rather than aiming for achieving good
marks and grades.
3. Teacher must be equipped to make use of Technology network in teaching and learning
mathematics so that learning mathematics will be more fun and meaningful for the
learners.
6 Scope for Further Research
Future research suggestions:
1. Future research on appropriate use of Technology in teaching mathematics might extend
the explanations of improving students’ motivation in learning mathematics. Future
studies could fruitfully explore this issue further by incorporating Technology in teaching
and learning process to a group of students and observe the change in their attitudes
towards mathematics.
2. Regardless, future research could continue to explore the available Social networking
resources which help us in teaching mathematics in a more effective way.
7 Conclusion
For today’s digital learners, the traditional methods of teaching Mathematics won’t be suitable.
Students’ attention span is getting lesser and lesser day by day. Our students are getting smarter,
they want to know the applications of the concepts they are learning in the schools. The
concepts which they don’t use in real life situations don’t gain their attention. So, one of the
means to gain their attention is making use of Technology network in imparting the
mathematics education.
8 Acknowledgment
We thank all our Faculty members, Math’s Educators of various schools in Chennai and our
students and other anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on our draft paper.

6. 9 Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
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