| The causes of mathematics anxiety were investigated through examining the role that the condition plays in mathematical motivation. Specifically, the Commitment And Necessary Effort (CANE) Model of Motivation (Clark, 1998a, 1998b) was considered, which proposes two stages to motivated behavior: goal commitment (Stage One, also called persistence) and mental effort (Stage Two). Stage One, as applied to mathematics education, suggests that mathematical persistence is dependent upon the three factors of mathematical self-efficacy, mathematics anxiety and mathematics task value.; A 30-item instrument was used to measure the four factors of Stage One, using a sample of 270 undergraduates enrolled in mathematics or mathematics education courses. The data were analyzed using a structural equation modeling (SEM) path analysis. The data fit the model quite well, thus strongly substantiating CANE, and asserting its usefulness in studies of mathematics education. The analysis revealed that mathematics anxiety was a stronger predictor of mathematical persistence than either mathematical self-efficacy or mathematics task value. Further, neither low mathematical self-efficacy nor low mathematics task value appears to cause mathematics anxiety.; Attention should be devoted to how mathematics educators should address their student's mathematics anxiety. The current results suggest that this probably cannot be done by directly addressing either mathematical self efficacy mathematics task value, further research will be required to ascertain how mathematics anxiety can best be alleviated. Additionally, while the CANE model appears to have incredible potential in mathematics education, further study is surely needed to refine the model and further our understanding of how precisely it speaks to the learning of mathematics. |
