Tuesday, May 9, 2023 was the last lecture in the visiting professor series with Associate Professor Paul Ginns. Paul Ginns delivered a lecture with the theme of mathematics anxiety. Mathematics anxiety (MA) is a feeling of anxiety, tension, fear that arises when dealing with mathematics. This will interfere with students in solving the problems they face.

Paul Ginns further explained that the existence of MA needs to be considered because it is enough to affect the learning process. Students who experience math anxiety will delay the math learning process, avoid math classes, do not put much effort in solving math problems, and avoid anything that has to do with math. He provided various research data that supported each of his statements.

Furthermore, Mathematics anxiety will result in failure and negative experiences. Failure and negative experiences will cause students to experience math anxiety. In other words, anxiety and the experience of failure form an endless circle if the anxiety is not considered in the learning process. The source of the emergence of student anxiety towards mathematics can come from genetic factors, experiences from home related to mathematics, and even math teachers.

The lecture lasted for 90 minutes, starting at 07:30 WIB and ending at 09:00 WIB. Lecture participants included S2 to S3 levels, from mathematics education to psychology study programs. Paul Ginns closed by giving the opportunity to ask questions, but due to limited time, only a few questions could be done.

(PW)