Pandemic-Related Anxiety in Math Learning among Selected Public Senior High School Students in the Island Municipalities of Northern Samar

Abstract

Students in math really struggle during the COVID-19 pandemic. The situation posed a significant challenge for normal schooling for millions of students in the Philippines, thus created anxiety in learning. This descriptive-correlational study explored the pandemic-related anxiety in math learning among selected public senior high school students in the island municipalities of Northern Samar; documented the factors that affects the anxiety in terms of students’ profile, parents’ profile and teachers’ profile; and find out if there is a significant relationship between the students’ profile, parents’ profile and teachers’ profile of the respondents and the pandemic-related anxiety in math learning. The study utilized both descriptive and inferential statistics through proportional random sampling. The findings revealed that most of the students had one available learning device at home; moderately ready for modular distance learning; had internet access; and had a very satisfactory performance in mathematics. In terms of parents’ profile, most of the fathers and mothers had completed high school level, had a monthly income of less than Php 10,957, and spent 1-3 hours per week in assisting their children. With regard to teachers’ profile, the majority of the teachers were not trained in modular distance learning. However, the teachers had very good math teaching practices. Findings also revealed that the students had a moderate level of pandemic-related anxiety in mathematics learning. Teachers’ practices in teaching math were significantly associated to the pandemic-related anxiety in math learning. There was significant relationship between the students' readiness for modular distance learning and school-related, environment-related, and technology-related anxieties of the students. There was significant relationship between the father’s educational attainment and the school-related and personal anxieties of the students. A significant relationship was also found between the number of hours spent by the parents per day for assisting their children in answering their modules and the environment-related anxiety of the students. Furthermore, the number of trainings attended related to modular distance learning and the technology-related anxiety were positively correlated.