How Stable or Variable Are Student Teachers' Mathematical Content Knowledge and Mathematics Anxiety? An Application of Latent State-Trait Theory

• In Event: 60.032 - Teacher Education Outcomes: A Multimethod Multitrait Perspective on Teacher Competence

Abstract

Objectives
Educational concepts assume that competence is a disposition that is stable across varying situations (i.e., a trait). However, situation-specific influences may also affect the measurement (state). Latent state-trait theory (LST) allows the examination of situation-specific effects on competence and to separate these effects from dispositional effects (Steyer, Schmitt & Eid, 1999; Geiser & Lockhart, 2012). The objective of this study is to clarify the nature of mathematics content knowledge (MCK) and mathematics anxiety (MA) of prospective pre-school teachers in this respect by applying LST. In addition, it is intended to clarify the relationship between MCK and MA.

Theoretical Framework and Research Questions
Weinert (2001) defines competence as the ability to successfully master problems in variable situations. This definition includes a strong stability assumption. In contrast, research revealed that anxiety consists of stable trait and at the same time variable situation-specific parts (Goetz et al., 2013). An open question is how stable or variable pre-school teachers’ MCK and MA are.
A second open question is how MCK and MA are related to each other in this group. Studies on elementary and secondary teachers had revealed that MA is a significant predictor of MCK (Ma, 1999). We hypothesize a similar relation with respect to prospective pre-school teachers.

Methods and Data Sources
MCK of 354 prospective pre-school teachers from Germany were tested twice within three weeks with a test newly developed and validated. Corresponding evidence will be provided during this session. To assess MA, the Mathematics Anxiety Scale–Revised was used (Bai et al., 2009). A series of multi-state multi-trait models (MSTM) was applied to examine the research questions. First, a MSTM of MCK was estimated (Eid & Diener, 2004). Second, a MSTM of MA was estimated. In a third MSTM, the complex relationship of MA and MCK was estimated.

Results
For both constructs, the separate MSTM revealed a good fit. Results from the complex MSTM indicate that no significant situation-specifics exist, and this neither with respect to MCK nor to MA. Correlations between these two constructs were significantly negative. Thus, the data support the hypothesis of MCK and MA as traits.
In addition, math anxiety as assessed here seems also be a trait. Similar to the meta-analysis of Ma (1999), our data revealed a moderate negative relation between math anxiety and mathematical competence. In addition, our study presents for the first time evidence that math anxiety is a substantial phenomenon in pre-school teachers in Germany.

Scholarly significance
If the results of the present study can be replicated and a stable relationship between math anxiety and mathematical competence can in fact be assumed, interventions meant to reduce math anxiety in order to minimalize its negative effects on achievement, should focus on stable facets of math anxiety, e.g. cognitions.
Furthermore, our results confirm the construct validity of the KomMa test.

Authors

• Lars Jenssen, Centre for Educational Measurement at the University of Oslo (CEMO)

• Simone Dunekacke, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

• Sigrid Blömeke, University of Oslo