Using AI to Combat Math Anxiety (Poster 16)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 3:45pm
  In Invited Poster Session: 2026 AERA Undergraduate Fellows Research Poster Fair

Abstract

This study examines how artificial intelligence (AI) tools may influence undergraduate students’ math anxiety in an Education Sciences course. Math anxiety affects students across ages and backgrounds and can negatively impact mathematical performance, learning experiences, and long-term academic and career outcomes (Ashcraft & Kirk, 2001). While previous research has documented the effects of math anxiety, fewer studies have explored how emerging technologies such as AI might help address these challenges. In this study, survey data were collected from 97 undergraduate students enrolled in the Spring 2025 EDUC 10 and EDUC 30 courses. Participants completed Likert-scale surveys measuring both trait-level math anxiety in Week 1 and state-level math anxiety in Week 3 following a surprise math assessment. After completing the assessment, students used an AI-driven, prompt-engineered support tool to guide revisions and support their understanding of the material. Preliminary results show increased math anxiety in response to the unexpected assessment, highlighting the influence of situational factors on students’ emotional responses to math tasks. Analysis of the post-AI revision data is ongoing and will examine whether AI-assisted support is associated with changes in students’ reported math anxiety and perceived comprehension.

Author

• Helena Tran, University of California - Irvine