Anxiety towards mathematics in problem solving by civil engineering students

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to determine the anxiety towards mathematics in solving problems by civil engineering students, taking into account factors associated with anxiety. This is a quantitative research based on a descriptive design with the participation of civil engineering students from the University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast, from communities in the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua. The results show that civil engineering students have a positive anxiety towards mathematics (M = 16.46; SD = 2.71); a positive anxiety towards problem solving (M = 10.66; SD = 2.06); a positive anxiety towards assessment situations (M = 13.10; SD = 2.10); interest in mathematics is positive and relevant in the student body (M = 22.41; SD = 4.78); and usefulness towards mathematics is positive and important for the student (M = 17.82; SD = 3.37). It is concluded that anxiety towards mathematics, in general, is positive with a high average tendency (M = 81.49; Error = 1.06) and that the scale of anxiety towards mathematics has an adequate model with a reliability of 87, 75%, which would allow its use in diverse contexts.