Future Engineers’ Anxiety: A Comparison Between English as a Foreign Language and Mathematics

Abstract

This paper examines the anxiety levels among first-year future engineering students at ESPRIT School of Engineering, specifically focusing on the disparities between anxiety in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and Mathematics. The study employs a quantitative research approach, utilizing two adapted versions of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) developed by Horwitz, et al. (1986) and the original Validation of the Math Anxiety Scale utilizing the Rasch Measurement Model, as formulated by Ölmez & Ölmez in (2018) to collect data from a sample of 184 future engineering students. Analysis of the collected data reveals significant differences in anxiety levels between EFL and Mathematics among these students. Furthermore, the study explores potential factors contributing to these discrepancies and offers insights into implications for educational practices and interventions aimed at alleviating anxiety in both subject areas. This research contributes to the understanding of anxiety dynamics among future engineers, highlighting the importance of addressing subject-specific anxieties to enhance academic performance and well-being.

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Author Information
Thamer Cherni, ESPRIT School of Engineering, Tunisia
Badreddine Cherni, King AbdulAziz University, Saudi Arabia

• Category: Psychology of the learner

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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