Engineering Graphics and Design anxiety among 1st year preservice teachers at a South African University

Abstract

In the engineering world, Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) is the medium of communication through drawings. It relates theory and the picture of reality, in the same way as technical drawing does. The subjects of Science, Mathematics and Technology, like EGD, are associated with difficulties due to abstract concepts and students develop anxiety which causes some students to discontinue the subject. The motivation for this study was a growing need to understand the manifestation of EGD anxiety in different situations and for different students since most studies focused on Mathematics anxiety. Such an understanding is important for researchers and policymakers since anxiety is a complicated psychological factor in student performance. Data was gathered from 58 first-year EGD preservice teachers at a South African University. The respondents were purposively selected to respond to a survey utilising a modified Maths Anxiety scale. Data analysis was based on descriptive and inferential statistics and was analysed using SPSS. Expressions of anxiety were most common on items concerned with EGD tests, the majority of students reported being really uptight during EGD tests. Female students showed higher scores of anxiety than male students. The factors that enhanced female students’ anxiety can be a subject of further study. Subsequently, based on the results, this study provides valuable insights into the anxiety of EGD's preservice teachers, which can lead to further studies on interventions to reduce anxiety.