Probing Students Conceptual Understanding, Mathematical Fluency, and Mathematics Anxiety through Cognitive-Demand Mathematical Tasks

This paper deals with three big issues in mathematics education- conceptual understanding, mathematical fluency, and mathematics anxiety. In the experimental teaching, the relationship of the three factors and mental ability were investigated. To investigate and establish logical relationships, two intact groups from among freshman students in School Algebra were taken as participants and then decisive success factors were identified. This leads to the conclusion that infusing non-routine cognitive-demand mathematical tasks is effective in enhancing the participants conceptual understanding and mathematical fluency. Mental ability influences conceptual understanding and mathematical fluency but it does not affect the participants mathematics anxiety.