Mathematics for math anxious students studying at a distance

Using the framework for teaching numeracy students developed by Marr and Helme (1991) this paper presents the design of a developmental (enabling/ bridging) mathematics course from Australia which is delivered in the distance mode. The course is characterized by its student-centered, in-context approach using reflective practice techniques (diarying and essay writing). Quantitative and qualitative evaluation strategies from the study confirm the usefulness of this approach in the distance mode and suggest further that such an approach may be advantageous for particular students, especially math anxious males. Brief suggestions are made for future development of online mathematics courses.