solving teaching method

The aim of the current research was to compare the effectiveness of problem-solving teaching method and flipped teaching method on mathematics anxiety among students. The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test, post-test design including a control group. The statistical population consisted of all sixth-grade students in Marvdasht city during the academic year 1401-1402. Cluster random sampling was used, where two elementary schools were randomly selected in Marvdasht. Afterward, the mathematics anxiety questionnaire was administered to sixth-grade students in these schools, and those with higher scores were identified as the cluster samples. From these clusters, students were randomly assigned to two experimental groups (25 students each) and a control group (25 students). The measurement instrument was the revised Mathematics Anxiety Scale by Plichta and Parker, with confirmed validity and reliability. Results showed that the problem-solving teaching method significantly reduced mathematics anxiety (p < 0.01), explaining about 23% of the variance in anxiety scores. Similarly, the flipped teaching method also significantly reduced mathematics anxiety (p < 0.01), explaining approximately 47% of the variance in anxiety scores. The adjusted post-test mean score for mathematics anxiety was lower for the flipped teaching method (39.57) compared to the problem-solving method (34.77), indicating that the flipped teaching method was more effective in reducing mathematics anxiety among students. These findings suggest that employing innovative teaching methods such as flipped and problem-solving approaches in mathematics instruction can significantly reduce students' mathematics anxiety and improve their performance. This insight could be valuable guidance for educational policy-makers and managers to improve the teaching and learning process in mathematics education, thereby preventing negative emotions associated with mathematics anxiety.