With over 200 members, the GYA amplifies the voices of young scientists globally, selecting members for their research excellence and commitment to improving society.
As the Canada Research Chair in Academic Achievement and Well-Being, Maloney investigates how the home environment can affect a student’s math learning and attitudes. Her research fills a critical gap by examining the role that parents play in shaping their children’s attitudes towards math, especially anxiety, and how it might affect their success in school.
A salient finding of her work is that children can feel anxiety when faced with even the most basic math. In fact, children can experience math anxiety as early as the first grade, which in turns leads to lower learning rates.
This paradigm shift challenges the way math anxiety has long been understood and addressed. Prior to this research, it was believed that such anxiety only impacted the learning of complex math, and therefore no attention was needed except from middle school onward.
Homework for adults
In 2020, the Ontario Ministry of Education sought Maloney’s expertise to review the province’s math curriculum. This led to the inclusion of a new program strand, called Social-Emotional Learning and Mathematical Processes, which was designed to help students develop a positive mathematical identity. Thanks to her input, math anxiety in children is addressed as early as the first grade in Ontario.
Similarly, Maloney provides guidance to the Ottawa Carleton District School Board on implementing socio-emotional learning strategies. She offers tailored professional development sessions for teachers to support their understanding of how mathematical thinking develops and how anxiety impacts achievement.
Recognizing that the home environment can be a primary source of math anxiety, Maloney published Peyton and Charlie Challenge Math, a book with practical tips to reduce math anxiety not only in children, but also in parents.
A math lab on wheels
Professor Maloney is also leading efforts to break down barriers that prevent certain groups from accessing research.
In 2021, the new GYA member received support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation — Canada’s main national funder of research infrastructure — to purchase and retrofit a Sprinter van to serve as a mobile research laboratory.
The Accessible Research on Wheels (AROW) initiative aims to bridge research gaps by providing opportunities to underrepresented populations who face barriers due to their location, financial constraints or lack of awareness.
Maloney champions accessibility and inclusion by implementing practices such as using high contrast colours and large, clear fonts in her research materials, as well as closed captioning on her audiovisual content.
Her commitment to accessibility extends beyond academic considerations: since completing her PhD, she has experienced a degenerative retinal condition that has left her legally blind.
As cofounder of the Women in Cognitive Science – Canada Trainee Board, Maloney provides resources for early career researchers and professional development help to trainees in cognitive science. Notably, over 50% of her published articles in the past six years were co-authored by her students, which highlights her dedication to fostering academic growth.
When asked for her best advice to girls and women interested in pursuing science, Professor Maloney turned to her most trusted advisors: her two daughters, aged 8 and 10. Her youngest daughter promptly reminded her of the timeless wisdom she often shares with them: ‘Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.’
This quote, which emphasizes how much attitude determines success or failure, is as true for math as it is for life.
Related article
