Using Technology-Supported Mindfulness Tools to Alleviate Test Anxiety in the Elementary Classroom

Childhood anxiety has been an increasing focus of classroom teachers in recent years. It creates an excess of problems, which can lead to other health-related issues. Long-term effects may include mental health problems, such as depression and isolation, due to becoming accustomed to coping with anxiety daily. This curriculum project designed a series of lessons that were delivered on a weekly basis to a class of second-grade students. Once the pandemic forced schools to move online, these mindfulness activities were delivered through remote instruction which greatly benefitted the young students during this difficult time. The purpose of this action research study was to create and evaluate mindfulness-based interventions as an effective approach that may be used to positively impact student learning and their emotional well-being in the classroom. Participants were a small group of teachers who worked or volunteered at the school where the curriculum was used. They were purposefully selected by having knowledge or experience in mindfulness-based interventions. This qualitative study gathered data from an open-ended evaluation questionnaire. Once received, the data was analyzed by identifying codes and themes and then the feedback was used to make improvements to the curriculum. The results of the study indicated that mindfulness-based interventions were highly successful in each classroom and are recommended to be included in the daily practice of elementary schools.