The Role of Electronic Testing on Reducing Studentsʼ Test Anxiety

Subject Areas : Educational Psychology

Faranak Mousavi ¹ , Zeynab Pakzad ² , Moslem Safdari ³

1 - گروه مدیریت آموزشی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، واحد کرمانشاه، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، کرمانشاه، ایران
2 - کارشناسی‌ارشد تکنولوژی آموزشی، دبیر آموزش و پرورش، هرسین، ایران
3 - کارشناسی‌ارشد تکنولوژی آموزشی، دبیر آموزش و پرورش، هرسین، ایران

Received: 2016-09-17 Accepted : 2017-05-06 Published : 2017-12-22

Keywords: Students, test anxiety, electronic test,

Abstract :

Anxiety is a displeasing feeling of fear and worry associated with a psychological and physiological state of somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral complications. Most students experience some degree of anxiety prior to their examinations. Among various non-drug methods, electronic test can be used as a beneficial method to reduce anxiety level. The present study was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of electronic test reducing studentsʼ test anxiety. The study was quasi experimental, with pre test, pos test, and control group. The statistical population of the syudy included all female students, studing in the second grade high schools in Hersin during the academic year 2016-2017. 30 students were selected through multi-stage random sampling. The instruments used were researcher-made electronic tests and Abolghasemi et al.ʼs test anxiety questionnaire. The analysis of the data conducting covariance analysis showed that employing electronic tests reduced the participantsʼ anxiety. The results revealed a significant difference between the control group and the experiment group in the post test (p=0/001).There were also significant differences between groups in the subscales of test anxiety (p<0/05). The results indicated that electronic test, can have beneficial effects on reducing anxiety and can be used as a reliable method to reduce anxiety before the exam.

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Greenberg, K., Lester, J. N., Evans, K., Williams, M., Hacker, C., & Hail, O. (2009). Student Learning with Performance-Based, In-Class and Learner-Centered, Online Exams, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 20 (3), 383-393.

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Stowell Jeffrey, R. (2010). Bennett, Dan. Effects of Online Testing on Student Exam Performance and Test Anxiety. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 42(2), 161-171.

Cathy, W., Apollo, W., & Kevin, T. (2014). Online teaching evaluation for higher quality education: strategies to increase university students' participation, to jet: the Turkish online journal of educational technology, 13 (4), 105-114.

Abolghasemi, A., Najjarian, B., & Mehrabizadeh, H. M. (2000). Epidemiology of Test Anxiety and its relation with self-efficacy: Test anxiety control through focusing on intelligence variable. Journal of Education and Psychology (Charmin University) 3, 55-72.

Alexander Melody, W., Bartlett James, E., Troll Allen, D., & Owing, K. (2001).Testing in a Computer Technology Course: An Investigation of Equivalency in Performance between Online and Paper and Pencil Methods, Journal of Career and Technical Education, 18 (1) 69-80.

AL per, B., & Peek, A. (2012). Performance and Duration Differences between Online and Paper-Pencil Tests, Asia Pacific Education Review, 13 (2), 219-226.

Badali, M., Saraji. F., Mehraban, J., & Zibaparham, Sh. (2015). Investigating the role of electronic portfolio on the rate of test anxiety and self-esteem among secondary school students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 33(2), 131-135 [In Persian].

Bembemutty, H. (2009). Test anxiety and academic delay gratification. College Student Journal, 43(1): 10-12.

Cassady, J. C. (2004). The influence of cognitive test anxiety across the learning-testing cycle. Learning and Instruction, 14(6), 569-592.

Cassady, J. C., & Gridley, B. E. (2005). The effects of online formative and summative assessment on test anxiety and performance. Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment, 4(1). Available from http://www.jtla.org

Emami, M. (2014). Designing the Model of Electronic Evaluation System to Increase Studentsʼ Cooperation. Higher Education Letter, 7(25), 159-177 [In Persian].

Flaxman, O. E., Bond, F. W., & Keogh, E. (2014). Test Anxiety, Susceptibility to Distraction and Examinant in Performance. Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 17, 241-252.

Gary Cheng, J. Ch. (2012). Effectiveness of cognitive/relaxation therapy and study-skills training in reducing self-reported anxiety and improving the academic performance of test-anxious students. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 33(2), 131-135.

Greenberg, K., Lester, J. N., Evans, K., Williams, M., Hacker, C., & Hail, O. (2009). Student Learning with Performance-Based, In-Class and Learner-Centered, Online Exams, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 20 (3), 383-393.

Guide, F., & Ludlow, J., (1998). A cross- cultural study of test anxiety. Journal of Genetic psychology, 20(2), 189-191.

Hong, E., & Karstensson, L. (2002). Antecedents of state test anxiety. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 27(2), 348-367.

Jin Lin, M., Jee Goo, Ch., & Hsu, Ch. (2011). The Design and Development of a Context-Rich, Photo-Based Online Testing to Assess Student s’ Science Learning, US-China Education Review, 1, 22-30.

Karman, S. (2011), Examining the Effects of Flexible Online Exams on Students' Engagement in E-Learning, Educational Research and Reviews, 6(3) 259-264.

Konno. M., Mishima, K., Nishikawa, T., & Ohida, T. (2009). Coping strategies and their correlates with depression in Japanese's general population. Psychiatry Research. 168, 57-66.

Lowe, P. A., & Lee, S. W. (2007). Factor structure of the Test Anxiety Inventory for Children and Adolescents (TAICA) scores across gender among students in elementary and secondary settings. Journal of Psychoeducational Online First, 26 (3). 231-246.

Sarason, B., & Mandler, G., (1952). Some correlates of test anxiety. Journal of Abnormal and social psychology, 47, 810-817.

Sarason, S. B., Davidson, K. S. (1966). Anxiety in Elementary school children: A report of research. Light all: Yale University.

Soffer, E. M. (2008). Elementary Students 'Test Anxiety in Relation to the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). A Thesis submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Science. Florida State University.

Stowell Jeffrey, R. (2010). Bennett, Dan. Effects of Online Testing on Student Exam Performance and Test Anxiety. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 42(2), 161-171.

Cathy, W., Apollo, W., & Kevin, T. (2014). Online teaching evaluation for higher quality education: strategies to increase university students' participation, to jet: the Turkish online journal of educational technology, 13 (4), 105-114.