Influence Of Gender And Mode Of Study On Examination Anxiety Among Undergraduates

Influence Of Gender And Mode Of Study On Examination Anxiety Among Undergraduates

ABSTRACT

This study looked at how gender and manner of study affected exam anxiety in students. The sample size was 77 regular students (37 males and 40 females) and 53 mature students (28 males and 25 females). The sample was chosen at random from a population of mature and regular students at Enugu State University of Science and Technology. The elderly students ranged in age from 35 to 54 years, with a mean age of 47 years and a standard deviation of 6 years, whereas the regular students ranged in age from 19 to 26 years, with a mean age of 22 years and a standard deviation of 4 years. A 15-item questionnaire with a 5-point scale was employed. For data analysis, a 2 x 2 factorial design was employed, with two way ANOVA statistics. Gender has a substantial influence on examination anxiety among undergraduates, according to the findings F, (1, 126) = 11.8 p.01. There is also a substantial influence of manner of study on examination anxiety among students F, (1, 126) = 48.9 p.01.There was a significant interaction effect of gender and style of study on undergraduate exam anxiety f (1, 126) = 2565.5 p.01.The study’s findings were discussed, and recommendations were made.

CHAPITRE ONE

INTRODUCTION

The study’s context:

Low exam performance, particularly in external tests, is no longer news in Nigeria. Over the years, stakeholders in this industry have worked relentlessly to address the unpleasant phenomenon; nonetheless, their efforts have failed to have a meaningful influence. A crisis that is keeping all levels of the Nigerian government awake at night.

Various problems have been mentioned as impediments to encouraging academic success in Nigeria, including inadequate education financing, a lack of school infrastructure, a lack of manpower, and so on. Students’ lack of interest, love of money, or what is known as the get rich quick syndrome were identified. Unfortunately, none of them could detect exam anxiety. Sometimes a student will read really well but perform poorly in an exam due to stress. Some pupils are anxious about the exam itself (Nelson, 2001). According to studies, exam anxiety causes students to forget what they have studied (Nelson 2002).

A clear comprehension of the characteristics of anxiety is sufficient proof of its effect on memory. Anxiety creates muscle tension, which leads the brain to become tense, resulting in amnesia.

Anxiety is a complicated and mysterious condition. The more you understand about it, the more perplexing it appears to be. It is a negative mood condition marked by body sensations of physical tension and anxiety about the future. Durand and Barlow 2002; American Psychological Association 1994). It can also be interpreted as a subjective feeling of unease, a collection of behaviors (such as looking worried, apprehensive, or fidgeting), or a physiological response originating in the brain and manifesting as increased heart rate and muscle tension.

The heart, lungs, and other elements of the body work faster during anxious reactions or responses. The brain also releases the emergence (stress) hormones cortisol and adrenaline (Obidigbo, 2008). People who have this disorder frequently report being dissatisfied and their behavior is maladaptive.

Some kids have anxiety disorders during their school years (Nelson, 2002), the most frequent of which is exam anxiety. Exam anxiety can present itself in pupils through acknowledgment of error or a sequence of unjustified fears, quick breathing, and cautious cautions. Nelson, 2002.

In education, a typical measuring scale is the method or process of evaluating a student’s understanding and proficiency in what he or she learns within a certain time span. Evaluation can take two forms: formative or summative schooling. The formative process occurs during instruction, whereas the surmative process occurs at the completion of the lesson. As a result, examination is a systematic technique for measuring a sample of behavior.

One of the most stimulating stimuli in the school environment is examination, and all indicators of anxiousness are detected among some of our pupils, but these signs tend to evaporate as soon as tests are over.

This is especially common when students did not prepare properly for the exam or when they were given the exam unexpectedly. They have a difficult time concentrating on their work.

Some people will begin to sweat on their hands and other regions of their bodies. If you keep an eye on some pupils, you might notice them dropping objects like books, rulers, and bags on the ground, or hitting their legs on tables, chairs, and so on. All of them are thought to be indicators of exam anxiety (Wind, 2000). This has also resulted in a decrease in our educational standards. For example, some secondary school students who are overly anxious about exams will fail an exam, and in order to avoid this frustration, which will affect the student image or regulation, they will resort to examination malpractice (cheating) in order to pass. Not because they are stupid or did not prepare properly for the exam, but because they are frightened of failing it.

Examination anxiety manifests differently depending on the individual, students, and subjects; for example, some students may enjoy calculations but dislike or avoid any subject that requires a lot of grammar or writing, whereas others may enjoy subjects that require a lot of grammar and writing but dislike calculations.

Most of the time, pressure from parents, instructors, and the environment contributes to the problem of exam anxiety. Parents and teachers put so much pressure on these students to perform well in their exams, yet at some point, these students become overly concerned about the exam, how they will perform, and the implications of failing an exam. As a result, the overly nervous student will now perform very poorly in the examination. The environment may be too stressful for some pupils to learn efficiently, causing them to underperform in the examination. Failure or poor academic achievement as a result of being terrified of an exanimation results in difficulty and dissatisfaction for the students. This could manifest as having one’s hopes dashed. When we consider the difficulty involved in registering for a test, it gets irritating when success remains elusive. Furthermore, the rigor involved in preparing for an exam becomes painful when the outcome is negative.

Obviously, a terrible exam result can be ascribed to one of the elements that induce exam anxiety. When a student who expected to pass a test fails, the student may become anxious about the exam. Above all, the teacher-student relationship may play a role in the tension associated with exam anxiety.

Obviously, the relationship between teachers and matured students is not the same as that between lecturers and regular pupils.

To evaluate if this disparity in relationship has a role in examination anxiety, the current study compares the amount of examination anxiety between the two groups.

Based on the explanation above, one would wonder whether an individual’s personality or other elements could influence or determine the level of examination anxiety. As a result, the current study is intended to provide an answer to the topic by examining the effect of gender and form of study on an examination.

SUMMARY OF THE PROBLEM

Researchers have reported poor pupil performance in academic tasks over the years. It’s no surprise that education is on the slide in our culture today. However, a variety of variables, including a bad reading environment and a shortage of reading materials, have been recognized as contributing to poor academic achievement in our schools. Surprisingly, several schools with these amenities continue to have high levels of poor exam performance, particularly in external exams such as the National Examination and the West African Examination.

Furthermore, research have highlighted issues such as exam anxiety as a hindrance to students’ poor academic performance. Nelson, 2002. In light of the preceding debate, the current study felt it necessary to investigate the influence of characteristics such as gender and mode of study in determining Examination anxiety among Adolescents. As a result, the following issues will be addressed in this research.

Male and female undergraduates will exhibit dramatically different manifestations of examination anxiety.

Exam anxiety manifestations differ dramatically between ordinary and mature undergraduates.

DEFINITION OF TERMS IN BUSINESS

Gender: Whether you are male or female

Exam anxiety: The instrument used to measure the construct in this study will determine this.

Mode of study: This basically refers to regular/full-time students and matured part-time students in this study.