ARBAMINCH UNIVERSITY

SAWLA CAMPUS

DEPARTMENT UNIT OF BASIC SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES

HIGHER DIPLOMA PROGRAM (HDP)

MODULE THREE
ACTION RESEARCH ON DECREASING OBSERVED TEST ANXIETY IN THE
CASE OF 2nd year LOGISTIC AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
STUDENTS

PREPARED BY
 Fikadu Ahimed
 Teshome Bediru
 Dawit Markos
 Elias Petros
 Presentation outline
Statement of the problem
Background of study

Objectives of the study Significance of the study

Research Design Methods

Sample and sampling technique Methods of data collection

Major findings and analysis Recommendation/ reflection

 Background of study
• Everyone experiences anxiety. Anxiety is our body’s
reaction to what we perceive as threatening.
Anxiety can be a healthy and adaptive response to
stress. However, anxiety occurs on a continuum,
ranging from normal, healthy concern on one end
to worry, anxiety and panic toward the other end.
• One important factor, which is influential on
students’ academic achievement, is test anxiety.
Test anxiety has become one of the most disruptive
factors in school and other settings where testing is
performed (Cassady, 2004).
 Cont..
• Numerous studies have been conducted to
investigate the relationship between test anxiety and
academic performance. Some studies have found
that high levels of test anxiety are associated with
poor academic performance (Cassady & Johnson,
2002; Putwain & Daly, 2014). Other studies have
found that the relationship between test anxiety and
academic performance is complex, and may depend
on factors such as the type of exam, the level of
difficulty, and the student's level of preparation
(Hembree, 1988; Zeidner & Matthews, 2005).
 Cont..

• Tests and examinations at all stages of education,

especially at higher education level have been
considered as an important and powerful tool for
decision making in our competitive society, with
people of all ages being evaluated with respect to
their achievement, skills and abilities.
• Zollar and Ben-chain (1990) study revealed that
the era in which we live in is a test- conscious age
in which the lives of many people are not only
greatly influenced, but are also determined by
their test performance.
 Cont..

• Several studies shows that test anxiety can be a

devastating problem for many college and
university students; because it may impair their
performance and wellbeing in the long run
(Culler & Holahan, 1980; Rafiq, Ghazal &
Farooqi, 2007). Cassady and Johnson (2002)
found that cognitive test anxiety exerts a
significant stable and negative impact on
students’ academic performance.
 Cont..
• According to Zeidner (1998) test anxiety is a set of
phenomenological, physiological and behavioral
responses that accompany concern about possible
negative consequences or failure on an exam or similar
evaluative situation. As we see from Zeidner’s
statement, test anxiety is strongly related to failure
consequences.
• This connection can be noticed in Sarason, (1990) who
state that when not in an evaluation situation, or
anticipating one, the highly test anxious individual may
not worry about possibilities of failure, embarrassment
and social rejection. But in evaluation situations these
possibilities become active.
 Statement of the problem
• College students face a number of pressures and
challenges in the academic environment as they seek
to maintain optimal academic performance or even to
remain in the academic program. Due to these
pressures and challenges, they fail to attain an
acceptable level of academic achievement and
ultimately withdrawal results.
• Test anxiety is not only a problem in schools, but it
also affects many people in various life stages and
careers beyond school, whenever their abilities,
achievements, or interests are evaluated or assessed
(Lufi, Okasha, & Cohen, 2004).
 Cont..
• Despite the extensive research on test anxiety and academic
performance, there is still much to be learned about this
relationship. For example, it is not clear whether there are
gender differences in test anxiety levels and academic
performance. Additionally, little is known about the coping
strategies that students use to manage test anxiety.
• Due to the complex nature of anxiety in relation to human
activities, continuous research exercise should be carried out,
hence the present research effort.
• One of the manifestations of such process is test anxiety. This
action research will be carried out to assess the impact of test-
anxiety on 2nd year logistics and supply chain management
undergraduate students in Arbaminch University Sawla
Campus.
 Cont..
To this end, this study will address based the
following basic research questions
• To what extent does test anxiety predict student
academic performance?
• What are factors that trigger students for test-
anxiety?
• Are there differences in test anxiety levels and
academic performance between male and female
students?
• What are the coping strategies used by students to
manage test anxiety?
 Objectives
• The major objectives of this study is to examine test anxiety and its
coping mechanism that related to student academic performance.
• Specifically, this study aims to answer the following (1) To what
extent does test anxiety predict student academic performance?
(2) Are there differences in test anxiety levels and academic
performance between male and female students? (3) What are the
coping strategies used by students to manage test anxiety?
• The findings of this study will provide insights into the relationship
between test anxiety and academic performance, and will
contribute to the development of effective interventions to help
students cope with test anxiety. The results of this study will also
be useful for educators, the teachers and other concerned bodies
in designing educational programs that address test anxiety and
promote academic success.
 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
• The purpose of this action research is to asses
the impact of test-anxiety and its coping
mechanism on 2nd year logistic and supply chain
management on the at Arba Minch university
Sawla campus on the course of basic statistics.
 Research Design
• This action research will be employed mixed-method approach,
incorporating both quantitative and qualitative designs.
• In this action research, the collected data will be categorized as
per their similarities and presented in table form. For the
quantitative design 20 questionnaires will be administered for
the students and for qualitative design, the researchers
interviewed four structured interview questions.
• The mixed methods approach will be employed to analyze the
information collected from different data collection
instruments and various sources.
 Cont..
• From the views of Creswell and Clark(2007:33) asserted the
preference of mixed method approach or the combination of
qualitative and quantitative data provides a more complete
picture by nothing trends and generalization as well as in
depth knowledge of participants’ perspectives. One type of
evidence may not tell the complete story or the researcher
may lack confidence in the ability of one type of evidence to
address the problem.
• In the current action research, mixed methods will be involved
the use of varied procedures for data collection and multiple
sources of data to evaluate the acceptability, integrity, and
efficacy of the intervention. Mixed methods also were used to
guarantee the integrity and credibility of the intervention
findings (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).
 Methods
• A convenience sampling method will be used to
select participants who are currently enrolled in
undergraduate courses; the Arba Minch University
Campus, department of logistics and supply chain
management department on the course class of
basic statistics.
• The data collected through the survey and
interviews will be analyzed using both descriptive
and inferential statistics and The qualitative data
collected through the interviews will be analyzed
using thematic analysis.
THE END

April 2023
 Demographic result
  Frequency Percent Valid Cumulative
percent percentage
Age >19 2 6.1 6.1 6.1
20-24 30 90.3 90.3 97
<25 1 3.0 3.0 100
Gend Female 4 12.1 12.1 12.1
er Male 29 87.9 87.9 100.0
Total 33 100.0 100.0  

• The result stated that more than 90% or (30) of the student ages were
between 20-24 years old and 87% of 2 nd year logistics and supply chain
managements student were male student and the rest 12.1% of them were
female student.
 Pretest level of anxiety
• pretest exam anxiety of TAI result shows that most of 2nd year
logistics and supply chain managements student on statistics
course test lies on moderately emotionality of test anxiety
about 45.5%. the highest and sever case of test anxiety on TAI
rating is about 21.2% both male and female students of 2nd
year logistics and supply chain managements lies on statistics
course this should be managed unless the result of it may
affect the student academic performances. The rest shows
that lower level of test anxiety which account 33.3% and have
no or low test anxiety which also acknowledge as alarm to do
something more effectively and or it help us to more conscious
and be ready upcoming exams.
 Factors affecting test anxiety

6% Lack of readiness to exam

12% The subject itself
types of exams/tests

12% The given time

52%
Another reasons

18%

As mentioned in figure what factors that triggers students anxious for

upcoming test was lack of readiness to exam 52%, the subject itself 18%,
types of the exam 18%, the time given in exam and other reasons such as the
invigilator, physical diseases and son on score 12% and 6% respectively
Gender and age difference in pretest exam anxiety level

• Gender difference in pretest anxiety level result indicates about 87.5% male
student have no or low test anxiety level about 12.5% of the female student
lies also in low level of test anxiety, in high or savior type of test anxiety level
there have difference male student account more than 80% the counterpart
female student have low in number.
• this result is not consistent with the findings of Masson and associates
(2004) comparing the mean of test anxiety scores between two
experimental groups of male and female students’ shows that Female
students have the highest test anxiety level but in the case of lower test
anxiety level this study has similar result with Amsalework (2014) and
(Masson & associates 2004) .
• This analysis couldn’t show real difference between male and female
student in terms of anxiety level because of the total number of the
respondent ratio of male student much higher than the female student.
 Age difference
• The above table shows that cross tabulation of student
age categories most of the student age was between 20-
24 years old from account 90.3% from whom most of
the respondent has low level of test anxiety also in the
case of sever test anxiety level all high level of test
anxiety student were between the age 20-24 years old.
• The chi square test result that shows that 53.6% the
student age association with the level of test anxiety
with alpha level 0.12. As the table 4.5 stated that
student age between (20-24) years old are more
venerable to test anxiety than the other.
 The impact of test anxiety on student academic
performance
• stated that having exam anxiety leads to negative impact
on academic performance in 2nd year logistics and supply
chain managements in the course of basic statistics student
responded “yes” about 28 (84.5%) which indicates that the
most student believed that test anxiety affects their
academic performance the rest 15.2 percent student
believed that having test anxiety has “no” effect on their
academic performance. This result supported by a research
study conducted by Cassady & Johnson (2002),which
indicated that cognitive test anxiety exerts a significant
stable and negative impact on academic performance
measures.
 Test anxiety management strategies
• There have several methods to reduce test related
anxiety widely used as a treatment theory is behavioral
and cognitive treatments of test anxiety which consists
of self-controlled relaxation and desensitization
techniques. so after all we identifies students whether
they have test anxiety level for the upcoming tests then
we gave them those techniques of self-relaxation and
desensitization through life skill form this life skill training
comprised of both behavioral and cognitive component
and techniques. The Test Anxiety inventory (TAI), is a tool
we used before and after the treatment procedure so
that it help as how this treatment work or not.
Pretest Posttest level of anxiety of student
• According to figure 4.8 pre and post exam TAI result shows
that in lower level test anxiety pretest total percentage was
about 33.3% and it increases to 63.3%, the middle level of test
anxiety score of pretest was 45.5% and it decreases to posttest
30.3%, and the final pre and post exam anxiety level result is
higher level test anxiety the pretest level of higher test anxiety
level is 21.1% and it decreases to posttest anxiety level to
6.1%. In conclusion the posttest anxiety levels of the student
regarding lower level is increase in moderate and sever case it
decreases this result shows that the mitigating and managing
test anxiety strategy was helpful and can say successful.
 pre and post test anxiety level
Pre_TA
70
Post_TA
60

50
percent

40

30

20

10

0
High Level TA Low Level TA Middle Level TA
 Reflections
• Although this study has contributed to the
body of knowledge regarding the relationship
between test anxiety and academic
performance in university students, many
questions remain unanswered. Based on the
findings of this study and conclusions
presented, the following recommendations
can be presented;
• As our reflections of our team we encourages instructors
understand their exceptional problems and establish a smooth
communicational channel with their test anxious students in order
to understand their difficulties and advise them accordingly.
Additionally the campus also understands the concept of test
anxiety and facilitate forums for discussion that focus on test
anxiety problems and sharing experience. By giving well-organized
orientation schemes assertiveness training may help those
students to build self-confidence, exert an effort and motivation
toward their education. Finally in order to alleviate test anxiety the
students admit that studying systematically and prepared well and
start test anxiety management skill that would make them less
anxious during exams; give psychological counseling for those
exam anxious students. We also suggest that the teachers should
avoid negative comments during tests and should not frequently
remind them of the time left.