Test Anxiety: What Can We Do?
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by Allie Ashe
Fall 2023 Intern
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Test anxiety: we’ve all been there. Tests are a common and normalized aspect of education across all grade levels, but realistically, they may do more harm than good. Test anxiety looks different for everyone, but it can include physical symptoms such as nausea, headache, sweating, and rapid heartbeat, as well as emotional ramifications such as feelings of helplessness, fear, stress, and disappointment. It can even include intense rumination on past or potential failures. Fear of failure, perfectionism, and the mere experience of a high-pressure environment can easily take a toll on students. Although there are plenty of recommendations for combating test anxiety—adequate studying, getting a full night of rest beforehand, breathing exercises, and more—these are not always realistic solutions.[1] Test anxiety can be debilitating.
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When students have confidence in their test-taking abilities, they are less likely to feel stressed, uncomfortable, or unprepared during testing. Beforehand, teachers can foster confidence and support students by reviewing the test format, explaining grading criteria, and reminding students of any time constraints. This way, students can plan accordingly and develop intentional thinking strategies. During the test, the teacher should ensure that students have all the necessary materials, periodically remind students of time constraints, and emphasize any other important reminders. Educators themselves play a large role in the reduction of test anxiety; actively showing students that they are not being tricked or judged is critical. Teacher pedagogy is more than just understanding the material; it’s also about knowing how to deliver the material in accessible, comfortable, and human ways.[2]
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Recently, many educators have implemented informal, low-stakes assessments. Each student learns differently, and tailoring curriculum to their specific interests and strengths can reduce the high-pressure nature of assessments. In fact, when students are working comfortably, they may not even feel the pressure of being tested. On a smaller scale, teachers can monitor ongoing progress, identify areas of strength and weakness, and leave feedback using formative assessments. Formative assessments are essentially “check-ins” that are typically casual. Pop quizzes are frequently used as formative assessments, but this practice is growing outdated and increasingly criticized for putting students on the spot and leaving them inadequate time to prepare.[3] Instead, educators may opt for a “Turn and Talk,” where students discuss class content or a specific question with their peers. The freedom to collaborate and speak with others lessens the notion that assessments must be individual, silent, and serious. When this uncomfortable feeling is eliminated, students are less likely to experience anxiety and stress over testing. Exit tickets are also a sound strategy for gauging student understanding of course topics. These are usually ungraded, quick, and do not require students to write extensively. They are a blatantly low-stakes assignment. There are multiple other formative assessments teachers can use to analyze ongoing student understanding without creating a high-pressure environment.[4]
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On a larger scale, even summative assessments (assessments that measure student learning by the end of the unit, as opposed to assessing students as they work through the unit) don’t have to be high-stakes. Tests and timed essays are commonly used summative assessments, but there are other more accurate ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge. No two students are the same, and each will express knowledge and understanding differently. For more artistic students, creative projects are a quality alternative. This can be an art project, a creative writing piece, a skit, an infographic, and more.[5] Creative projects “stimulate learning and give students the opportunity to follow their own interests … Brain-based learning theories uphold that classrooms are noisy, activity environments where students are engaging individual learning paths.”[6] Students who do prefer to write or show their knowledge in more standardized ways can be offered untimed, at-home essays or open-book tests. At the very least, allowing students to decide how they wish to be assessed can increase feelings of comfort, and therefore decrease anxiety.[7]
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Assessment does not have to be an anxiety-provoking experience. In fact, when executed well, assessments are engaging and enriching. They emphasize student strengths, rather than attempting to stump or overwhelm students.
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Did You Know?
??????Did you know that about 40-60% of students are impacted by test anxiety?
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References
Brown, Nicole. “Assessments: Letting Students Choose.” Teaching & Learning, December 7, 2022.https://www.ucl.ac.uk/teaching-learning/case-studies/2022/dec/assessments-letting-students-choose.
Experiential Learning Depot. “100 End Product Ideas to Demonstrate Learning,” August 1, 2023.https://www.experientiallearningdepot.com/experiential-learning-blog/100-final-product-ideas-for-project-based-learning.
“Formative (Informal) Assessment Strategies,” n.d. https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/cms/lib07/MA01906464/Centricity/Domain/44/Formative_Informal.pdf.
Phan, Hilary. “A Student’s Perspective on Test Anxiety,” n.d. https://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/testanx.pdf.
Sycamore, John E., Anita L. Corey, and Deborah H. Coker. “Reducing Test Anxiety.” Elementary School Guidance & Counseling 24, no. 3 (1990): 231–33. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42868922.
The Argo. “Versus: Are Pop Quizzes Beneficial to Students’ Learning?,” November 2021. https://blsargo.org/2325/forum/versus-are-pop-quizzes-beneficial-to-students-learning/.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Test Anxiety - Learning Center.” Learning Center, 2016. https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/tackling-test-anxiety/.
Wilson, Staci. “Creative Projects Stimulate Classroom Learning.” Science Scope 28, no. 2 (2004): 41–43. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43183597.
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