Test-Taking Anxiety and Formative Assessment Skills as Predictors of Secondary School Students’ Performance in Mathematics in Uyo Education Zone, Akwa Ibom State
Abstract
This study investigated the predictive relationship between test-taking anxiety, formative assessment skills, and students’ performance in mathematics among senior secondary school students in Uyo Education Zone of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational research design. The population comprised 7,920 Senior Secondary School Two (SSS2) students in 78 public co-educational secondary schools within the study area during the 2023/2024 academic session. A sample of 271 students (118 males and 153 females) was selected using a multistage random sampling technique. Three instruments were used for data collection: the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI), the Formative Assessment Skills Questionnaire (FASQ) and the Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) developed by the researchers, Content and face validity were established. TAI and FASQ has Cronbach Alpha reliability of 0.80 and 0.83, respectively while MAT has Kuder-Richardson (KR-20) index of 0.85 indicating high internal consistency of the instruments. Data were analysed using simple and multiple linear regression analyses. Findings revealed that test-taking anxiety negatively predicted students’ achievement in mathematics, while formative assessment skills positively predicted achievement. The combined influence of test-taking anxiety and formative assessment skills on students’ achievement was also found to be statistically significant, explaining a substantial portion of the variance in mathematics achievement. The study concluded that while students’ emotional state during testing can hinder their academic performance, their ability to employ formative assessment strategies enhances learning outcomes. It is recommended that mathematics teachers should implement classroom practices that reduce test anxiety and promote formative assessment techniques such as self-assessment, peer feedback, and goal setting to improve students’ academic achievement.