Abstract

TEST ANXIETY AS CORRELATES OF STUDENTS? ACHIEVEMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL GEOMETRY

Dr Chika .C. Ugwuanyi & Ameh Odumu Christopher

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Abstract The study examined the relationship between test anxiety and academic achievement of students in geometry in senior secondary school in Benue State. The study adopted correlational research design. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The population for this study comprised of 2,325 SS II mathematics students in all the public secondary schools in Benue State of Nigeria. The sample size of 324 SS II mathematics students constituted the sample size of the study gotten through simple random sampling technique. Two instruments were used to collect the pertinent data for the study. They are: Mathematics Test Anxiety Scale (MTAS)and Geometry Achievement Test (GAT). The reliability of the instruments MTAS and GAT were determined using Cronbach Alpha which gave a reliability index of 0.93 and Kuder Richardson 20 (K ?R20) which gave a reliability index of 0.87respectively.The data collected were analyzed using regression analysis in answering the research questions while analysis of variance regression analysis was used to test the formulated hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.The findings of the study revealed the following: there was a significant low relationship (with correlation coefficient of 0.18 and probability level of 0.04) between students? test anxiety and academic achievement in geometry in senior secondary school mathematics; Gender significantly moderated the prediction of students? academic achievement in geometry by their test anxiety t at 322df = 1.065, p<0.05. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that; early intervention and proactive prevention programs that would aid the reduction of anxiety and nervousness in students be developed and implemented so as to increase students? achievement in geometry in particular and mathematics in general. Keywords: Test anxiety, Geometry, Mathematics, Achievement, Gender

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