The Impact of Test Anxiety on Teacher Credential Candidates

Resumen de los autores

Teacher candidates in California are required to pass four standardized tests: the California Basic Educational Skills Test, the California Subject Examinations for Teachers, the Teacher Performance Assessment, and the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment. Many underrepresented minority teacher candidates fail to pass these required tests in order to enter and complete the credential program. In this mixed-methods study, we aimed to identify which background variables (e.g., grade point average, gender, first-generation college), language characteristics (English first language), psychological factors, or physiological indicators, such as heart rate, were correlated with candidates' test-taking anxiety. Findings showed that although respondents reported liking writing and reading, they reported not liking math. Three-quarters of the respondents reported some to a lot of anxiety about taking these standardized tests. Respondents did not score highly on the general depression, anxiety, and stress scales. Respondents performed poorly on multiple choice and constructed response items, especially on math items. When students were asked about reasons for test anxiety, the themes that emerged were test anxiety, math anxiety, writing anxiety, test preparation, and testing as a barrier to future employment. A multiple regression showed that test anxiety and attitude toward math were the main predictors of general anxiety. Physiological measures of stress (including electrodermal activity and heart rate variability) were significantly related to demographic factors, such as being born outside the United States and the number of years that second language learners had been living in the United States. Test anxiety was significantly correlated with participants' scores on the depression, anxiety, and stress scales and with students' scores on the multiple choice math test and on stress experienced during a multiple choice math test and on a writing task. Identification of which factors predict test anxiety for credential candidates can help college staff and faculty members better understand the roots of the problem of low pass rates on teacher tests.

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Cómo citar (APA 7)

Hardacre, B., Hafner, A., & Nakama, P. (2021). The Impact of Test Anxiety on Teacher Credential Candidates. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1328005