INFLUENCE OF TEST ANXIETY AND SELF EFFICACY ON MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN KANDUYI DIVISION OF BUNGOMA DISTRICT

By

Simiyu, Marango G. Moses E55/5150/2003

A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION OF KENYATTA UNIVERSITY.

OCTOBER, 2010.

DECLARATION
“This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University.” Signature _______________ Date

Name: Simiyu, Marango G. Moses________ E55/5150/2003 Supervisors: “we confirm that the work reported in this thesis was carried out by the candidate under our supervision as university supervisors. Supervisors: Signature: 1 _______________ Date____________

Prof. Fredrick Moses Okatcha Educational Psychology Department 2 _________________ Prof. Haniel N. Gatumu Educational Psychology Department Date____________

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DEDICATION To my dear wife Maria and our children, Maureen, Valerie, Bramuel and Gideon. Your support, love and understanding remain a strong inspiration to move on.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Am indebted to acknowledge the invaluable support accorded to me during the period of study by my supervisors Prof. F.M Okatcha and Prof.H.N Gatumu of Kenyatta University. I would also like to appreciate the assistance of Dr. Kwena, Dr.Mweru and Dr.Mugambi of Educational Psychology department for their constructive criticism of this work. I thank Dr. John Wesonga and Mrs. Alice Mwibanda for your material and emotional support throughout the study period. Special thanks to Mr. Benedict Lukorito Watamba for his invaluable support during trying moments. I also thank Mr. Harrison Khaoya for typing this manuscript diligently. To all other friends who stood by me, God bless you all. Lastly, I wish to thank the Principals, teachers and students of Cardinal Otunga Girls High School, Kibabii Boys High School and Kabula High School for their co-operation during the study.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ................................................................................................................ ii DEDICATION……………………………………………………………………………iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT………………………………………………………………..iv TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………….v LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii ABBREVIATION OR ACRONYMS ............................................................................... ix ABSTRACT…………….. .................................................................................................. x CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.9.1 1.9.2 Background to the study ......................................................................................... 1 Statement of the problem ........................................................................................ 5 Purpose of the study ................................................................................................ 6 Objectives of the study............................................................................................ 6 Research Questions ................................................................................................. 7 Hypotheses .............................................................................................................. 7 Assumptions of the study ........................................................................................ 8 Significance of the study......................................................................................... 8 Scope and Limitations of the Study ........................................................................ 8 Theoretical and conceptual framework ................................................................... 9 Operational definitions of terms ........................................................................... 13

CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................. 14 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................. 14 2.1 2.2 2.3 Description of self efficacy ................................................................................... 14 Relationship among Self-efficacy, Test Anxiety and sex ..................................... 19 Influence of Test Anxiety and Self-Efficacy on Mathematics Performance ........ 22

CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................................... 25 METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 25 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.5.1 3.5.2 3.6. 3.6.1 3.6.2 3.7 Research Design.................................................................................................... 25 Variables ............................................................................................................... 25 Study locale ........................................................................................................... 25 Target population .................................................................................................. 26 Sampling technique and sample size .................................................................... 27 Sampling Technique ............................................................................................. 27 Sample size ........................................................................................................... 27 Instrumentation ..................................................................................................... 27 Mathematics Self-efficacy (MSE) scale ............................................................... 27 Test Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire (TAIQ)..................................................... 29 Pilot study ............................................................................................................. 30

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3.7.1 3.7.2 3.8 3.9

Validity ................................................................................................................. 30 Reliability.............................................................................................................. 30 Data collection techniques .................................................................................... 32 Logistical and Ethical considerations ................................................................... 33

CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................. 34 DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ..................................................... 34 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Methods of Data analysis ...................................................................................... 34 General characteristics of the study sample .......................................................... 34 Self-efficacy in mathematics among the respondents ........................................... 36 Anxiety of students during mathematics test ........................................................ 39 Influence of sex on anxiety in mathematics test ................................................... 42 Influence of sex on self efficacy in mathematics test ........................................... 43 Interaction among school type, self efficacy and performance in mathematics test 44 Interaction among school type, anxiety and performance in mathematics test .... 45 Relationship between anxiety and performance in mathematics test ................... 45

CHAPTER FIVE .............................................................................................................. 49 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS..................................... 49 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Anxiety among Students Taking Mathematics Test ............................................. 49 Sex Influence on Test Anxiety among Students ................................................... 49 Self Efficacy among Students Taking Mathematics Course................................. 50 Sex Influence on Self Efficacy among Students ................................................... 50 School type Influence on Test Anxiety, Self-Efficacy and students‟ Academic Performance ................................................................................................... 51 Self-Efficacy and Performance in Mathematics Test ........................................... 52 Implications of the findings .................................................................................. 53

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 56 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 62

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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Table 2: Table 3: Table 4: Table 5: Table 6: Table 7: Table 8: Table 9: Table 10: Table 11: Table 12: Table 13: Table 14: Table 15: Number of Students per sampled school ................................................... 34 The general ages of the respondents .......................................................... 35 Number of terms spent in school by respondents ...................................... 35 Class Repetition status ............................................................................... 36 Parental occupation.................................................................................... 36 Responses on positive questions on self efficacy in mathematics among students ..................................................................................................... 38 Responses on negative questions on self efficacy in mathematics among students ..................................................................................................... 38 Triggers of anxiety among students during mathematics test ................... 39 Responses on signs of anxiety among students during mathematics test .. 41 Scores of various aspects of anxiety by the sexes. .................................... 42 Scores of various aspects of self efficacy by sex....................................... 44 Relationship between school type, self-efficacy and performance in mathematics .............................................................................................. 45 Relationship between school type, test anxiety and performance in mathematics .............................................................................................. 45 Performance in mathematics test of respondents by levels of anxiety measured by various aspects ..................................................................... 47 Performance in mathematics test of respondents by levels of efficacy measured by various aspects ..................................................................... 48

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Figure 2: Figure 3: Figure 4: The interaction of academic performance with Test anxiety and Self efficacy. Arrows indicate direction of influence. ..................................... 12 The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Test Anxiety....................... 17 Scores on triggers of anxiety among students during mathematics test .... 40 Mean score on signs of anxiety among students during mathematics test 41

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ABBREVIATION OR ACRONYMS
ANOVA CAT FEMSA KCPE KCSE KNEC MSE SPSS TAIQ Analysis of variance Continuous Assessment Test Female Education in Mathematics and Science in Africa Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Kenya National Examination Council Mathematics Self Efficacy Statistical Package for Social Sciences Test Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire

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ABSTRACT
The study investigated the influence of test anxiety and self-efficacy on the academic performance in Mathematics of Form two students in Kanduyi Division, Bungoma District of Western Province of Kenya. The study also sought to establish how selfefficacy and test anxiety varied with the students‟ academic performance during continuous assessment tests (CAT). There was comparison of anxiety and self-efficacy between students in co-educational and single sex schools. Sex differences in the study sample in relation to the variables were also investigated. The study sample had 115 students from three secondary schools of Kanduyi Division, Bungoma District. The three schools were randomly selected from a pool of 14 schools, then stratified random sampling was used in getting participants for study. The sex strata consisted of male and female while the school type had boys‟, girls‟ and a co-educational school. Academic performance was obtained from the student scores in the CAT. Data was collected using two instruments namely Test Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire (TAIQ) and Mathematics Self Efficacy (MSE) scale. In addition oral interview was used to verify responses of participants in the questionnaires. Piloting was done on 20 participants. Instruments were adjusted accordingly to improve on reliability and validity. Data was coded, tabulated, scored and keyed in the computer. Analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS®). Percentages and frequencies were calculated according to categories. Inferential statistics used in the study were correlation and analysis of variance. The study found out that students face test anxiety during tests. The subjects had high self efficacy. There were no sex differences in relation to self efficacy and test anxiety. The study concluded that students experience test anxiety during mathematics test. The anxiety is triggered mainly by authority figures specifically teachers and parents. Peer opinion was also an important contributor to test anxiety.

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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the study

Students face a variety of goals and assessments throughout their school life. However, with the introduction of free primary education and revised or new examination syllabus by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), the assessment targets are likely to be higher and extremely competitive. Studies carried out by Female Education in Mathematics and Science in Africa (FEMSA, 1997) indicate that in 1993 secondary school examination results, 100 per cent of girls and 74 per cent boys had failed Mathematics in Ghana, while in Uganda only 11.4 per cent of girls and 20.7 per cent of boys had attained a pass grade in Mathematics in 1991. In Tanzania only 1.6 per cent of girls achieved grade A and B in Mathematics as compared to 7.94 per cent of boys in 1991 secondary level examinations. Mathematics and Science Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE ) analysis report by KNEC (2006) indicated that boys had 18.49 per cent mean score while girls scored a mean of 12.97 per cent in the 2005 KCSE Mathematics examination. This was a decline in performance as compared to the year 2004 KCSE Mathematics in which boys scored a mean of 21.34 per cent while girls had mean score of 15.39 per cent. In Kenya majority of households send their children to primary then secondary school so that upon attainment of good grades students can enter the job market or move on to higher training opportunities.

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As they progress through the secondary school years and approach 15 to 16 years of age, emphasis begins to focus on preparation for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations. These have always been considered the most important set of examinations for adolescents, the results of which will influence their progression into both further education and their employability in majority of careers. However, with the introduction of free primary education, it is expected that there will be an increase in demand for secondary school education. Hence more candidates will sit for KCSE increasing the pressure to do well and succeed in getting other economic or educational opportunities. Whenever the Minister for Education announces either Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) or Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results, parents or politicians engage in heated debate on causes of poor performance by students in particular regions or schools in the country. The competition for opportunities that follow has led to more pressure being exerted on students by teachers and parents to improve their test scores during school terms as a projection of their likely KCSE performance. It appears necessary to emphasize the need for greater awareness of the distress that may be experienced by young children and adolescents taking this kind of test. There may be a need for early intervention in managing any possible adverse reactions and a greater number of services and support from schools and teachers. Test taking is ubiquitous in our society and the process of testing applies to students at all levels of the educational ladder. Tests are used to monitor and evaluate the progress of

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students, to assess problems, to measure intelligence and aptitude, to screen for admission to secondary or college, university and to determine whether university students, should go on to graduate and professional schools (Hembree,1988). Although boys generally perform better than girls in Mathematics in Kenya, the overall performance of all students in mathematics is quite low. The national mean grade in Mathematics is below 20 per cent (KNEC, 2006). Students do not also perform well in mathematics and the sciences due to: teacher- centered approaches in teaching, negative attitude of students in the subjects, lack of interest, and poor motivation. Tests generate anxiety among students. Anxiety in an evaluative situation is an important personal and social problem. Test anxiety is a distressing and unpleasant experience which plays a critical role in the mental state of students, and it is assumed to affect their performance and personal development (Sarason & Sarason, 1990). Anxiety is an aversive inner state that people seek to avoid or escape. Anxiety is a warning signal to the ego that something bad is about to happen (Freud, 1926; 1936). Freud (1926) distinguishes among three different types of anxiety as state, trait and neurotic, which reflect three different categories of unpleasant emotional arousal. The most basic is reality anxiety, which arises from a threat you experience when you realize that, you are about to be bitten by a dog, crash your car or fail a test. State anxiety is rooted in reality and it can be repressed, avoided or a person can fix the situation generating the feeling. For instance studying hard in preparation for a test will reduce state anxiety. Neurotic anxiety is the unconscious fear that your id will get out of control and make you do something that will get you punished.

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The person experiencing a lot of neurotic anxiety is constantly worried about the id escaping from the ego control. The worry is unconscious. This anxiety isn‟t a fear of expressing id impulse per se. It is a fear of punishment that may result from expressing them. While trait anxiety is a relative long term tendency to be generally anxious in many situations, state anxiety is a relatively short term tension, because of a specific situation like evaluation. Test anxiety is related with self efficacy in a person. Self efficacy is the confidence individuals have in their abilities that they can successfully perform particular tasks (Bandura, 1997b). Self efficacy beliefs vary between individuals, fluctuate under different circumstances, and can change overtime. Among the determinants of self-efficacy, we have verbal persuasion and physiological and emotional states (Bandura, 1986; 1997). Bandura (1997) argues that verbal persuasion must be realistic and should come from a credible source; otherwise it can negatively affect student‟s self-efficacy beliefs. The emphasis placed on good performance in tests by schools or parents generates high levels of test anxiety which hinders good performance. The stressful instructions by authority cause anxiety that interferes with performance (Wrightsman, 1962). This may lower self-efficacy in tasks at hand. Anxiety interferes with and reduces the level of performance of anxious students. Failure due to high levels of anxiety leads to lower self-efficacy. Hence, we can hypothesize that students who suffer from high test anxiety are likely to be lower in self-efficacy rating. Probably, they would exhibit lower levels of academic performance. Such students worry about performance instead of studying to master content taught.

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There is need to examine the relationship among test anxiety, self-efficacy and academic performance. 1.2 Statement of the problem

When students expect examination, they tend to be anxious. This makes them prepare to sit for the test. However, anxiety in test situations may have destabilizing effects on the students just like low self-efficacy .The test anxiety levels may differ between boys, girls and the type of school that the students attend. If this is not checked it can affect the academic performance of these students. Academic performance is impaired by test anxiety as shown in research (Gaundry and Fitzegerald, 1971). Studies with medical students have shown high levels of reported anxiety at the time of examinations (Arndt, Guly, & McManus, 1986), as well as a significant negative correlation between test anxiety and performance. Self-efficacy is about students believing in themselves when they encounter a challenging situation like sitting for a test. Self- efficacy can differ between female and male students during the test. If this is not addressed according to the varying levels can affect academic performance. Self-efficacy which is a pre-examination factor is hypothesized to influence the cognitions of the individual during the examination hence affect performance of the person. The cognitive factors in the preexamination stage that are influenced by the antecedent cognitive and emotional factors, include self-efficacy expectations (Bandura, 1977), or the individual‟s belief in his or her ability to perform the particular task. Self-efficacy and test anxiety can affect students‟ performance during tests. This study sought to examine the relationship among self efficacy, test anxiety and mathematics performance of secondary school students.

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1.3

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study was to examine how test anxiety and self-efficacy correlate to academic performance of students in Mathematics. It also sought to investigate the interrelation among test anxiety, self-efficacy and academic achievement. Sex differences were also sought in these relationships. The study examined how different school types

are affected by test anxiety and self efficacy levels. 1.4 1. Objectives of the study To ascertain the relationship between test anxiety and mathematics performance among form two students. 2. To ascertain the relationship between self efficacy and mathematics performance among form two students. 3. To ascertain the influence of sex differences on levels of self efficacy, test anxiety and performance in mathematics. 4. 5. To ascertain sex differences in self efficacy among form two students. To find out the influence of school type on the relationship among self efficacy, test anxiety and students performance in mathematics.

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1.5

Research Questions

1. Does test anxiety affect students‟ performance in Mathematics? 2. Is there a sex difference in the level of test anxiety experienced during mathematics test? 3. Is there a sex difference in self-efficacy among students? 4. Is there a relationship between self-efficacy and academic performance in Mathematics? 5. Does the school type influence the relationship between test anxiety and self-efficacy and students‟ academic performance?

1.6

Hypotheses

Ha1. Test anxiety affects students‟ performance in mathematics.

Ha2Girls experience higher levels of test anxiety during mathematics test than boys.

Ha3 Boys have higher self efficacy than girls in mathematics tasks.

Ha4. Students with lower personal efficacy perform better in mathematics.

Ha5. Students in coeducational

schools have low efficacy in mathematics tasks.

All hypotheses were test at p0.05).A correlation analysis indicate the coefficient of 0.091 for

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coeducation school is rather weak .The hypothesis that students in coeducation schools have low efficacy in mathematics is not acceptable. Table 12: Relationship between school type, self-efficacy and performance in mathematics School Type Boys Only Girls Only Coed Overall 4.8 N 39 41 35 115 Efficacy 4.27 4.178 3.75 4.08 Marks 49.59 58.78 33.31 47.91 Coefficient 0.243 -0.145 0.091 0.267 P-Value 0.068 0.183 0.302 0.002

Interaction among school type, anxiety and performance in mathematics test

For all the responses combined there was a significant (p = 0.001) positive correlation between anxiety and performance in the mathematics test (Table 13) although with a coefficient of 0.316 the relationship is rather weak. There were differences in the relationship between anxiety and performance among the three school types. Only the Boys only School had a significant (p = 0.037) relationship between anxiety and performance. However, all relationships were generally weak with coefficients ranging between 0.098 and 0.29. Table 13: Relationship between school type, test anxiety and performance in mathematics School Type Boys Girls Coed Overall 4.9 N 39 41 35 115 Anxiety 3.69 3.64 3.197 3.52 Marks 49.59 58.78 33.31 47.91 Coefficient 0.29 0.189 0.098 0.316 P-Value 0.037 0.118 0.287 0.001

Relationship between anxiety and performance in mathematics test

There is a highly significant relationship between test anxiety and subjects performance in mathematics test one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), as shown in Table 14

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(F=6.422, p