Can Test Anxiety Interventions Alleviate a Gender Gap in an Undergraduate STEM Course?

Optional Exam Retakes Reduce Anxiety but may Exacerbate Score Disparities Between Students with Different Social Identities

Use of high-stakes exams in a course has been associated with gender, racial, and socioeconomic inequities. We investigated whether offering students the opportunity to retake an exam makes high-stakes exams more equitable. Following the control value theory of achievement emotions, we hypothesized that exam retakes would increase students' perceived control over their performance and decrease the value of a single exam attempt, thereby maximizing exam performance. We collected data on exam scores and experiences with retakes from three large introductory biology courses and assessed the effect of optional exam retakes on gender, racial/ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in exam scores. We found that Black/African American students and those who worked more than 20 h a week were less likely to retake exams. While exam retakes significantly improved student scores, they slightly increased racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in scores partly because of these differences in participation rates. Most students reported that retake opportunities reduced their anxiety on the initial exam attempt. Together our results suggest that optional exam retakes could be a useful tool to improve student performance and reduce anxiety associated with high-stakes exams. However, barriers to participation must be examined and reduced for retakes to reduce disparities in scores.

Differences in Test Anxiety Scores Among Baccalaureate Nursing Students and Nonnursing Students

BACKGROUND

Test-taking is a prominent cause of anxiety for nursing students. Test anxiety may interfere with academic performance, program completion, and successful transition to practice. Prior research suggests that nursing students are more test-anxious than other students, yet this concept is not well studied.

PURPOSE

This study examined differences between test anxiety in nursing and nonnursing students while comparing current trends related to academic level and gender.

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional design, participants completed the Test Anxiety Inventory as a measure of perceived test anxiety.

RESULTS

Minimal differences in scores based on major and academic level were found. Differences based on gender were noted with females reporting higher levels of test anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings may help nurse educators better understand test anxiety and guide the implementation of supportive strategies to improve learning outcomes.

Effectiveness of stress arousal reappraisal and stress-is-enhancing mindset interventions on task performance outcomes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Stress arousal reappraisal (SAR) and stress-is-enhancing (SIE) mindset interventions aim to promote a more adaptive stress response by educating individuals about the functionality of stress. As part of this framework, an adaptive stress response is coupled with improved performance on stressful tasks. The goal of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions on task performance. The literature search yielded 44 effect sizes, and a random-effects model with Knapp-Hartung adjustment was used to pool them. The results revealed an overall small significant improvement in task performance (d = 0.23, p < 0.001). The effect size was significantly larger for mixed interventions (i.e., SAR/SIE mindset instructions combined with additional content, k = 5, d = 0.45, p = 0.004) than SAR-only interventions (k = 33, d = 0.22, p < 0.001) and SIE mindset-only interventions (k = 6, d = 0.18, p = 0.22) and tended to be larger for public performance tasks than cognitive written tasks (k = 14, d = 0.34, p < 0.001 vs. k = 30, d = 0.20, p = 0.002). Although SAR and SIE mindset interventions are not "silver bullets", they offer a promising cost-effective low-threshold approach to improve performance across various domains.

Anxiety and heart rate in a real-life class test in undergraduates choosing real-time or prerecorded oral presentations

Most studies on acute stress stem from works conducted under artificial laboratory conditions. Inducing stress for experimental scrutiny is problematic and can be unethical. In this study, a 'research methods' course's curriculum included a demonstration study testing anxiety and heart rate responses to the midterm test. Fifty-four university students (35 males and 19 females) presented a research topic in-person (n = 14) or prerecorded while being present (n = 40). Students selected a test format they could change until the week before the midterm test. The measures were trait anxiety, test anxiety, state anxiety, heart rate (HR), the last two being measured before and after examination, and grades. All students manifested decreased state anxiety and increased HR from before to after the test. Females exhibited higher HR and state anxiety than males. Real-time presentations were associated with higher HRs but not higher state anxiety. Those who changed their planned presentation mode from in-person to prerecorded exhibited higher test anxiety but not trait anxiety than those who presented as planned. Students who presented in-person obtained lower grades than those who prerecorded their presentations. Grades were negatively correlated with state anxiety after the test, but test anxiety did not significantly mediate the grades. Pre-test state anxiety was positively associated with both trait anxiety and test anxiety. The findings suggest that test anxiety is unlikely to affect grades, but test-anxious students need more control over academic evaluation. A choice in test format could be helpful in this regard.

Reducing Medication Math Anxiety of Prelicensure Nursing Students Using Social Media Tutorials: A Feasibility Study

BACKGROUND

First-semester prelicensure nursing students commonly report experiencing math anxiety that negatively affects academic performance and triggers fear of causing patient harm. Students often turn to social media platforms to supplement their learning experience.

PURPOSE

To explore the feasibility of using Instagram tutorials to reduce math anxiety of first-semester prelicensure nursing students.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental descriptive survey design was used to evaluate the utility of posting supplemental math tutorials on Instagram and examined the effect of tutorials on math anxiety levels. A convenience sample of 20 students used the tutorials. Math anxiety levels were evaluated using the Single-Item Math Anxiety Scale.

RESULTS

A statistically significant inverse relationship was observed between math anxiety levels and tutorial use. The Instagram platform was familiar to students and simple to access. Brief tutorials appealed to audio-visual learners.

CONCLUSIONS

Using Instagram-based tutorials is feasible and appears effective in reducing medication math anxiety.

Investigating the Influence of Assessment Question Framing on Undergraduate Biology Student Preference and Affect

Nearly all undergraduate biology courses rely on quizzes and exams. Despite their prevalence, very little work has been done to explore how the framing of assessment questions may influence student performance and affect. Here, we conduct a quasi-random experimental study where students in different sections of the same course were given isomorphic questions that varied in their framing of experimental scenarios. One section was provided a description using the self-referential term "you", placing the student in the experiment; another section received the same scenario that used classmate names; while a third section's scenario integrated counterstereotypical scientist names. Our results demonstrate that there was no difference in performance throughout the semester between the sections, nor were there differences in students' self-reported stress and identity. However, students in all three sections indicated that they most preferred the self-referential framing, providing a variety of reasons that suggest that these variants may influence how well a student reads and processes the question. In addition, our results also indicate that the framing of these scenarios can also have a large impact on some students' affect and attitude toward the question. We conclude by discussing implications for the biology education research community and biology instructors.

Gendered Performance Gaps in an Upper-Division Biology Course: Academic, Demographic, Environmental, and Affective Factors

Despite the existent gender parity in undergraduate biology degree attainment, gendered differences in outcomes are prevalent in introductory biology courses. Less is known about whether these disparities persist at the upper-division level, after most attrition is assumed to have occurred. Here, we report the consistent presence of gender equity gaps across 35 offerings (10 years) of a large-enrollment upper-division biology course at a research-intensive public university. Multilevel modeling showed that women's grades were lower than men's, regardless of prior GPA. These gender gaps were present even when controlling for students' race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, first-generation college-going status, international status, and transfer status. Class size, gender representation in the classroom, and instructor gender did not significantly relate to course grades. Student questionnaires in a subset of offerings indicated gendered differences in course anxiety, science identity, and science self-efficacy, which correlated with grade outcomes. These results suggest that women experience differential outcomes in upper-division biology, which may negatively influence their persistence in STEM fields postgraduation. Our findings suggest that gender disparities are a systemic problem throughout the undergraduate biology degree and underscore the need for further examination and transformation of upper-division courses to support all students, even at late stages of their degrees.

A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in Biology: Developing Systems Thinking through Field Experiences in Restoration Ecology

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) introduce research leading to skills acquisition and increased persistence in the major. CUREs generate enthusiasm and interest in doing science and serve as an intervention to increase equity and participation of historically marginalized students. In the second-semester laboratory of our introductory sequence for biology and marine science majors at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), instructors updated and implemented a field-based CURE. The goals of the CURE were to promote increased scientific identity, systems thinking, and equity at a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI). Through the CURE, students engaged in scientific writing through a research paper with a focus on information literacy, critical thinking, and quantitative reasoning as important elements of thinking like a scientist. Course exams also revealed that students showed gains in their ability to evaluate a new biological system using systems thinking. More broadly, because such field-based experiences demonstrate equity gains among Latinx students and a much greater sense of scientific identity, they may have impacts beyond introductory biology including in students' personal and professional lives.

Aspects of online college science courses that alleviate and exacerbate undergraduate depression

Depression is a top mental health concern among college students, yet there is a lack of research exploring how online college science courses can exacerbate or alleviate their depression. We surveyed 2,175 undergraduates at a large research-intensive institution about the severity of their depression in large-enrollment online science courses. The survey also explored aspects of online science courses that exacerbate or alleviate depression and we used regression analyses to assess whether demographics predicted responses. Over 50% of undergraduates reported experiencing depression and LGBTQ+ students, financially unstable students, and lower division students were more likely to experience severe rather than mild depression compared to their counterparts. Students reported difficulty building relationships and struggling to perform well online as aspects of online science courses that exacerbated their depression and the flexible nature of online courses and caring instructors as aspects of online courses that alleviated their depression. This study provides insight into how instructors can create more inclusive online learning environments for students with depression.

Why Did Students Report Lower Test Anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Test anxiety is a common experience shared by college students and is typically investigated in the context of traditional, face-to-face courses. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the closure of universities, and many students had to rapidly shift to and balance the challenges of online learning. We investigated how the shift to online learning during the pandemic impacted trait (habitual) and state (momentary) test anxiety and whether there was variation across different demographic groups already vulnerable to performance gaps in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Quantitative analyses revealed that trait and state test anxiety were lower in Spring 2020 (COVID semester) than in Spring 2019 and were higher overall in women than men. We did not find a difference in either trait or state anxiety in first-generation students or among persons excluded because of ethnicity or race. Qualitative analyses revealed that student priorities shifted away from coursework during Spring 2020. While students initially perceived the shift to online learning as beneficial, 1 month after the shift, students reported more difficulties studying and completing their coursework. Taken together, these results are the first to compare reports of test anxiety during a traditional, undisrupted semester to the semester where COVID-19 forced a sudden transition online.

Juliana JR, Stovall DB, Whittington R, Zhong M, Ballen CJ. Context Matters: Social Psychological Factors That Underlie Academic Performance across Seven Institutions

To enhance equity and diversity in undergraduate biology, recent research in biology education focuses on best practices that reduce learning barriers for all students and improve academic performance. However, the majority of current research into student experiences in introductory biology takes place at large, predominantly White institutions. To foster contextual knowledge in biology education research, we harnessed data from a large research coordination network to examine the extent of academic performance gaps based on demographic status across institutional contexts and how two psychological factors, test anxiety and ethnicity stigma consciousness, may mediate performance in introductory biology. We used data from seven institutions across three institution types: 2-year community colleges, 4-year inclusive institutions (based on admissions selectivity; hereafter, inclusive), and 4-year selective institutions (hereafter, selective). In our sample, we did not observe binary gender gaps across institutional contexts, but found that performance gaps based on underrepresented minority status were evident at inclusive and selective 4-year institutions, but not at community colleges. Differences in social psychological factors and their impacts on academic performance varied substantially across institutional contexts. Our findings demonstrate that institutional context can play an important role in the mechanisms underlying performance gaps.

Meta-analysis of Gender Performance Gaps in Undergraduate Natural Science Courses

To investigate patterns of gender-based performance gaps, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished data collected across 169 undergraduate biology and chemistry courses. While we did not detect an overall gender gap in performance, heterogeneity analyses suggested further analysis was warranted, so we investigated whether attributes of the learning environment impacted performance disparities on the basis of gender. Several factors moderated performance differences, including class size, assessment type, and pedagogy. Specifically, we found evidence that larger classes, reliance on exams, and undisrupted, traditional lecture were associated with lower grades for women. We discuss our results in the context of natural science courses and conclude by making recommendations for instructional practices and future research to promote gender equity.

COVID-19 and Undergraduates with Disabilities: Challenges Resulting from the Rapid Transition to Online Course Delivery for Students with Disabilities in Undergraduate STEM at Large-Enrollment Institutions

The COVID-19 pandemic caused nearly all colleges and universities to transition in-person courses to an online format. In this study, we explored how the rapid transition to online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic affected students with disabilities. We interviewed 66 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) undergraduates with disabilities at seven large-enrollment institutions during Spring 2020. We probed to what extent students were able to access their existing accommodations, to what extent the online environment required novel accommodations, and what factors prevented students from being properly accommodated in STEM courses. Using inductive coding, we identified that students were unable to access previously established accommodations, such as reduced-distraction testing and note-takers. We also found that the online learning environment presented novel challenges for students with disabilities that may have been lessened with the implementation of accommodations. Finally, we found that instructors making decisions about what accommodations were appropriate for students and disability resource centers neglecting to contact students after the transition to online instruction prevented students from receiving the accommodations that they required in STEM courses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study illuminates current gaps in the support of students with disabilities and pinpoints ways to make online STEM learning environments more inclusive for students with disabilities.

Recreational Screen Time and Anxiety among College Athletes: Findings from Shanghai

To better understand the behavioral factors contributing to the mental health status among student athletes, we examined the link between recreational screen time and college student athlete’s anxieties. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 278 college student athletes from Shanghai, China, aged between 17 and 25 years old (M = 19.4, SD = 1.5). Multivariate regression analyses, controlled for age, gender, rural vs. urban residency, and individual vs. team sports factors, were performed to analyze the association between their average daily recreational screen time in a week and their dispositional anxiety, pre-competition anxiety, and anxiety during competition, which were measured by the Chinese version of validated psychometric scales among athlete population. Significant results were found in both dispositional anxiety and situational anxiety in relation to recreational screen time among college athletes. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that excessive recreational screen time is a risk indicator of college student athletes’ dispositional anxiety, pre-competition anxiety, and anxiety during competition.

Does expressive writing or an instructional intervention reduce the impacts of test anxiety in a college classroom?

Test anxiety is a major concern in education because it causes uncomfortable feelings in test-anxious students and may reduce the validity of exam scores as a measure of learning. As such, brief and cost-effective interventions are necessary to minimize the negative impact of test anxiety on students’ academic performance. In the present experiment, we examine two such interventions: expressive writing (Experiment 1) and an instructional intervention (Experiment 2), with the latter developed from a similar intervention for stereotype threat. Across four authentic exams in a psychology class, students alternated between completing the intervention and a control task immediately before completing the exams. Neither intervention was effective at reducing test anxiety or improving exam performance. The present results suggest that these interventions may not be successful in addressing the impacts of test anxiety in all classroom settings.

Instructor Strategies to Alleviate Stress and Anxiety among College and University STEM Students

While student stress and anxiety are frequently cited as having negative effects on students' academic performance, the role that instructors can play in mitigating these challenges is often underappreciated. We provide summaries of different evidence-based strategies, ranging from changes in instructional strategies to specific classroom interventions, that instructors may employ to address and ameliorate student stress and anxiety. While we focus on students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the strategies we delineate may be more broadly applicable. We begin by highlighting ways in which instructors can learn about and prepare to act to alleviate stress and anxiety. We then discuss how to better connect with students and build an inclusive, equitable, and empowering classroom environment. When coupled with strategies to change student evaluation and assessment, these approaches may collectively reduce student stress and anxiety, as well as improve student performance. We then discuss the roles that instructors may play in empowering students with skills that improve their time management, studying, and approach toward learning, with an eye toward ensuring their success across all their academic endeavors. We conclude by noting areas in which further research is needed to determine best practices for alleviating student stress and anxiety.

Christianity as a Concealable Stigmatized Identity (CSI) among Biology Graduate Students

Recent research has begun to explore the experiences of Christian undergraduates and faculty in biology to illuminate reasons for their underrepresentation. In this study, we focused on the experiences of graduate students and explored Christianity as a concealable stigmatized identity (CSI) in the biology community. We constructed interview questions using this CSI framework, which originates in social psychology, to research the experiences of those with stigmatized identities that could be hidden. We analyzed interviews from 33 Christian graduate students who were enrolled in biology programs and found that many Christian graduate students believe the biology community holds strong negative stereotypes against Christians and worry those negative stereotypes will be applied to them as individuals. We found that students conceal their Christian identities to avoid negative stereotypes and reveal their identities to counteract negative stereotypes. Despite these experiences, students recognize their value as boundary spanners between the majority secular scientific community and majority Christian public. Finally, we found that Christian students report that other identities they have, including ethnicity, gender, nationality, and LGBTQ+ identities, can either increase or decrease the relevance of their Christian identities within the biology community.

Why and how science students in the United States think their peers cheat more frequently online: perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic

Academic integrity establishes a code of ethics that transfers over into the job force and is a critical characteristic in scientists in the twenty-first century. A student’s perception of cheating is influenced by both internal and external factors that develop and change through time. For students, the COVID-19 pandemic shrank their academic and social environments onto a computer screen. We surveyed science students in the United States at the end of their first COVID-interrupted semester to understand how and why they believed their peers were cheating more online during a pandemic. Almost 81% of students indicated that they believed cheating occurred more frequently online than in-person. When explaining why they believed this, students touched on proctoring, cheating influences, and extenuating circumstances due to COVID-19. When describing how they believed cheating occurred more frequently online, students touched on methods for cheating and surreptitious behavior. The student reasonings were associated with four theories (game theory, Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, neutralization theory, and planned behavior theory) that have been used to examine academic dishonesty. Our results can aid institutions in efforts to quell student concerns about their peers cheating during emergencies. Interestingly, most student beliefs were mapped to planned behavior theory while only a few students were mapped to neutralization theory, suggesting it was a novel modality of assessment rather than a pandemic that shaped student perceptions.

An exploratory analysis of factors contributing to resident pass rates on a national licensure OSCE in the United Arab Emirates

Purpose

To explore resident perceptions of factors contributing to pass rates on a high-stake licensing objective structured clinical exam (OSCE).

Materials and Methods

A cross-sectional survey was administered to all 51 applicants of the April 2019 internal medicine Arab Board OSCE examination in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and included questions on preparedness, stress level, and prior educational experiences. Exposures were evaluated for correlation against Arab Board pass rates using Pearson correlation and the two-tailed significance was recorded.

Results

All 51 examinees completed the survey (100% response rate). Participants were primarily female n = 35 (67%) and all completed residency training in the UAE. Gender differences were noted, with higher pass rates for the male residents (13/35, 37% females vs. 8/16, 50% males, P < 0.05). Further, 65% (P < 0.001) of female examinees reported higher levels of anxiety than male residents. Examinees reported regular exposure during residency to clinical skills training (74%), standardized patients (71%), simulation (66%), and OSCEs (72%) but none of these educational modalities correlated with higher pass rates. Of multiple exam preparation modalities, only self-directed learning with deliberate practice, the intentional repetition of a task with feedback, was associated with higher pass rates.

Conclusion

Clinical exam skills are vital for trainees to deliver high-quality primary healthcare services. National licensure OSCEs have become the norm in the Arab world for assessing resident clinical exam skills. Our results suggest that residency programs should encourage residents' intentional deliberate practice and mastery learning in the acquisition and retention of physical examination techniques.