1. Project on problems of learning
Topic: A study on the impact of stress, anxiety and exam
fear on the academic achievements of students
Introduction
Learning is the act of acquiring new or modifying and reinforcing existing
knowledge, behavior, skills, values or performance and may involve synthesizing
different types of information. Learning doesn’thappen all at once, but it builds
upon and is shaped by previous knowledge. Thus learning may be viewed as a
process rather than collection of factual and procedural knowledge. Human
learning may occuras a part of education, personal development, schooling or
training.
Learning disabled are those who suffer from serious learning disabilities. These
children exhibit enteric capacities in terms of learning and understanding in
comparison to the normal children of their age or class. In fact learning disability
helplessness that can be affected by the suffers in terms of his academic
performance is the same way as experienced by a physically handicapped person in
terms of his physical or by a mentally handicapped in terms of his mental
functioning.
Learning disabilities look very different from one child to another. One child may
struggle with reading and spelling and while another may a lover of books but
cannot understand mathematics. Another child may have difficulty in
understanding what others are saying or communicating out load. The problems
are very different but they all are learning disorders.
Psychologicalvariables
Psychological variables refer to elements in psychological experiments that can be
changed such as variable available information or the time taken to perform a
given task. Variable can be classified as either dependent or independent. For
instance, when investigating the effects of sleep deprivation on test performance,
factors such as age, gender, academic back ground may leave a significant effect
2. on the result. The variables in problems of learning based on psychological
variables are stress, anxiety, fear.
Stress
Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response.
The bodyreacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.
Stress is a normal part of life. A primary meaning of stress is the level of
importance of something physically. Stress means the level of pressure or force
excreted on something. Stress often results from a physical or emotional change in
one’s life. Frequent headache, dizziness, grinding teeth, cold is some symptoms of
stress. Stress affects learning and memory. Although it is known that long term
stress can affect the brain learning and memory region. A new finding discovers
that short term stress lasting as little as a few hours can also impair brain cell
communication in their critical areas.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear,
apprehension, and worrying. Sometimes anxiety is easy to identify — like when a
child is feeling nervous before a test at school. Other times anxiety in the
classroomcan look like something else entirely an upset stomach, disruptive or
angry behavior, or even a learning disorder. These disorders affect how we feel and
behave and can cause physical symptoms. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling,
while severe anxiety can seriously affect day-to-day living.
Exam fear
Exam fear is a very common phenomenon among many a students, and it has a
disastrous effect, no doubt. Exam fear is the phase of anxiety a child may
experience during the onset of exams. This anxiety can result in poorperformance
in exam or even sickness which may make a child avoid exams. However, the fear
of exams is not experienced by every child. Those children who are bit anxious
about examinations and those who have feeling of standing up to their parents
demand may be the victim of exam fear. The main causes of exam fear are
pressure of parents, too much expectations and low self- esteem.
3. Needand significance ofthe study
Any individual’s success orfailure depends upon his or her perception about
oneself. In other words while doing any work how one perceives oneself. Whether
I do this problem, whether the given problem is simple or complex, may I attain
success ornot all such perceptible factors determine the outcome. Strictly
speaking any kind of failure or success in the academic achievement will be
determined by the stress anxiety and exam fear that the students face. If all these
things are not in a sustainable condition, the academic achievement of the student
would jeopardise. It is important to measure the stress anxiety and exam fear of the
students in general and to study its effects on the students’ academic performance
particularly on their academic achievement. The higher level of confidence
generates enthusiasm for the given activity, but stress, anxiety and exam fear will
make differences in the performance of any activity. Therefore, studying the
impact of stress, anxiety and exam fear in the academic achievement assumes
importance.
Statement of the problem
The most important part of the research process is the statement of problem. The
statement of problem must involve specific field of research. The type of research
can be stipulated in the field from which problem is selected. The statement of the
problem must contain those aspects ofthe research study leading to final goal of
research. The title of the research must specify the main problem. The researcher
must also take into account issues such as novelty and utility of the research
problem, his capacity and interest to pursue further research in the problem. The
researcher decided to study the impact of stress, anxiety and exam fear on the
academic achievement of students.
Statement of the problem is as follows.
A study on the impact of stress, anxiety and exam fearon the academic
achievements of students
4. Objectives of the study
To understand students problem in learning
To know the problems that the students face during exams
To identify the cause for the stress in students.
To realize the level in their problem solving capacity
To identify the reason behind the anxiety of students.
Methodology
For understanding the problems of learning and how it affects the academic
achievement of students, I selected the topic stress, anxiety and exam fear of
students. Forthat, I prepared a questionnaire with 40 questions. Each question was
related to stress, anxiety and fear of exam of students. I distributed the samples in
IX C of M.D Seminary H.S.S Kottayam. There were 50 students in that class.
Analysis and interpretation of the data
Analysis of the data means studying the tabulated materials in order to determine
inherent facts of meaning. Analysis of data is the heart of the research report. It
involves breaking down existing groups, complex factors in fact and putting
together in new arrangement for the purposeof interpretation.
The questionnaire is mainly divided in to three set.
1. Analysis of stress among students(1 to 15)
2. Analysis of anxiety among students (15 to 28)
3. Analysis of exam fear among students.(28 to 40)
Analysis of stress among students
Sl
No. Questions
Percentage
Yes No
1. Do you feel comfort in your school? 40 60
2. Do you study regularly? 40 60
3. Do you have any obstacles in learning from your family 80 20
4. Do you have any ambition about your carrier? 30 70
5. Do you feel tired when doing schoolwork? 72 28
6. Do you like continue study? 40 60
7. Do you have difficulty in planning and organizing task? 36 64
8. Are you interested to come to schooldaily? 26 74
5. 9. Do you have a habit of writing short notes by yours self 10 90
10. Are you lazy and try to skip the class? 60 40
11. Do you feel heavy with your syllabus? 80 20
12. Do you feel stressed when you are unable to understand the
class?
72 28
13. Do you like to attend club activities? 60 40
14. Do you ever participate in club activities? 60 40
15. Are you able to finish your work within time? 20 80
Students are unaware of the benefits that they get from learning. Only 40% of the
students feel comfortable in the school60% of students are uncomfortable in the
school. 60% of the students don’tdo their homework regularly but they are
interested in group activities. 72% of students are stressed when they are unable to
understand the class and only 20% of students have the habit of writing short notes
by themselves. 30% of students have a well vision about their future and carrier but
80 % of students are unable to complete their works in time and they are ready to
skip their class due to laziness. Among children 72% are feeling tired when they
are doing their homework and 80% says that the syllabus is very heavy for them.
Analysis of anxiety among students
Sl
No. Questions
Percentage
Yes No
16. Are you scared to enter into laboratories? 80 20
17. Are you able to do mental calculations while doing problems? 60 40
18. Do frequent exams bother you? 70 30
19.
Do you have the tendency of missing some questions in the
exam due to anxiety?
70 30
20. Are you studying the lesson regularly? 30 70
21. Do you have the habit of clearing doubts byasking to your
teachers as friends?
40 60
22. Have you ever felt that you are good for nothing? 60 40
23. Are you able to read properly? 40 60
24. Do you have the habit of writing dairy every day? 10 90
25. Are you maintaining good communication among friends? 40 60
26. Do you share your problems with your friends? 40 60
27. Do you have tuition for any subject? 60 40
28. Do you make mistake while writing? 60 40
6. 80% of students are scared to enter the laboratory and 60% of students are not able
to do the mental calculations. 70% of students have the tendency of missing some
questions in the exam due to anxiety but 70% of students are not studying the
lesson regularly.60 % of students make mistake while writing. 60 % of students are
feeling that they are good for nothing.
Analysis of exam fear
Sl
No Questions
Percentage
Yes No
29. Do you have any prize in quiz or debate completion? 10 90
30. Do you get poorergrade than expected? 70 30
31. Do you have difficulty in memorization? 40 60
32. Do you leave tears in learning? 40 60
33. Are you able to answer the questions asked by the teachers
without any tension and fear?
40 60
34. Do you have trouble in summarizing your learned concept? 70 30
35. Are you able to relate studied conceptto the situations? 30 70
36. Are you scared at your teacher? 70 30
37. Do you sweat a lot during the exam hours? 80 20
38. Do you feel relaxed after completion of the exams? 50 50
39. Are you able to complete your exam within time? 40 60
40. Do you worry about the result of your exams? 60 40
70% 0f the students got poorergrade than expected and 40% of students have the
difficulty in memorizing. 70 % 0f them are not able to summarize what they
studied and can’t relate conceptto the situations. 80% of students sweat a lot
during the exam time and 60% of students are not able to complete their exam
within time. 60% students are worry about their result too.
7. Graphical representation on stress
Graphical representationon anxiety
Graphical representationon exam fear
0
10
20
30
40
without stress stress
graph on stress
graph on stress
0
10
20
30
40
anxiety without anxiety
graph on anxiety
graph on anxiety
0
10
20
30
40
exam fear without exam fear
graph on exam fear
graph on exam fear
8. Majorfindings of the study
The findings of the study indicates that majority of the students are not
comfortable in the schooldue to over loaded syllabus and stress from the
parents and teachers. They find difficulties in planning and organizing what
they have studied.
Most of the students often lack the willingness to do hard work and clear
their doubts.
Most of the students have low confidence to present their ideas, due to
average memorizing capacity, ability to summarize problems and ability to
relate the concepts which they have studied.
Conclusion
The major findings helps the investigator to conclude that the majority of the high
schoolstudents have stress, anxiety and exam fear due to lack of supportfrom
teachers and parents, heavy work load and less effort taken from students ,this will
in turn impact the academic performance of the students.
Educationalimplications or suggestions
The investigator suggests the following implications with the help of research
findings.
Work load given to students must be reduced to a certain extend.
Syllabus must provide equal importance in both curricular and co-curricular
activities, so that students can have a good work life balance.
Parents and teachers must be given counseling to teach them how to build
students mental health with positive attitudes and confidence.
Students must be given counseling to teach them how to organize their
studies. Those students who need special attention must be provided with the
same from schoolas well as from home.
9. Reference
Aggarwal , JC. (2005). Physical learning and development, new delhi:
shipra publications
Bandura, a (1979). The social learning perspective, New Delhi: vikas
publications
Breadburn, N.M (1969). The structure of psychological well being,
Chicago: aldin
Jourard ,S.M (1968). Disclosing man to himself. Van Nostrand, Reihold.
Appendix
Questionnaire
10. MANGALAM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ETTUMANOOR
QUESTIONNAIRE ON PROBLEMS OF LEARNING
(Stress, Anxiety and Exam Fear)
Name of the participant: …………………. ………………. Age: …………..
Class: ……….. Gender: …………..
INSTRUCTIONS
Kindly answer the questions given below which are related to problems of learning. Please indicate your
responses by a (√ ) mark to either ‘YES’ OR ‘NO’
Sl
No. Questions
Percentage
Yes No
1. Do you feel comfort in your school?
2. Do you study regularly?
3. Do you have any obstacles in learning from your family
4. Do you have any ambition about your carrier?
5. Do you feel tired when doing schoolwork?
6. Do you like continue study?
7. Do you have difficulty in planning and organizing task?
8. Are you interested to come to schooldaily?
9. Do you have a habit of writing short notes by yours self
10. Are you lazy and try to skip the class?
11. Do you feel heavy with your syllabus?
12. Do you feel stressed when you are unable to understand the
class?
13. Do you like to attend club activities?
14. Do you ever participate in club activities?
15. Are you able to finish your work within time?
16. Are you scared to enter into laboratories?
17. Are you able to do mental calculations while doing problems?
18. Do frequent exams bother you?
19.
Do you have the tendency of missing some questions in the
exam due to anxiety?
20. Are you studying the lesson regularly?
21. Do you have the habit of clearing doubts byasking to your
teachers as friends?
22. Have you ever felt that you are good for nothing?
23. Are you able to read properly?
11. 24. Do you have the habit of writing dairy every day?
25. Are you maintaining good communication among friends?
26. Do you share your problems with your friends?
27. Do you have tuition for any subject?
28. Do you make mistake while writing?
29. Do you have any prize in quiz or debate completion?
30. Do you get poorergrade than expected?
31. Do you have difficulty in memorization?
32. Do you leave tears in learning?
33. Are you able to answer the questions asked by the teachers
without any tension and fear?
34. Do you have trouble in summarizing your learned concept?
35. Are you able to relate studied conceptto the situations?
36. Are you scared at your teacher?
37. Do you sweat a lot during the exam hours?
38. Do you feel relaxed after completion of the exams?
39. Are you able to complete your exam within time?
40. Do you worry about the result of your exams?
