TEST COMPLETION TIME, SUBJECT SCORES AND ACADEMIC SELF-EFFICACY. HOW DO THEY RELATE?

Abstract

<p>Educators always endeavor to unravel the myriad of unexplained variables in learning environments. Examination taking is one such variable. Given the importance attached to examination results, educators seek answers as to why some students have shorter completion time than others and whether they end up scoring better than those who finish later. Is this phenomenon related to their levels of academic self-efficacy? This study set out to investigate the relationship between academic behavior confidence, test scores and test completion time. It was grounded on the self-efficacy theory by Albert Bandura. In an exam-taking situation, twenty-five early finishers and twenty-five late finishers were identified in a common unit examination in a public university in Kenya. They later filled out the Academic Behavior Confidence scale developed by Sander & Sanders (2019). The relationships between the completion time, the test scores on the common unit and their Academic Behavior Confidence scores were investigated using non-parametric approaches, specifically the Spearman’s rho and Mann-Whitney U test. Results show a significant difference between completion time and test scores. Paradoxically, there is no significant difference between completion time and ABC scores. However, there is a positive relationship between test scores and Academic Behavior Confidence scores. It is recommended that educators should use mastery experiences, verbal persuasion and vicarious experiences to enhance Academic Self-efficacy, which may, in turn, improve test scores.</p>.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0028/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>