Analysis of Anxiety-induced factors during Computer-Based Examination among Undergraduates in a Nigerian University: A Case Study

Abstract

The study explored factors that could induce anxiety during a computer based examination among first year students in a Nigerian university. The study employed survey research method with 369 participants purposively selected as sample of the study. The instrument used for gathering the data was tagged (Anxiety Induced by Computer Based Examination Questionnaire). It was adapted and modified for the purpose of the study. The data gathered was subjected to factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis with AMOS statistical software. For extraction, the data was subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with direct oblimin. Factor with eigenvalve > I were extracted and three factors were realized. Out of 28 items used in the instrument, 16 items were observed to load on the three factor extracted. The internal consistence of the factor was computed and each factor was greater them 0.7 alpha values. The total variance explained was 59.50%, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling Adequacy (KNO) was 0.88 greater than 0.6 required threshold. The extracted factors are (Techno-induced anxiety), which contained 4 items, (Human-induced anxiety) contained 3 items and (Exam-induced anxiety), contained 8 items. The correlation analysis with AMOS showed an existence of causal relationship among the three factors. The study has validated and provided empirical support for the existence of 3 factors interplay to induce anxiety of students’ anxiety when they are subjected to computer-based examinations.