Learners’ Characteristics and Cognitive Test Anxiety in Semester Examination among Students in National Open University of Nigeria

The paper focused on how learners’ characteristics influenced cognitive test anxiety among students of National Open University of Nigeria. The research design used for the study was cross-sectional survey, drawing on the population of 200,000 students at 200 to 400 levels, a sample of 460 were selected using simple sampling technique. Four hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The instrument used for this study was Open and Distance Learners’ Cognitive Test Anxiety Questionnaire (ODLCTAQ) constructed by the researcher. The reliability coefficient of the instrument was 0.83 using Cronbach Alpha statistics. Chi-square statistics was used to analyse the data in order to test the hypotheses. The findings showed that the influence of employment status on students’ cognitive test anxiety was not significant (ꭓ2 (6)= 3.028; P=.805) but that students’ academic discipline had significant influence on students’ cognitive test anxiety (ꭓ2 (12) = 25.942; P=.011). Also, geopolitical zone of NOUN students had significant influence on cognitive test anxiety (ꭓ2 (6)= 20.331; P=.002). It is therefore recommended that management of National Open University of Nigeria should schedule well-spaced out examination timetable in order to take care of the students who are civil servants and those that work in the private companies to have more time to prepare for examinations so as to reduce their cognitive test anxiety. Faculties should put in place various means of reducing the cognitive test anxieties of the students through effective facilitations, discussions and practical sessions.