How Can Online Exams Help With Exam Anxiety?
University & advanced professional education come with a certain amount of anxiety and worry. Especially when it comes to exams. COVID-19 has worsened the problem because most students then have to take the class & take their examinations online. This minimizes typical interaction with the other students and instructors. Which can make students feel lonely and anxious about their education. While nervousness is typical for everyone taking an exam, being too worried can have a major detrimental impact on performance. It’s because it may impair memory, diminish focus, and hinder the applicant from demonstrating what they have learned. Resulting in a grade that does not reflect their true abilities and they look for online exam helper near me.
Students may have mild or severe anxiety during exams
Low anxiety: When exams are approaching, this group of students may feel a little worried. However, they are also still able to examine without letting their nervousness interfere. They can also respond to questions during the exams.
Anxiety is high: When students with high anxiety are given an exam or a test, they get apprehensive right away. They may attempt to boycott this exam since it is so horrible. Even if people manage to turn there, they will be terrified during the exam. High-anxiety students will have racing heart rhythm, sweaty hands, & shortness of breath.
Some ways may be used to aid anxious students, and this can help them do better on exams. If a student exhibits severe anxiety symptoms, they should be urged to inform their examining body ahead of time so that efforts can be done to reassure them and give further assistance. Online tests may be used to assist manage and minimizing test taker anxiety in a variety of ways. Here are a few recommendations:
1. Make the exam environment better
As previously stated, kids with extreme anxiety may be given special attention. Some children, especially those who are not too young, will be able to tell what will help them. An online exam has the advantage of not requiring the student to travel to the testing center and instead allowing them to take the test from the comfort of their own home. Exam takers might benefit greatly from reducing travel obligations and being concerned about arriving in numerous locations on time. Exam participants should be urged to select a comfortable desk chair in their home to sit at while taking the exam since this will help them relax. They also should make sure there are no distractions in the room, such as family members or pets.
2. Providers of Short Exams and Supervisors
The test provider should guarantee that the invigilators appointed to the online exam were briefed so that any worried students can receive extra help and reassurance on exam day. This will allow the supervisor to be prepared & know how to handle the issue, and they will be able to go to great measures to put the candidate at ease. For example, at Test Reach, our supervisors go through intensive training to guarantee that they give a professional and helpful service to all exam takers, and we can adjust to the unique needs of individuals who suffer from severe anxiety.
3. Provide more time and/or breaks
Another strategy to take pupils with high anxiety into account is to offer them additional time and some breaks somewhere between. For students that require special care, your examination provider should be able to offer extra time for exams. More information about exam accessibility alternatives may be found here.
4. Allow the pupil to have a companion
Some pupils have been reported to be so scared by the test set that they can only answer when a relative or friend is present to calm them down. This can be made easier if you agree with your examination provider ahead of time, as they will only need to inform the exam invigilator that the candidate is allowed to bring one individual with them. While it should be acknowledged that throughout the invigilated atmosphere, the applicant should not discuss responses to questions with a person – they are for moral support – having a known person present to comfort them could go a long way to lowering anxieties.
5. Using internet-based video tutorials
It is advised that the examination provider use videos online to help students prepare for the exam to reduce low-grade anxiety. Knowing how to utilize the online test platform as well as how to prep for exam day lowers uncertainty, allowing them to focus on their studies and the real exam rather than on how to use the program. Candidates should be able to watch support videos provided by your online test software supplier. If you have particularly precise questions or processes that you want students to follow, you might want to consider developing a film for your school.
6. Encourage adaptability
Allowing students to be more flexible provides them with more control over their learning. Which is likely to excite them and online exam helper near me minimize anxiety. There are 2 methods that online tests might help with this. One is that they may allow students to take their exams at a time that is convenient for them or all at once. Examiners might also potentially provide more time when scheduling a test (for example, an extra 15 min for all students). Such that students who are hesitant about utilizing technology have a little more time to acclimate to a new approach to responding to questions. Additional time can be given to a candidate’s account on a worldwide basis so that they always have additional time for tests. or can be given a year for every basis, adapted to the needs.
7. Think about other options for evaluation
Because of the pandemic’s ever-changing status. Educational institutions must provide an alternate way of evaluation. Alternatives to online tests can be investigated and included in the evaluation process. Such as well-researched projects. Your online test provider may also allow you to upload formative evaluations for grading. Which you may utilize in addition to formal end-of-year exams. Students may also be offered the opportunity to deliver oral presentations on the projects using video conferencing services. To gain the appropriate grades, which is common in some professional fields.
8. Think about open-book exams
Examiners could explore using open-book examinations. Which allows students to refer to the literary texts if they desire. The attractiveness of these tests is that they will be designed to assess student’s comprehension. Rather than their ability to recollect facts. They aren’t as simple as many people believe.
Candidates are judged on their ability to find relevant material in a short amount of time, evaluate it, think critically, engage with and grasp the topic. And then apply new learning to answer problems without relying on books verbatim. Examiners must make it plain to students that they are not permitted to duplicate information from books, the internet or online exam helper near me.
If educational institutions are still hesitant to give open-book tests. They might always require exam takers to digitally sign an integrity contract promising not to participate in any exam irregularities. They can be monitored. But you must make sure that supervisors are aware of the resources that are permitted. In this situation, you might want to try a timed online test that isn’t monitored. But still allows the applicant to take the exam on the laptop & work as they normally would. All from the comfort of their own home.
Conclusion
Given the recent uncertainties, online tests have become a new reality. And examination boards must act to assist students in adapting. While universities step in to provide systems that allow students to access their tests despite present constraints. They also contain elements that can aid applicants’ psychological well-being. Being able to take their exam from home, with much less traveling, and with a qualified supervisor on hand as online exam helper near me. To advise and coach them makes for a less traumatic situation than a ‘typical’ exam day in a busy exam hall.
