Collaborative Testing and Test Anxiety

Abstract. Prior research concluded that collaborative learning reduces test anxiety. Examination of the evidence used in that research, however, calls into question those conclusions. The present study used an empirical measure of test anxiety and an experimental design to provide an improved estimate of the effect of collaboration in an evaluative context on test anxiety. The findings show no significant difference in test anxiety between students who collaborate on their exam and students who work alone. The ability to organize information is found to have a significant effect on test anxiety and that effect differs between collaborating students and those working alone.