Surprising Discovery: Students Get Bored During Exams
When we consider boredom, our minds typically don’t immediately associate it with exams. Nevertheless, a group of scholars led by Thomas Götz from the University of Vienna, spanning international borders, has delved into precisely this aspect of exam-related boredom.
Their pioneering research has yielded intriguing findings, revealing that students indeed experience significant levels of boredom during exams. Furthermore, the study has unveiled that this profound boredom adversely impacts exam performance. These research outcomes have recently been shared in the Journal of Educational Psychology.
The Global Study on Exam-Induced Boredom
Despite the current extensive research on boredom, an overlooked aspect has been the phenomenon of test-related boredom. In a groundbreaking international collaboration, psychologists from various institutions including the University of Vienna, the University of Konstanz, the University of Zurich, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, LMU Munich, the City University of New York, the University of Essex, and the Australian Catholic University in Sydney have shed light on the occurrence of test boredom and its detrimental impact on performance.
The primary contributors to test boredom were identified as both being inadequately challenged and excessively challenged during examinations. Furthermore, it was found that test boredom was notably more pronounced when the exam content lacked personal relevance for the students. The central finding of the study underscored that high levels of test boredom had an adverse influence on exam results.
Understanding Exam-Induced Boredom
The researchers introduced the “abundance hypothesis” for the first time in their study, and it was validated. According to this hypothesis, boredom particularly impairs exam performance when students are overwhelmed because their cognitive resources are fully devoted to completing the tasks, leaving none available for dealing with boredom. Conversely, in the case of boredom due to being underchallenged, ample resources are available for task engagement.
The study involved 1,820 German students in grades 5 through 10 and directly incorporated questions regarding the extent of boredom, feelings of being underchallenged or overchallenged, and the personal relevance of the tasks within the examination.
Recommendations for Educators and Caregivers Based on Research Findings
From these research findings, the scholars draw recommendations for educators and caregivers. “To combat test boredom, teachers should design exam tasks that resonate with students’ real-life experiences. Additionally, tasks should avoid being excessively simple or overly complex,” suggests educational psychologist Thomas Götz from the University of Vienna.
“Parents or guardians can also assist young individuals by initiating open dialogues about potential instances of being overwhelmed or underchallenged at school. Particularly in cases of overchallenging, it’s crucial to respond swiftly to prevent boredom and other adverse consequences, such as a downward spiral of declining performance.”
This inaugural examination of test boredom also opens up a new frontier in research. The academics significantly contribute to our understanding of the negative impacts of boredom within the school context. Götz notes, “Numerous studies already indicate that boredom not only hinders learning and performance but also affects mental and physical well-being. With our work, we are now broadening our perspective to a vital aspect of children and adolescents’ everyday school life: examinations.”
Read the original article on: Phys Org
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