Influence of high-stakes tests on teaching styles of science teachers in senior secondary schools in Nigeria

Q: What conclusion and recommendation does the study provide?

High-stakes test factors significantly influence teaching styles. Teachers and educators are recommended to pay attention to the effects of high-stakes testing in schools.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen

The study investigates how high-stakes tests affect teaching styles of science teachers in senior secondary schools in Nigeria. Two research questions guide the work and three hypotheses are formulated and tested at a .05 significance level. A descriptive research design is used with a sample of 6349 students and teachers. Data are collected using the High-stakes and Teaching Styles Questionnaire (HSTSQ), with face and content validity and a Cronbach Alpha reliability of 0.84. Analysis involves descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and independent t-tests. Results show significant influence of high-stakes tests on teaching styles, and recommendations emphasize attention to testing effects in schools.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose of science teaching and teaching styles

Definition and significance of high-stakes testing

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 10(3), pp. 291-301, August 2022 DOI: 10. 30918/AERJ.103.22.041 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper Influence of high-stakes tests on teaching styles of science teachers in senior secondary schools in Nigeria Muhammad Abdallah*, Aliyu Taiwo and Akuche Ukamaka Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria. Accepted 16 August, 2022 | ABSTRACT
The problem of teaching styles of teachers in the science arm of secondary schools in Nigeria has been a subject of concern and discuss. Many studies have been carried out to investigate factors that affect teaching styles but very few have considered the role of high-stakes tests. This study, therefore, investigated the influence of high-stakes tests on the teaching styles of science teachers in senior secondary schools in Nigeria. Two research questions were raised and answered, and three hypotheses were formulated and tested to guide the study at a .05 level of significance. The study used a descriptive research design. A sample of 6349 students and teachers was utilized for the study. The research instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire titled: High-stakes and Teaching Styles Questionnaire (HSTSQ) . The instrument was subjected to face and content validity; Cronbach Alpha reliability analysis yielded a 0.84 coefficient. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression and independent t-test statistics. The results using multiple regression revealed that significant influence exists for the independent variable (high-stakes tests, r = 0.408, p < 0.05) . The mean difference in the opinions of the respondents regarding high-stakes tests was higher for teachers (X̅ = 53.63, SD = 6.77) than students (X̅ = 52.8904, SD = 7.55), t(6347) = -2.704, p > 0.05, F = 1.322, p = .250), and there was a significant difference. In conclusion, high-stakes test factors have a significant influence on the teaching styles of teachers. Therefore, it is recommended among others, that teachers and educators should pay attention to the effects of high-stakes testing in their schools.
Keywords: High-stakes tests, washback effect, test pressure, test anxiety, teaching styles. | | --- | | *Corresponding author. E-mail: [hhra@medminacollege.com](hhra@medminacollege.com). | INTRODUCTION The economic attainment and development of any nation depend on the quality of science education in that nation. Real development involves the creative capacity of people to effectively transform natural resources of the environment into goods and services through imaginative and practical application of their creative talents and productive labor force. Advances in science and technology contribute to the social and economic development of nations that result in an improved standard of living manifested through good health, food security, adequate housing and sustainable use of natural resources, environmental protection and economic growth (OECD, 2016) . Indeed, no nation can survive educationally, economically or otherwise without the knowledge of science. Thus, the importance of effective teaching of science subjects in institutions, particularly secondary schools, cannot be overstressed. Logically speaking, this cannot be done without science teachers who are expected to utilize suitable and effective instructional (teaching) methods in creating meaningful teaching and learning process in school systems. The primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring a fundamental change in the learner (Blazar, 2016) . To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers need to apply appropriate Afr Educ Res J 292 teaching styles to methods and techniques that best suit specific learning objectives and outcomes. Teaching styles, sometimes referred to as teaching approaches, are described as the general principles, educational, and management strategies for classroom instruction (Balachandran,

FAQs

What is the main purpose of this study?

To investigate the influence of high-stakes tests on the teaching styles of science teachers in senior secondary schools in Nigeria.

What research design, sample, and instrument were used?

A descriptive research design is used with a sample of 6349 students and teachers. Data are collected using the High-stakes and Teaching Styles Questionnaire (HSTSQ).

What analytical methods and key findings are reported?

Descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and independent t-tests are used. Multiple regression indicates a significant influence of high-stakes tests on teaching styles (r = 0.408, p < 0.05).

What conclusion and recommendation does the study provide?

High-stakes test factors significantly influence teaching styles. Teachers and educators are recommended to pay attention to the effects of high-stakes testing in schools.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by McQueen