Verification of Rasch Model in Evaluating Tests Anxiety and Attitude of Students Towards Learning of Mathematics

This study examined the applicability of the Rasch Model of test standardisation on test anxiety and students’ attitudes towards learning Mathematics among Senior Secondary School Two (SS2) students in Ondo State, Nigeria. A non-experimental, descriptive survey and correlational research design was adopted. The sample comprised 600 SS2 students selected through a multistage sampling technique across the three senatorial districts in the state. Data were collected using three research instruments, and analysis was conducted using both descriptive and inferential statistics, with hypotheses tested at the 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that after applying the Rasch Model, there was a negative influence on students with very low test anxiety, reflected by a difference of -1.28. In contrast, students with low to moderate anxiety levels showed a positive influence, with a difference of 0.15. Students’ attitude towards Mathematics improved as well: for those with very low anxiety, attitude scores increased from 9.24 to 10.46; while for those with moderate anxiety, scores rose from 8.93 to 9.24. However, there was no significant relationship between test anxiety and academic achievement either before (r = -0.15) or after (r = -0.11) the Rasch Model application. Similarly, the relationship between two-tier and academic achievement was not significant before (r = -0.27, P > 0.05) or after (r = -0.22, P > 0.05) applying the model. Additionally, there was no significant relationship between attitude towards Mathematics and academic achievement both before and after (r = 0.15, P > 0.05), and between two-tier and attitude (r = 0.22, P > 0.05; r = 0.26, P > 0.05). The study concludes that the Rasch Model positively influences test anxiety and attitudes toward Mathematics and recommends its adoption in standardising test items in Nigerian secondary schools.