The interrelation between the perceived learning environment in higher education and student test anxiety

This paper presents a study that examined the association between factors related to the study environment and student test anxiety in higher education (while controlling for individual student characteristics, such as neuroticism). A total of 634 German teacher-training students completed a questionnaire based on standardised instruments. The results indicate that the perceived performance pressure best explains test anxiety, but other characteristics of the learning environment also correlate with test anxiety (e.g., fairness and transparency of the performance assessment). Additionally, the results suggest that perceived teacher-oriented and student-oriented teaching approaches are positively, but weakly, associated with test anxiety. The findings are discussed with regard to evidence-based teaching in higher education.