Abstract
The central aim of standardized exit exams is to motivate students and teachers to work harder on critical subject matters and thus increase student achievement. However, the effects of the implementation of central exams on student motivation have not been analyzed in a longitudinal section until now. In the present study, the consequences of implementing central exams in the German states Bremen and Hesse on student attributions after the exams have been analyzed. We expected an increase in attributions to effort, teaching and luck, caused by the change in examination systems in Bremen advanced courses from 2007 to 2008. Differential results were expected for students perceiving themselves successful or not successful respectively. As a control, advanced courses in Bremen were compared to those in Hesse that did not pass through a change in examination systems at this time. The results point to an increase of attributions to effort and teaching in the total group, but none of attributions to luck. Additionally, as hypothesized, the change in attributions to effort occurred only for perceived successful and a change in attribution to teaching was found mainly for perceived unsuccessful students. The outcomes are interpreted and consequences for further studies are formulated.
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Notes
Possible scores in German exit exams range from 15 (very good) to 5 (fair), with 4 and less = failed. These correspond to a grading scale of 1 (best) to 6 (worst: fail) and decrease in intervals of three, e.g., the score 2 or “good” is equivalent to 10–12 points, 12 being better than 10; the score 3 or “satisfactory” is equivalent to 7–9 points.
In Bremen, in contrast to Hesse, class was not held after the exams. For this reason, students filled out their questionnaires at home and returned them by mail, which explains the lower response rate.
See footnote 1.
The correlation is negative because high course grades are bad, with 6 as the worst possible grade, but high exam scores are good, with 15 as the best possible.
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). We thank the Bremen and Hessian Ministries of Education and all the teachers and students of the schools that have participated in our study.
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Oerke, B., Maag Merki, K., Holmeier, M. et al. Changes in student attributions due to the implementation of central exit exams. Educ Asse Eval Acc 23, 223–241 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-011-9121-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-011-9121-7