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No Anxious Student Is Left Behind: Statistics Anxiety, Personality Traits, and Academic Dishonesty—Lessons from COVID-19

Author

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  • Pnina Steinberger

    (Educational Counseling, Orot Israel College of Education, 3 Steinman St., Rehovot 76110, Israel)

  • Yovav Eshet

    (Interdisciplinary Studies, Zefat Academic College, 11 Jerusalem St., Zefat 1320611, Israel)

  • Keren Grinautsky

    (Behavioral Sciences, Zefat Academic College, 11 Jerusalem St., Zefat 1320611, Israel)

Abstract

Scholarly studies have revealed that exposure to statistics courses affect students’ anxiety levels and that this has been associated with unethical misconduct. Thus, the present research’s main objective is to comprehend the mediating role Statistics Anxiety plays on the relationship comprising students’ personality traits and academic dishonesty as manifesting before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its aim is to understand this phenomenon and provide theoretical tools for fostering sustainably personalized distance learning and instruction. Data were collected from students studying for a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences at three different Israeli colleges. The sample comprises 316 participants and data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results show a significant mediation manifested by an indirect effect between personality traits and academic dishonesty via statistics anxiety only in emergency remote teaching, although no parallel significant mediation was observed in the face-to-face course. These results could be explained by differences in delivery methods. Thus, we recommend that in the emergency remote teaching environment instructors’ presence include: (1) supportive, emphatic interaction to reduce virtual distance and (2) Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies, which foster students’ learning challenges and prevent anxiety and academic dishonesty.

Suggested Citation

  • Pnina Steinberger & Yovav Eshet & Keren Grinautsky, 2021. "No Anxious Student Is Left Behind: Statistics Anxiety, Personality Traits, and Academic Dishonesty—Lessons from COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-18, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:9:p:4762-:d:542234
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Małgorzata Zajdel & Małgorzata Michalcewicz-Kaniowska & Paweł Modrzyński & Anna Komarnicka & Joanna Modrzyńska, 2021. "Conditions and Determinants of Distance Education for Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Evaluation in the Kuyavia-Pomerania Region in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-26, September.
    3. Irdina Farzana Ahmad Shazli & Noor Hidayah Che Lah & Mashitoh Hashim & Ramlah Mailok & Aslina Saad & Suraya Hamid, 2023. "A Comprehensive Study of Students’ Challenges and Perceptions of Emergency Remote Education During the Early COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Literature Review," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    4. Timo Lajunen & Esma Gaygısız & Wei Wang, 2023. "Students’ Emotions During Distance Education: The Role of Personality Factors and Sense of Coherence," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, February.

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