How does testing fatigue impact a student's performance during exams?

Testing fatigue significantly affects a student's performance during exams by leading to decreased concentration and an increased likelihood of errors. As students spend extended periods engaged in testing, their cognitive resources can become depleted. This fatigue can manifest in various ways, such as difficulty focusing on the questions, reduced motivation to carefully read prompts, and struggling to remember previously learned information. As a result, students may overlook critical details or make careless mistakes that they would not typically make when they are well-rested and alert. Research in educational psychology supports this notion, indicating that fatigue can impair cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, and decision-making—all of which are crucial for performing well in an exam setting. Thus, the role of testing fatigue is crucial to understanding how it negatively influences student performance.