Cognopolis
Revista de educción y pedagogía
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https://doi.org/10.62574/dbznf787
1
Standardised tests and their relationship to time, motivation, academic
achievement in English language teaching.
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento
académico en la enseñanza del inglés
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
jullyh10@gmail.com
Universidad Metropolitana de Educación Ciencia y Tecnología (UMECIT), Panama,
Panama, Province of Panama, Panama
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5121-0508
ABSTRACT
The research objective is to determine the correlation between standardised tests in terms of
time, motivation and academic performance in English language teaching among 11th grade
students enrolled in public educational institutions in Bogotá, Colombia. The scientific article was
conducted using a quantitative approach with a descriptive methodology on a sample population
of 103 students. Spearman's analysis showed that the time spent studying English is not
significantly associated with performance on the Saber 11 test (Rho = 0.167; p = 0.092; Table 5),
which prevents the null hypothesis for this variable from being rejected. It was found that, although
increasing study hours does not guarantee better results on the Saber 11, a high level of
motivation is linked to more favourable performance and a more positive perception of one's own
abilities.
Descriptors: student evaluation; examination standards; second language instruction (Source:
UNESCO Thesaurus).
RESUMEN
Se plantea como objetivo de investigación determinar la correlación de las pruebas
estandarizadas en razón del tiempo, motivación y rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés en estudiantes de grado 11 adscritos a instituciones educativas públicas de Bogotá –
Colombia. El articulo científico fue realizado bajo el enfoque cuantitativo con una metodología de
tipo descriptiva en una muestra poblacional de 103 estudiantes. El análisis de Spearman mostró
que el tiempo dedicado al estudio del inglés no se asocia de manera significativa con el
rendimiento en la prueba Saber 11 (Rho = 0,167; p = 0,092; tabla 5), lo cual impide rechazar la
hipótesis nula para esta variable. Se obtuvo que, aunque aumentar las horas de estudio no
garantiza un mejor resultado en la Saber 11, un alto nivel de motivación sí se vincula con un
desempeño más favorable y con una percepción más positiva de las propias habilidades.
Descriptores: evaluación del estudiante; norma de examen; enseñanza de una segunda lengua.
(Fuente: Tesauro UNESCO).
Received: 02/03/2025. Revised: 11/03/2025. Approved: 01/04/2025. Published: 03/05/2025.
Research articles
Cognopolis
Revista de educción y pedagogía
Vol. 3(2), 1-19, 2025
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
2
INTRODUCTION
Within the framework of Colombian education policy, bilingualism has been
promoted as a national priority, so that standardised tests, especially Saber 11,
are conceived as official indicators of English proficiency (Mejía-Mejía, 2016).
These assessments guide accountability and the definition of curricular standards
(Kelly, Andreasen, Kousholt, McNess, & Ydesen, 2017; Kane & Rosenquist,
2019), although their validity in reflecting authentic learning is tempered by
external factors such as socioeconomic inequity, infrastructure quality, and
opportunities for practice (Cabeza, Lombana, & Castrillón, 2020; Iguarán-
Jiménez, Cabas-Manjarrés, Paba-Barbosa, & Diazgranados-Rincones, 2023;
Vez-López, Molina-Muñoz, & Sánchez-Hernández, 2022).
It is also known that performance in English exams is conditioned by various
cognitive and socioeconomic factors (Jiménez, Rodríguez, & Rey-Paba, 2017;
Hernández-Otálora, 2024), a palpable situation in this regard being the
experience during the COVID-19 pandemic as an intervening factor, where
academic performance gaps widened between public and private institutions, as
the interruption of face-to-face teaching weakened language proficiency practices
(García-Arias, Quevedo-Arnaiz, Cañizares-Cárdenas, & Loor-Coveña, 2021;
Mandasari & Aminatun, 2020).
On the other hand, the time devoted to English language study has received little
attention, although recent studies point to its positive relationship with cognitive
achievement and the effectiveness of teacher planning (Eltahir et al., 2021; Kraft
& Novicoff, 2024); however, when teaching hours are articulated with pedagogical
support, the impact on learning is intensified (Kane & Rosenquist, 2019;
Alejandro Cortés, 2024).
Similarly, academic motivation functions as a catalyst for self-regulated learning:
high levels of intrinsic engagement improve self-efficacy and performance in
complex tasks, such as reading comprehension and oral production (Bai & Wang,
Cognopolis
Revista de educción y pedagogía
Vol. 3(2), 1-19, 2025
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
3
2020; Rose, Curle, Aizawa, & Thompson, 2019). In addition, studies in the
Colombian context agree that intrinsic motivation favours persistence and the
implementation of effective study strategies (Caviedes, Vásquez-Benítez, &
Gallego-Vásquez, 2024; Soledispa-Rivera, San-Andrés Soledispa, & Soledispa
Pin, 2020).
In addition to the above, it can be highlighted that despite the existing theoretical
wealth, there is still a lack of studies that simultaneously articulate the constructs
of standardised tests, study time and motivation in 11th grade students from
public institutions in Bogotá, a strategic population that is on the threshold of
higher education, where the results of the Saber 11 directly affect their academic
and employment opportunities (Mejía-Mejía, 2016; Cabeza et al, 2020; Iguarán-
Jiménez et al., 2023; Lee, Hwang, & Chen, 2022; Pazmiño-Rodríguez & Cordero-
de-Jiménez, 2024).
Therefore, the objective of the research is to determine the correlation of
standardised tests in terms of time, motivation and academic performance in the
teaching of English in 11th grade students in public educational institutions in
Bogotá - Colombia.
Theoretical frame of reference
Learning English depends not only on the content taught, but also on various
factors that influence how learners appropriate this knowledge. Among these
factors, learning time and motivation are essential elements that shape the
student's learning experience. In order to understand how these influence
academic performance, it is necessary to review theories that address study time,
motivation and performance in foreign language learning, especially in
educational contexts such as the Colombian context, in this sense, it is presented:
Time spent learning English
Study time is a factor traditionally associated with academic performance, in this
sense, it is evident that the amount of time students spend on an activity directly
Cognopolis
Revista de educción y pedagogía
Vol. 3(2), 1-19, 2025
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
4
influences the results achieved. However, Kraft & Novicoff (2024) suggest that
this impact is not linear, but also depends on the quality of the time spent, in this
order, the use of effective learning strategies, interaction with additional resources
such as multimedia materials, and interactive teaching can turn limited time into
a more effective learning experience. Thus, the amount of study time should be
understood as a qualitative rather than a quantitative factor, yes, the time spent
on educational tasks should be related to active learning, which motivates the
student to reflect and apply what he/she has learned.
Motivation for learning English
Motivation has been identified as one of the most influential factors in students'
academic performance, especially in learning a foreign language, in this order,
Bai & Wang (2020) highlight that motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, has a
direct relationship with academic success, therefore, intrinsic motivation, i.e. the
interest and satisfaction students find in learning the language by themselves, is
a determining factor in students' perseverance and willingness to actively
participate in the learning process.
On the other hand, studies such as Caviedes, Vásquez-Benítez & Gallego-
Vásquez (2024), state that motivation not only impacts on effort, but also on
beliefs about one's own ability, which has an impact on performance, taking into
account that in the case of learning English, motivated students feel more
confident in their ability to achieve language proficiency and, therefore, are willing
to invest more time and effort in learning activities. For this reason, educational
programmes should focus on fostering intrinsic motivation, using pedagogical
strategies that connect with learners' interests and enable them to see the
relevance of English to their lives.
Academic performance in standardised tests
Standardised tests are tools for measuring academic performance and are widely
used to assess students' language skills. In the case of Colombia, tests such as
Cognopolis
Revista de educción y pedagogía
Vol. 3(2), 1-19, 2025
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
5
Saber 11 provide information on students' level of proficiency in English and, in
turn, serve as an indicator of the effectiveness of the educational programmes
implemented. However, interpreting the results of these tests is not a simple
process. Jiménez, Rodríguez & Rey Paba (2017) argue that test results not only
reflect the knowledge acquired, but also a series of external factors, such as
institutional support, family context and socio-economic conditions, hence
motivation, time invested in learning and other psychoeducational factors
influence the way students perform in these exams.
Test performance is also influenced by students' self-efficacy, that is, by their
beliefs about their ability to succeed in academic tasks, in this context, García-
Arias et al. (2021), note that students who perceive themselves as competent in
English are more likely to do well on standardised tests, reflecting the close
relationship between motivation and performance.
Relationship between time, motivation and performance
The relationship between time, motivation and academic performance should not
be analysed in isolation. In this context, Kraft & Novicoff (2024) argue that
motivation plays a mediating role between time spent studying and academic
performance. In other words, time spent learning is only effective if students are
motivated to make meaningful use of it. This position is complemented by the
contributions of Caviedes et al. (2024), who mention that a motivated student can
maximise the benefits of study time by actively engaging in learning activities and
setting clear goals for improvement.
In this order, it is essential that educational environments foster a harmonious
relationship between these three factors: time, motivation and performance;
therefore, English language teaching programmes should be designed with the
aim of not only increasing study time, but also generating an environment that
encourages students' intrinsic motivation, to which end, Bai & Wang (2020)
propose that teachers should be trained in techniques that foster student
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Revista de educción y pedagogía
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inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
6
autonomy, promoting autonomous learning that is supported by a strong sense
of motivation.
METHOD
The scientific article was carried out under the quantitative approach with a
descriptive methodology with a non-experimental field design, relying on
correlational statistics to meet the research objective.
It should be noted that this paper is derived as part of the results of a doctoral
thesis developed within the framework of the doctorate in educational sciences
attached to the Metropolitan University of Education, Science and Technology
(UMECIT), located in Panama. However, it should be noted that the geographical
context in which the results were developed was in public institutions located in
Bogotá - Colombia, where the researcher develops her ontological relationship
with the object of study.
Thus, we proceeded to apply the hypothetical-deductive method in accordance
with the methodological principles of the quantitative approach, promoting data
collection in a population sample of 103 students in grade 11 of public institutions
who had presented the standardised test Saber 11 in the year 2024. In this sense,
the table of operationalisation of the variables was prepared in order to
systematise the selection of data concerning the fulfilment of the research
objective, see table 1.
Cognopolis
Revista de educción y pedagogía
Vol. 3(2), 1-19, 2025
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
7
Table 1. Operationalisation of the variables.
Variable
Dimensions
Indicators
Items
Time Spent Learning
English as a Second
Language
Inside the
classroom
Hours per week
Less than 1 hour
From 1 hour
1 to 3 hours
4 to 6 hours
More than 6 hours
How much time do you spend
learning English in the classroom?
Outside the
classroom
Hours per week
Less than 1 hour
From 1 hour
1 to 3 hours
4 to 6 hours
More than 6 hours
How much time do you spend
learning English within the
institution?
How much time do you spend
participating in extracurricular
activities offered by the school to
learn English?
Motivation to learn
Value components
Interest
How interested are you in learning
English?
How interested are you in meeting
the objectives of the English
class?
Assessment of
learning
How interested are you in setting
personal goals for your English
learning?
How interested are you in doing
the homework in English class?
Expectation
components
Perception of
control
How interested are you in making
decisions about your English
language learning?
How do you perceive the control
you have over your own learning?
Expectations of
success
How interested are you in
understanding how your past
experiences affect your motivation
to learn English?
How interested are you in feeling
good about having control over
your achievements in English?
Affective
components
Affective factors
How interested are you in
receiving support from your family
to learn English?
How interested are you in
involving your family in your
English learning process?
How interested are you in feeling
accompanied in your English
learning process?
Social support
How interested are you in how the
school culture influences your
motivation to learn English?
How interested are you in
receiving support from the
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Revista de educción y pedagogía
Vol. 3(2), 1-19, 2025
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
8
community in your English
learning process?
Academic Performance
in English
Language
comprehension
Listening
comprehension
Assess your ability to understand
conversations in English.
Assess your ability to understand
and follow verbal instructions in
English.
Reading
comprehension
How comfortable are you reading
English texts?
Assess your ability to understand
written texts in English.
Language
production
Oral expression
How would you rate your ability to
hold a conversation in English?
How confident do you feel in
expressing your ideas orally in
English?
How well do you make yourself
understood when communicating
in English?
Writing in English
Assess your ability to write essays
or texts in English.
Assess your ability to write
accurately in English.
SABER 11 Standardised
Test Results in English
as a second language
English test score in
Saber 11 in 2023
Performance
level
A - (0 - 47)
A1 (48 - 57)
A2 (58 - 67)
B1 (68 - 78)
B+ (79 - 100)
What was your performance level
in the Saber test?
Source: Own elaboration.
Based on Table 1, the survey technique was used to collect the data, using
various measuring instruments to obtain quantifiable responses.
An ordinal frequency scale was used to measure the amount of time students
spent learning English, both in and out of the classroom. Students' motivation and
academic performance in English were assessed using Likert-type surveys.
Finally, the results in the state tests (SABER 11) were analysed using a
categorisation scale based on numerical ranges from the score obtained in the
SABER English 2024 test, the results of which were published by ICFES and
disseminated for each district educational institution.
As for the validity of the instruments, these were subjected to the evaluation of 3
content experts, while the reliability values were pilot tested on 10 students with
similar characteristics to the sample without belonging to the same sample, in
question; for the variable "time dedicated to learning the English language"
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Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
9
showed a coefficient α of 0.710, for "motivation to learn" showed a coefficient α
of 0.925 and for "academic performance in the area of English" showed a
coefficient α of 0..
Therefore, the instruments used were rated as highly reliable for their application.
In this sense, descriptive and correlational statistical techniques were used for
data analysis, using SPSS software version 27, in order to process the
information and apply significance tests to identify the relationships between the
study variables.
With regard to ethical considerations, it is stated that there was no
experimentation with humans or animals in the research, highlighting that
informed consent was given by the parents and representatives of the students,
as well as by the teachers - directors of the institutions under study, with the
intention of promoting due compliance with the law because minors were
involved, as well as maintaining anonymity and the data obtained were used
exclusively for research purposes.
RESULTS
In consideration of the data collection described in the method section, it is
presented:
Table 2. Socio-demographic characteristics of the students.
Educational Institution
#
%
La Chucua
51
49,51 %
New Horizon Torca
5
4,85 %
El Salitre Suba
3
2,91 %
Leon de Greiff
2
1,94 %
Technician Cedid Guillermo Cano Isaza
6
5,83 %
The Liberator
1
0,97 %
National Pedagogical Institute
3
2,91 %
Saint Peter Claver
1
0,97 %
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla School
1
0,97 %
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Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
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Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
10
La Estrellita
1
0,97 %
Alqueria de la Fragua
2
1,94 %
Alfred Marshall
1
0,97 %
Venice Headquarters A
2
1,94 %
The Jasmine
10
9,71 %
Jhon F. Kennedy
13
12,62 %
Friendship
1
0,97 %
Study day
Tomorrow
44
42,7 %
Afternoon
52
50,5 %
Nocturna
2
1,9 %
Only
5
4,9 %
Student's age
15 years
5
4,9 %
16 years
24
23,3 %
17 years
43
41,7 %
18 years
25
24,3 %
Another
6
5,8 %
Gender of student
Female
54
52,4 %
Male
49
47,6 %
Another
-
-
Nationality of the student
Colombian
103
100 %
Note. 103 students surveyed. Source: Own elaboration based on the data obtained in the data
collection instrument.
Table 2 shows that the study sample consisted of 103 Grade 11 students from
various public schools in Bogotá. The majority of participants belong to La
Chucua (49.51%), followed by Jhon F. Kennedy (12.62%) and El Jazmín (9.71%).
Other institutions with lower representation include Técnico Cedid Guillermo
Cano Isaza (5.83%), Nuevo Horizonte Torca (4.85%), El Salitre Suba and
Instituto Pedagógico Nacional (2.91% each), among others, whose proportions
vary between 0.97% and 1.94%.
In terms of the academic day, 50.5% of students attend in the afternoon, 42.7%
in the morning, and a smaller percentage attend in the single day (4.9%) or in the
evening (1.9%).
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Vol. 3(2), 1-19, 2025
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
11
In terms of age, the majority of students are between 16 and 18 years old, with
17 year olds (41.7%) standing out, followed by 18 year olds (24.3%) and 16 year
olds (23.3%). Some 4.9% are 15 years old and 5.8% belong to another age
range.
In terms of gender, 52.4% of the students identify themselves as female and
47.6% as male; consequently, all participants are of Colombian nationality.
Table 3. Scales of perceived academic performance.
N
%
Under
51
49,5%
Moderate
41
39,8%
High
11
10,7%
Source: Own elaboration based on the data obtained in the data collection instrument.
Criteria were defined to classify the perception of academic performance into
three categories: low, moderate and high. Table 3 shows the distribution of
participants according to their level of perception, revealing that almost half of the
respondents evaluate their academic performance as low. Therefore, from the
data presented in table 3, 49.5% of the participants (n = 51) perceive their
academic performance as low, while 39.8% (n = 41) rate it as moderate. Only
10.7% (n = 11) consider their performance as high.
Table 4. Standardised test results in English.
N
%
1: A-(0 - 47)
16
15,5%
2: A1 (48 - 57)
34
33,0%
3: A2 (58 - 67)
26
25%
4: B1 (68 - 78)
16
15,5%
5 B+ (79-100)
11
11%
Source: Own elaboration based on the data obtained in the data collection
instrument.
Table 4 shows the distribution of the levels of English proficiency obtained by the
students in the standardised test. It can be seen that the most common level is
A1, reached by 33% of the participants (n=34), while a quarter of the students
obtained a level A2 (25.2%; n=26). It is relevant to note that almost half of the
respondents (48.5%; n=50) are at levels below A2, suggesting that their
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Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
12
proficiency in English is still limited. In contrast, only 10.7% (n=11) achieved a
level above B1.
Table 5. Correlation between time spent learning English and performance
(standardised test results).
Time spent learning
English
Performance
(Standardised Test
Results)
Spearman's
Rho
Time spent
learning English
Correlation
coefficient
1,000
,167
Sig. (bilateral)
.
,092
N
103
103
Performance
(Standardised
Test Results)
Correlation
coefficient
,167
1,000
Sig. (bilateral)
,092
.
N
103
103
Source: Own elaboration based on the data obtained in the data collection instrument.
The hypotheses put forward are:
H0 = There is no relationship between time spent learning and performance.
H1= there is a relationship between time spent learning and performance.
Table 5 found no statistically significant relationship between time spent learning
English and performance on standardised tests (Spearman's Rho = 0.167, p =
0.092). Although the correlation coefficient suggests a weak positive relationship,
the significance value indicates that this association is not sufficient to reject the
null hypothesis.
Therefore, it cannot be claimed that time spent learning English directly
influences test performance, suggesting that other factors may be playing a more
relevant role in the results obtained.
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Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
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Table 6. Correlation between motivation for learning English and performance
(standardised test scores).
Motivation for
learning English
Performance
(Standardised
Test Results)
Spearman's
Rho
Motivation for learning
English
Correlation
coefficient
1,000
,418**
Sig. (bilateral)
.
,000
N
103
103
Performance
(standardised test
results)
Correlation
coefficient
,418**
1,000
Sig. (bilateral)
,000
.
N
103
103
Source: Own elaboration based on the data obtained in the data collection instrument.
Since both variables meet the assumptions of normality, in principle a parametric
correlation such as Pearson's could be used. However, given that the variable
Performance (standardised test score) is ordinal, it was decided to use
Spearman's correlation (Spearman's Rho), which is more appropriate for this type
of data.
The hypotheses for the correlation analysis are as follows:
H0 = There is no correlation between motivation for learning English and
performance (standardised test scores).
H1 = There is a correlation between motivation for learning English and
performance (standardised test scores).
Table 6 shows a significance level of .00 (p. value <.05), therefore, the null
hypothesis is rejected, thus, it is expressed that there is a correlation between
Motivation for learning English and Performance (standardised test result), with
direct direction (positive) and of moderate intensity (correlation coefficient of
.418).
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Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
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Table 7. Correlation between motivation for learning English and perceived
academic achievement.
Motivation for
learning English
Perception of
Academic Performance
Motivation for
learning English
Pearson correlation
1
,462**
Sig. (bilateral)
,000
N
103
103
Perception of
Academic
Performance
Pearson correlation
,462**
1
Sig. (bilateral)
,000
N
103
103
Source: Own elaboration based on the data obtained in the data collection instrument.
The hypotheses put forward are:
H0 = There is no correlation between motivation for learning English and
perceived academic achievement.
H1 = There is a correlation between motivation for learning English and perceived
academic achievement.
From the results presented in Table 7 with a significance level of .00 (p. value
<.05), the null hypothesis is rejected, indicating that there is a correlation between
motivation for learning English and perceived academic achievement. This
correlation is direct (positive) and of moderate intensity, with a correlation
coefficient of .462.
DISCUSSION
As for the relationship between time spent learning English and performance on
standardised tests, the results of Spearman's correlation (Rho = 0.167, p = 0.092)
indicate a weak and non-significant correlation. This suggests that, although in
principle one might expect a greater time commitment to have a positive impact
on performance, other factors seem to play a more decisive role. This finding is
consistent with previous research, such as that of Bai & Wang (2020), who found
that motivation and beliefs about personal ability have a more substantial
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Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
15
influence than simply increasing study time; in addition, the study by Kraft &
Novicoff (2024) highlights that the quality of time spent, rather than quantity, may
be a determining factor in improving academic performance.
On the other hand, the analysis of motivation for learning English in relation to
performance on standardised tests shows a moderate and significant correlation
(Rho = 0.418, p < 0.05). This result confirms that motivation is a determining
factor in students' academic success. Thus, the positive relationship observed is
consistent with previous studies, such as that of Cabeza, Lombana & Castrillón
(2020), who found that intrinsic motivation has a direct and considerable effect
on performance in standardised tests. Likewise, research by Vez-López, Molina-
Muñoz & Sánchez-Hernández (2022) points to the importance of motivation in
performance in foreign language learning contexts, in that a high level of
motivation fosters perseverance and concentration in academic tasks.
In terms of perceived academic performance, it was observed that students with
higher motivation for learning English tended to perceive their performance more
positively, which reinforces the idea that motivation not only impacts objective test
results, but also students' self-assessment of their own performance. This
phenomenon is supported by studies such as Caviedes, Vásquez-Benítez &
Gallego-Vásquez (2024), who found that motivation also influences self-efficacy
and students' perceptions of their abilities, which can lead to greater confidence
in their academic performance.
Therefore, it is important to highlight that the distribution of the sample reflects a
considerable diversity in terms of the educational institutions represented, which
brings a contextual richness to the study. It is important to highlight that the
majority of the students come from La Chucua (49.51%), and most of them are
in the 16 and 17 years age range, which coincides with the adolescent population
that is at a decisive moment in their academic formation. These socio-
demographic aspects could influence the way students deal with learning English
Cognopolis
Revista de educción y pedagogía
Vol. 3(2), 1-19, 2025
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
16
and test performance, as factors such as family environment, available resources
and institutional support also play an important role in the educational process.
CONCLUSION
Spearman's analysis showed that time spent studying English is not significantly
associated with performance on the Saber 11 test (Rho = 0.167; p = 0.092; table
5), which prevents us from rejecting the null hypothesis for this variable. However,
a positive correlation of moderate intensity was identified between intrinsic
motivation towards learning English and the scores obtained in the standardised
test (Rho = 0.418; p < 0.001; table 6), as well as between the same motivation
and the students' perception of their own academic performance (Rho = 0.462; p
< 0.001; table 7).
Therefore, it was found that, although increasing the number of hours of study
does not guarantee a better result in the Saber 11, a high level of motivation is
linked to a more favourable performance and a more positive perception of one's
own abilities. Considering the socio-demographic profile of the sample,
predominantly 16-17 year olds from La Chucua, it is clear that psychoeducational
factors, beyond the hours count, play a determining role in explaining the
differences in English skills among Grade 11 students in Bogotá public schools.
FUNDING
Non-monetary
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
There is no conflict of interest with persons or institutions involved in research.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To the students who participated in the Saber 11 test in 2024 and who were an
essential part of this research.
Cognopolis
Revista de educción y pedagogía
Vol. 3(2), 1-19, 2025
Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
17
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Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
Jully Alexandra Hernández-Otálora
18
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Pruebas estandarizadas y relación con el tiempo, motivación, rendimiento académico en la enseñanza del
inglés
Standardised tests and their relationship with time, motivation and academic performance in English language
Teaching
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