Online Writing Assessment during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Challenges, Options and Scenarios

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-73
Author(s):  
Fitri Handayani ◽  
Hermawati Syarif
Keyword(s):  
Writing Assessment ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Curriculum Planning ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Online Assessment ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Online Writing ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Assessments ◽  
Face To Face Learning

Assessment is at the core of the teaching process. It shapes students’ understanding of the curriculum and determines their ability to progress. Choosing an assessment strategy is an important aspect of the curriculum planning process. Hence, in the context of this shift from face-to face learning to full-time online learning, several challenges arose including how to develop online writing assessment to the students. In particular, online assessment of students’ writing has become an unprecedented new situation for many English lecturers. The transition from face-to-face assessment to online assessment has been a new experience for many English lecturers who have never applied it before nor have background knowledge of its mechanisms and methods. The issue has raised an important point for English teaching practitioners and course designers regarding the strategies and challenges of this mandatory mode of assessment. From this perspective, the purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of online writing assessments in the COVID-19 pandemic era, including challenges faced by lecturers in conducting online assessments, as well as a set of recommendations for designing online assessment mechanisms and strategies that will result in a fair assessment process for all.

scholarly journals Teachers’ Attitudes towards Online Writing Assessment during Covid-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (8) ◽  
pp. 65-70
Author(s):  
Khadija Anasse ◽  
Rajaa Rhandy
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Writing Assessment ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
English Language ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Online Assessment ◽  
Foreign Language Teachers ◽  
Online Writing

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed an abrupt change in our teaching practices. Particularly the online assessment of students’ writing has been an unprecedented, novel situation for many English foreign language teachers. What is novel about this issue is the constraint of adopting it in a critical situation in which it has been an alternative way to assess students in the absence of the physical presence of students. The shift from face to face assessment to online assessment has been a novel experience for many Moroccan English foreign language teachers who have never implemented it before nor have any background knowledge about its mechanisms and methods albeit there are some teachers who are familiar with online teaching and online assessment. The issue has generated important points for English language teaching practitioners and stakeholders about the strategies and challenges of this compulsory mode of assessment during COVID-19 lockdown. From this perspective, the purpose of this paper was to reflect on writing assessment in the era of COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of teachers. The paper aimed to explore the perceptions of Moroccan English foreign language teachers about online writing assessment and the challenges that encountered them.  For this purpose, data were collected from 100 English language teachers in the region of Casablanca through the use of questionnaires. The findings of this study substantiated that most participants considered online assessment of students’ writing a real challenge and hence hold a negative attitude towards it. Based on the results of this study, it was recommended to teach digital writing skills to English foreign language learners and design teaching training programs about online writing assessment. 

scholarly journals Differences in assessment methods of face-to-face and online learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
pp. 01015
Author(s):  
Nadezhda Mamatkulovna Glushkova ◽  
Karine Henrickovna Apresyan ◽  
Daria Aleksandrovna Mironova ◽  
Tatiana Nikolaevna Lyubimova ◽  
Natalya Vladimirovna Chernyishkova
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Face To Face Learning

The article is devoted to the study of differences in assessment methods of face-to face and online learning of a foreign language in higher education, in particular, the issue of the effectiveness of the assessment techniques used in different formats. Numerous questions that accompanied foreign language online learning in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic years, as well as contradictory reviews about the assessment methods of students’ knowledge were the prerequisites of the study. The experience demonstrated that online learning differs significantly from face-to-face learning in a number of requirements for teachers and students. The aim of the study is to modify traditional methods of students’ knowledge evaluation and assessment in the form of credits or examinations towards greater independence and objectivity and achieve the autonomy of the assessment process. We carried a survey of students’ opinions on the effectiveness of the forms of assessment adopted at the higher education. Based on the survey results, recommendations are made for improving methods of students’ knowledge assessment system with respect to the educational format. The conclusions made on the basis of data analysis provide a number of changes in the methods of online assessment both in the educational process at higher education and in staff training programs.

scholarly journals FEASIBILITY OF USING TELEMEDICINE FOR LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcela Silagi ◽  
Maria Freitas ◽  
Isabel Almeida ◽  
Paola Pisetta ◽  
Bárbara Beber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Cognitive Impairments ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Assessment ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Verbal Comprehension ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Assessments

Background: The international literature has shown viability in the use of telemedicine for language assessment in individuals with dementia. However, no studies were found on language testing via the Internet in Brazil. Objectives: To verify the feasibility of using telemedicine for language assessment, by comparing the performance of healthy adults in face-to-face and online assessments, and to verify the influence of age and education in the evaluation types. Methods: The sample consisted of 15 cognitively healthy subjects, aged between 57-70 years (M=63.2; SD=4.6) and education between 8-22 years (M=14.7; SD=4.3). The Western Aphasia Battery-Revised (WAB-R) was used for language assessment, with subtests for spontaneous speech, auditory verbal comprehension, repetition, naming, reading, and writing. Subjects were randomly evaluated in person and online. Results: No differences were found in WAB-R scores obtained in a face-to-face versus online environment. There was a negative correlation between the Aphasia Coefficient score and age (rs=-0.814; p=0.013) and a positive correlation for education (rs=0.736; p=0.037) in the online assessment. Conclusions: The use of telemedicine for language assessment proved to be feasible for cognitively healthy adults, despite the influence of age and education. Future research is needed to analyze the feasibility of this mode of evaluation in subjects with cognitive impairments.

scholarly journals A Statistical Analysis Of The Performance Distance Learning Students And The Full-Time Students At The University Of Lagos

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (9) ◽  
pp. 17-22
Author(s):  
Johnson Ademola Adewara ◽  
Ismail Adedeji Adeleke ◽  
Rotimi Kayode Ogundeji ◽  
Edesiri Bridget Ahani
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Grade Point Average ◽  
Accounting Students ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Cumulative Grade Point Average ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
The University

The study compares the performance of distance learning students with full-time students in a traditional face-to-face learning environment. This study is one aspect of a larger research project designed to gain insight into factors that may influence the performance of distance learning students. The data used in the study represent the graduating GPA (Grade Point Average) and CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average). The result showed that students of Distance Learning Institute (DLI) performed better in business administration than the mainstream students, while the mainstream accounting students perform better than the DLI accounting students. Results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in final grades of these groups of students.

scholarly journals Applying Assessment Principles during Emergency Remote Teaching: Challenges and Considerations

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wid Hasen Allehaiby ◽  
Sara Al-Bahlani
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Online Assessment ◽  
Teaching Approaches ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Online Assessments ◽  
Remote Learning

One of the main challenges higher educational institutions encounter amid the recent COVID-19 crisis is transferring assessment approaches from the traditional face-to-face form to the online Emergency Remote Teaching approach. A set of language assessment principles, practicality, reliability, validity, authenticity, and washback, which can be applied to any academic subject, are critical within the design of any task that aims to assess learning. This review paper discusses how assessment approaches need to be modified in a time of crisis. It determines the position assessment should adopt within emergency remote teaching methods and analyzes the fundamental characteristics of five principles of assessment and how they can be accomplished with emergency remote teaching approaches. Furthermore, this paper evaluates the vulnerability and viability of the five assessment principles, examines the application of online assessment on a holistic level, and puts forward a set of recommendations to ensure the assessment principles are achieved within emergency remote learning contexts. The paper concludes with the notion that the construct of time, which is inherent within the principle of practicality, is the most significant when developing online assessments as it is this characteristic that is the most at risk. In addition, we suggest that the assessments that are implemented during emergency remote learning involve open-ended, as opposed to close-ended, questions and highlight the importance of educators demonstrating flexibility and understanding toward their students.

scholarly journals Applying Assessment Principles during Emergency Remote Teaching: Challenges and Considerations

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-18
Author(s):  
Wid Hasen Allehaiby ◽  
Sara Al-Bahlani
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Online Assessment ◽  
Teaching Approaches ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Online Assessments ◽  
Remote Learning

One of the main challenges higher educational institutions encounter amid the recent COVID-19 crisis is transferring assessment approaches from the traditional face-to-face form to the online Emergency Remote Teaching approach. A set of language assessment principles, practicality, reliability, validity, authenticity, and washback, which can be applied to any academic subject, are critical within the design of any task that aims to assess learning. This review paper discusses how assessment approaches need to be modified in a time of crisis. It determines the position assessment should adopt within emergency remote teaching methods and analyzes the fundamental characteristics of five principles of assessment and how they can be accomplished with emergency remote teaching approaches. Furthermore, this paper evaluates the vulnerability and viability of the five assessment principles, examines the application of online assessment on a holistic level, and puts forward a set of recommendations to ensure the assessment principles are achieved within emergency remote learning contexts. The paper concludes with the notion that the construct of time, which is inherent within the principle of practicality, is the most significant when developing online assessments as it is this characteristic that is the most at risk. In addition, we suggest that the assessments that are implemented during emergency remote learning involve open-ended, as opposed to close-ended, questions and highlight the importance of educators demonstrating flexibility and understanding toward their students.

scholarly journals The Shift to Online Assessment Due to COVID-19: An Empirical Study of University Students, Behaviour and Performance, in the Region of UAE

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 220-228
Author(s):  
Liaqat Ali ◽  
◽  
Nidal Abidal Hamid Hmoud Al Dmour
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
University Students ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Online Assessment ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Undergraduate University Students ◽  
Online Assessments ◽  
And Performance

The education system has dramatically changed from physical to online due to COVID-19. Millions of learners around the world have been affected due to the pandemic caused by coronavirus. The emergence of COVID-19 has forced educational institutions to divert all strategies from physical to online platforms for the safety of the students, instructors, and all the other staff members. The processes of examining students and their assessment strategies are heavily affected due to the sudden adoption of online education than physical education at campus. The research in this paper discusses issues relevant to online assessments and the strategies used by the universities due to COVID-19 in the region of UAE. The research collected data through an online questionnaire from 312 undergraduate university students in UAE to understand their behaviour. Furthermore, their performance of online assessment is gauged through the analysis of exams transcripts and comparison is made with their previous GPA and CGPA to understand the effects of COVID-19 on their overall performance. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to discuss issues related to e-assessment and recommendations are made to improve the online assessment process in universities. The research proves that students have benefited from the online assessment.

scholarly journals Reflections on Blended Learning: A Case Study at the Open University of Hong Kong

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Wing Bo Tso
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Approach ◽  
Open University ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Face To Face Learning

Teaching presentation skills is by no means an easy task. To teach such skills effectively, a teacher must help the students to learn how to (1) design and organize the presentation contenteffectively; (2) strengthen their verbal and nonverbal communication skills;and (3) master the use of visual aids. Often, the traditional face-to-face classroom setting falls short when the lecturer has to teach more than 100 students how to observe small details of body language and vocal skills. In this case, a blended learning mode — a hybrid of face-to-face and online learning — may be a better option than a pure face-to-face learning mode (Fang, Chow & Soo, 2012). The purpose of this paperis to demonstrate how blended learning can be implemented to teach university students' presentation skills. In the spring term of 2013, ENGL A122F: Presentation Skills, a five-credit course for full-time undergraduate students, was first delivered via a blended learning approach at the Open University of Hong Kong. Attempting to combine the best features of the online and face-to-face modes of teaching, the blended delivery course incorporated video and interactive web-based components into the course outline. In this paper, I share my experience of how presentation skills can be taught through video lectures and assessed through the online learning environment (OLE), alongside traditional teacher-led lectures and tutorials. Also, I discuss how the blended learning approach, compared with the traditional face-to-face teaching mode, can not only facilitate propositional knowing, but also help learners to achieveexperiential knowing, and presentational knowing (Heron & Reason, 2006). Last but not least, the paper reflects on students'feedback, as well as the challengeswhen implementing the blended learning mode.

scholarly journals Pre-service EFL teachers’ perception on technology-based formative assessment in their teaching practicum

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-171
Author(s):  
Entika Fani Prastikawati
Keyword(s):  
Formative Assessment ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Formative Assessments ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Teaching Practicum ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Integration Of Technology ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Online Assessments

The spread of the pandemic COVID-19 has made many changes in educational policy such as the assessment in English teaching and learning process. The process and procedures in the assessment need to be adjusted from face-to-face assessment into blended and online assessments. Not only English teachers, pre-service EFL teachers are also required to be ready and adapt to the changes quickly. To adapt it, the integration of technology in the assessment process has been examined. However, the involvement of technology in the area of formative assessment remains underexplored, particularly in the teaching practicum conducted by pre service EFL teachers. The present study is trying to fill the gaps by investigating pre-service EFL teachers’ perception on technology-based formative assessment which is implemented in their teaching practicum. A total of 57 pre-service EFL teachers completed a Likertscale questionnaire. After fulfilling the questionnaires, there were 19 pre-service EFL teachers who agreed and volunteered to be in a semi-structured interview. The findings show that the involvement of technology in formative assessment is perceived positively by pre-service EFL teachers in their teaching practicum during the pandemic COVID-19. They confess that technology has played its practical role in helping them assess their students. Further, the implementation of technology-based formative assessments promotes the students’ performance.

E-Moderating

2011 ◽  
pp. 890-897
Author(s):  
Gilly Salmon
Keyword(s):  
Online Learners ◽  
Online Writing ◽  
Learning Groups ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Computing Skills ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Online Teacher ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Learning Projects

In this article, the term “e-moderating” is used to capture the wide variety of roles and skills that the online teacher, lecturer, or trainer needs to acquire (Salmon, 2004). Online human supporters have a wider range of expertise compared to working with face-to-face learning groups. The role of the lecturer or teacher in all educational contexts needs to change to include e-moderating to realize the development and potential of new online environments, and to create e-learning rather than e-publishing of materials. Successful and productive e-moderating is a key feature of positive, scalable, and affordable e-learning projects and processes. Regardless of the sophistication of the technology, online learners do not wish to do without their human supporters. Most learners also mention the fun and companionship of working and learning together. Many lecturers naturally believe that learning to e-moderate has to do mostly with learning new software or computing skills (Barker, 2002; Bennett & Marsh, 2002). This is not the case. The revision of their roles needs to happen regardless of changes in technological applications. A critically important role for the emoderator is promoting the surfacing and sharing of understanding and knowledge through online writing and dialogue (Bygholm, 2002).

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