Tertiary level English Language Teachers' Use of, and Attitudes to Alternative and Online Assessments during the Covid-19 Outbreak

This study aims to investigate the English language teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards the use of alternative and online assessments adopted during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, in Saudi Arabia. The current study employs a descriptive method, and the data were collected using a survey questionnaire, which consists of 33 closed-ended and four open-ended questions. The participants were 102 (46 male and 56 female) teachers of English at Northern Border University, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaires were administered online via Google Form. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative responses, whereas content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative responses collected from the open-ended questions. The findings revealed that the teachers had mixed reactions towards alternative and online assessments. The online assessments adopted were in form of both alternative and traditional types, administered via Blackboard. It was found that portfolios and oral presentations were the most frequently used forms of alternative assessments by the English language teachers at the time of Covid-19. Other types of alternative assessments, including, online collaborative/peer assessment, self-assessment, virtual concept map, concept map, article review, and mini-project, were claimed to be less used by the teachers. However, the teachers’ top priority was summative assessment, where by the traditional exams were in fact still be used in online assessment. In addition, teachers reported constraints related to time for the assessments, need for computer literacy, possibility of cheating, and technical issues, when adopting online assessments. However, they believed online assessment covered the content of the course of study. Teachers also reported that students did not initially like online assessment but later warmed to it as it proved easier to do well in. Finally, pedagogical implications are discussed based on the study findings.

Applying Assessment Principles during Emergency Remote Teaching: Challenges and Considerations

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.

Exploring Learning Avenues Amidst Pandemic and Future Prospects in Higher Education

Globally, teaching-learning has been in a severe transition due to COVID-19. Amid pandemic, education in universities had to shift from physical boundaries to online mode. The purpose of the study was to examine online learning mode particularly with respect to learner’s readiness, their involvement, fair assessment and satisfaction at university level. The objectives of the study were; to explore the perceived level of readiness of students for online learning, find out their involvement and participation in online mode while performing various educational tasks; to explore to what extent online assessment is fair, and finally to determine satisfaction of students of online learning experiences during COVID-19 era. The sample of the study was drawn from all social sciences departments. The questionnaire’s link was disseminated to 550 students and 293 respondents filled out the google form. Learners’ readiness was divided into three subfactors, namely, physical & environmental factors, learners’ personal skills and learners’ familiarity with necessary apps and websites. The inferences drawn from the study showed that although majority of students were equipped with devices yet they were not possessing good skills required for virtual learning. The online conditions and environment were not contributing positively in favour of learners’ readiness and also learners were not well aware of apps & websites required for online learning. Moreover, students remained passive during online classes and were found less interested in completion of the assigned tasks. The online assessment had been embedded with manifold flaws that further multiplied unfairness in education. Although, the study informs overall satisfaction of learners which found to be low for addressing the issues, it is recommended that educational institutions may continue to offer hybrid mode of learning even in post-pandemic era for continuously equipping both students and teachers with requisite skills, relevant apps and software necessary for making learning teaching process smooth in future. In addition, it is recommended that higher educational institutions and relevant authorities should design software to improve involvement of the students while keeping the assessments as fair as possible during online learning.

Online Assessments: Their Importance in Higher Education

The main purpose of this review article is to deliberate on online assessments, the advantages and disadvantages of e-assessments, and their importance in the higher education sector, in the post-COVID era. Online assessments are the collection of tasks that are made by educational instructors in order to evaluate student performance, using Information and Communication Technologies. There are different types of techniques to conduct e-assessments, which result in different rewards and shortcomings. However, this article delivers the strategies that can be used to eliminate the downsides of online assessment.

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

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.

Perception of Dental Students towards the usage of Online Assessment during COVID -19 Pandemic

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic have forced educational institutions to shift rapidly to distance and online learning. This study aims to explore attitude and perception of dental students towards online assessment during pandemic. Objective: To assess student’s perception, attitudes, and readiness toward online assessment. Methodology: A self constructed questionnaire including 10 questions was designed with 5 specialists, to improve the design ambiguity. The study was conducted through electronic media. Results: A total of 270 dental students answered the survey. The overall response rate was 70.68%. More than 50% students are well versed with online assessment. One fourth of the participants found convenience as the advantage while 64.7% students encountered technical issue as the limitation of online assessment. There was overall positive attitude towards usage of online assessment. Conclusions: This study showed acceptable levels of individual characteristics and system ability levels as well as the perceived importance of using online tools in dental education among the participants.

Applying Assessment Principles during Emergency Remote Teaching: Challenges and Considerations

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.