EFL student and faculty perceptions of and attitudes towards online testing in the medium of Blackboard: Promises and challenges

Abstract

This study explored efl students and faculty’s perceptions of and attitudes towards the use of online assessment and practice. A descriptive method was used, employing quantitative data collection and analyses from a sample of 400 students of different age categories and educational levels and another sample of 25 teachers in the English department. Results showed that students’ attitudes towards e-testing are generated by the test-takers’ perceptions of self-efficacy, enjoyment, usefulness, behavioural intentions to use web-based assessment, system satisfaction and system challenges in the order of the responses of the students. Furthermore, attitudes towards e-testing are generated by the students’ salient beliefs about the consequences of continued use and the evaluation of online testing technology. Web-based assessment and practice provided students with immediate feedback and automated scores that help students to have more control over their work and their effort. The findings from this study imply that creating web-based assessment technology awareness, motivation, and changing faculty and learners’ behaviours and attitudes is required for the success of e-testing adoption, implementation and diffusion in the future.