Digital Testing During the Pandemic Crisis University Students’ Opinions on Computer-based Tests
Main Article Content
Abstract
In 2020, the pandemic crisis caused by covid-19 led to some changes in global education. Consequently, primary and secondary schools as well as universities introduced distance learning in many countries all over the world. This situation mostly required, among other things, a new way of testing learners’ knowledge and skills. The objectives of this paper are to reveal university students’ opinions on computer-based tests in comparison with paper-and-pencil tests and to map their requirements concerning digital testing of English as a foreign language. The research sample includes 284 students of the Faculty of Business and Management, Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic. These students experienced online testing at home during the summer semester of 2019/20 as well as paper tests at school in the previous winter semester of the same academic year. Thereafter, they were asked to complete an anonymous online questionnaire. The results have shown that the learners were mostly satisfied with the introduction of online testing at home. However, if the electronic tests took place at school, not all of them would prefer this way of testing. Regarding tasks in digital tests, the learners gave priority to assignments based on multiple choice. Moreover, the respondents expressed their views on electronic devices and testing speaking skills on online platforms.
Downloads
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the Publisher. The Editors reserve the right to edit or otherwise alter all contributions, but authors will receive proofs for approval before publication.
Copyrights for articles published in IJIER journals are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.
References
Alruwais, N., Wills, G., & Wald, M. (2018). Advantages and challenges of using e-assessment. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 8(1), 34–37. Available from http://www.ijiet.org/vol8/1008-JR261.pdf
Alyahya, D. & Almutairi, N. (2019). The impact of electronic tests on students’ performance assessment. International Education Studies, 12(5), 109–119. Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332738124_The_Impact_of_Electronic_Tests_on_Students'_Performance_Assessment
Boevé, A. J., Meijer, R. R., Albers, C. J., Beetsman, Y., & Bosker, R. J. (2015). Introducing computer-based testing in high-stakes exams in higher education: results of a field experiment. PLoS ONE, 10(12), 1–13. Available from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0143616
Dziecol-Pedich, A. (2014). Business English in the eyes of economics and management students at the University of Bialystok. Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric, 38(1), 83–102. Available from https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/slgr/38/1/article-p83.xml?lang=en
Gavora, P. (2000). Úvod do pedagogického výzkumu. Brno: Paido.
Gavora, P. (2012). Tvorba výskumného nástroja pre pedagogické bádanie. Bratislava: Slovenské pedagogické nakladateľstvo.
Hloušková, J. (2010). Analýza potřeb ve vyučování odborného anglického jazyka [Needs analysis in teaching English for Specific Purposes]. (Doctoral dissertation). Faculty of Education, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic. Available from https://theses.cz/id/nzvbjn/Cela_prace_Hlouskova.pdf
Jašková, J. & Šťastná, D. (2019). Tertiary level proficiency in ESP: employer survey analysis. CASALC Review, 9(2), 5–20. Available from https://journals.muni.cz/casalc-review/article/view/13375/11383
Kolagari, S., Modanloo, M., Rahmati, R., Sabzi, Z., & Ataee, A. J. (2018). The effect of computer-based tests on nursing students’ test anxiety: a quasi-experimental study. Acta Informatica Medica, 26(2), 115–118. Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325420118_The_Effect_of_Computer-based_Tests_on_Nursing_Students'_Test_Anxiety_a_Quasi-experimental_Study
Muhtia, A. & Sumardi, S. (2018). Blended learning in a paragraph writing course: a case study. International Journal of Language Teaching and Education, 2(3), 216–226. Available from https://online-journal.unja.ac.id/IJoLTE/article/view/5744
Neuwirthová, L. (2009). Standard cizojazyčného vzdělávání na vysoké škole technického zaměření [Standard of foreign language education at a technical university]. Brno: Akademické nakladatelství CERM.
Pokrivcakova, S. (2019). Preparing teachers for the application of AI-powered technologies in foreign language education. Journal of Language and Cultural Education, 7(3), 135–153. Available from https://content.sciendo.com/view/journals/jolace/7/3/article-p135.xml
Ughade, P. & Badre, S. (2020). Blended learning – a study on student’s perception about suitability of the framework for higher education. The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, 8(2), 72–79. Available from https://www.tojdel.net/journals/tojdel/articles/v08i02/v08i02-01.pdf
Washburn, S., Herman, J., & Steward, R. (2017). Evaluation of performance and perceptions of electronic vs. paper multiple-choice exams. Advances in Physiology Education, 41, 548–555. Available from https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00138.2016