Demystifying the Challenges of E-Assessment in Turkish Preparatory Language Schools

Abstract

Throughout the pandemic, educational systems underwent numerous changes, including alterations in how students are assessed. Teachers had to transition to remote teaching to prevent disruptions in educational services. Teachers must evaluate their students’ learning processes and provide feedback for various reasons. Utilizing different platforms and tools can be a challenging and demanding task for language teachers. Nowadays, a variety of internet platforms can be employed for e-assessment. Regardless of teachers’ assessment and technological literacy, EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers encounter more challenges in designing and administering e-assessments than ever before. It should be noted that only a limited number of comprehensive studies have investigated e-assessment challenges. Therefore, this qualitative study examined 56 EFL teachers working at Preparatory Language Schools, outlining their perceptions of e-assessment challenges and potential solutions in Turkish Preparatory Language Schools. To achieve this, 56 teachers with M.A. and Ph.D. degrees were purposefully selected for this study. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire and purposive sampling and analyzed using MAXQDA 2022. The findings revealed the following challenges in implementing e-assessment: individual differences, ethics, infrastructure, policy power, mediating artifacts, teacher and student assessment and feedback literacy, and teacher and student technological literacy. The results of this study can contribute to professional development, policy-making, and in-service training. In addition to educational administrators, curriculum developers, and teachers, it might be beneficial to consider whether the primary challenges identified for e-assessment in Turkish are similar to those in their contexts. Furthermore, the factors identified in this study can be used to propose a model for effective e-assessment.