Postgraduate students’ perceptions toward online assessment: The case of the faculty of education, Umm Al-Qura university

Abstract

In the context of lifelong learning society, education experts pay more and more attention to online assessment (OLA) correlated with the concept of e-learning environment. This chapter builds upon these issues concerning the e-learning environment and the inevitable move to using OLA which is a natural outcome of the increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) assisting in enhancing flexible learning and assessment.

The main purpose of this research is to (a) analyze the postgraduates’ perceptions toward OLA they had taken part in, and (b) identify if there are significant differences in these perceptions based on the variables of gender and skills of using ICTs. Subjects were postgraduate students of master third level enrolled in “Advanced seminar in Islamic Education” syllabus in Faculty of Education, Umm Al Qura University, K.S.A. The study used an e-questionnaire and semi-structured interviews to investigate postgraduate students’ attitudes and opinions about OLA.

The results of the study indicated highly positive perceptions of OLA. In addition, the study concluded that gender and ICTs familiarity significantly affect postgraduate students’ responses in most of the areas studied. The study recommended the necessity of implementing OLA culture as a way to the formation of the knowledge-based society.

Citation

Attia, M.A. (2014), "Postgraduate students’ perceptions toward online assessment: The case of the faculty of education, Umm Al-Qura university", Education for a Knowledge Society in Arabian Gulf Countries (International Perspectives on Education and Society, Vol. 24), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 151-173. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-367920140000024015