EFL Teachers' Online Assessment Practices at Primary School During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Abstract

The shift from face-to-face to online learning resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic demanded that teachers refine their assessment methods. Hence, this study investigated English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' assessment practices during online learning amid the COVID-19 Pandemic and their challenges in assessing their students online. Using a case study design, two EFL teachers participated in this study through an in-depth interview. The research data were analysed by adopting the six stages of data analysis, namely familiarisation of the data, building codes, generating initial themes, developing and reviewing the themes, defining and naming the themes, and reporting. The findings showed that the EFL teachers selected various online assessment methods and used easy-to-use social media applications such as Google forms and WhatsApp. However, the results also revealed that the EFL teachers faced challenges when assessing online students. They were initially challenged with students' honesty in doing the test, internet access, communication barrier, and the time-consuming of giving feedback. The findings of the study imply that EFL teachers should improve their online assessment skills by adjusting the students' needs and the contexts of their learning, as the assessment method is distinct in the online classroom compared to the traditional classroom.