University Teachers’ Perceptions of Online Assessment during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Lebanon

Abstract

After the Covid-19 pandemic forced universities worldwide to adopt remote learning, several studies on student perceptions of online assessment were conducted. However, only a small number of research addressed the perceptions of teachers. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring and reporting on the perceptions of teachers in the Faculty of Pedagogy/Education at the Lebanese University of online assessment during country’s first lockdown in the spring of 2020. Participants were 10 teachers from four different departments. Data were collected online through individual interviews. Findings reveal that participants received limited training to conduct classes online, and no training to assess their students. Moreover, because of their lack of guidance on how to implement diagnostic, formative, ipsative, and summative assessments online, almost all participants chose not to use online quizzes and exams to assess validity, reliability, and other practical elements. Instead, they used projects, oral presentations, reflection papers, and performances as assessment tools. Consequently, participants reported being very satisfied with the university’s decision to administer final exams in-person and on campus, all the participants agreed that this practice should be used in the fall of 2020-2021 in case remote or blended learning are maintained.