Practices, validity, and challenges of online formative assessment in Algerian higher education

Abstract

Online assessment, whether formative or summative, appears to be a problematic issue for many English as a foreign language (EFL) university teachers. Formative assessment is crucial for improving the quality of teaching and learning. Therefore, it is highly significant to recognize the possible trends of online formative assessment offered in the Algerian university context. In this regard, this paper aims at exploring the online formative assessment practices of EFL university teachers including the type of formative assessment experienced, assessment and feedback techniques, and the validity of the assessment strategies employed virtually. It further seeks to identify the challenges faced in the process. To achieve this, a qualitative approach based on exploratory and descriptive research design was adopted. An online questionnaire was administered to 16 EFL teachers from 12 Algerian universities. The findings revealed that participants employ a variety of online formative assessment strategies for various purposes. The overall practices are, to a certain degree, valid. Keywords: English as a foreign language (EFL); formative assessment; online assessment; university teacher.