Did they really Work? English Teachers’ Attitude towards the Effectiveness of Remote Online Exams in Times of Emergencies

This paper explores English teachers’ perception of the effectiveness of employing remote online exams during the COVID-19 pandemic after many universities and colleges worldwide moved most of their activities online. The transition to online learning has enabled numerous higher education institutions (HEIs) to utilise options they were previously hesitant to employ due to concerns regarding how they would affect academic integrity. Eight English teachers from a university in Oman were interviewed by email to share their experiences and thoughts on the effectiveness of remote online exams (ROEs). In addition, pre-COVID-19 students' scoresheets were analysed to determine whether students' performance was consistent across face-to-face and remote online exams. The results indicate significant differences in students' scores between the two types of exams, which is attributable to factors such as invigilation issues, students' academic misconduct, and exam security. Finally, the eight interviewed teachers recommended making improvements to online exams as they believe ROEs will continue to be used in the future.