INVESTIGATING ONLINE EFL ASSESSMENT CHALLENGES: TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN SAUDI ARABIA

: The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes and challenges in language teaching and learning in almost every country worldwide. Many countries have effectively embraced various online teaching platforms for language teaching tasks. However, one challenging aspect of online teaching for many teachers is the online assessment task. This study examines teachers' perceptions of online EFL assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. A survey research design is adopted for the study. To this end, quantitative data were collected using a closed- and-open-ended questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that teachers exhibited positive perceptions towards online assessment because it is easy to be administered and marked. It also saves teachers’ time and effort and provides instant feedback for students, allowing them to improve their performance. Moreover, teachers positively perceived online formative assessments because they allow students to develop their learning skills. Furthermore, the study's findings posed some challenges faced by teachers while giving online EFL assessments. It is challenging to ascertain its credibility as several technical factors affect the smooth evaluation process. Therefore, some recommendations are forwarded for further studies and practitioners.