Suitability of Computer-Based Test (CBT) in the Use of English Examinations in Federal Universities in South East Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the suitability of Computer-Based Test in the Use of English Examinations. This was done in order to bring to limelight the forms of support and considerations needed for the continued use of Computer-Based Tests. Other variables pertinent to the use of Computer-Based Test such as students’ perceptions, technical-skill and infrastructural challenges were also studied. The study was conducted using descriptive survey research design and was carried out in federal universities in South East Nigeria. Six research questions and five null hypotheses guided the study. The area of the study was South East Nigeria. The population of the study was 33,263 and a sample of 1,312 was drawn from this population. This sample was made up of 1200 second year undergraduate students, 38 Use of English Lecturers and 74 ICT staff who were drawn from the entire population using multi-stage sampling technique. Two instruments namely; questionnaire on suitability of Computer-Based Test for Use of English Examination (QSCBTUEE) and two focus group discussion schedules (FGDS) were developed by the researcher and validated by five experts for the purpose of collecting data for the study. The QSCBTUEE was administered on a group of 30 respondents at the University of Ilorin for the purpose of determining the reliability of the instrument. The internal consistency of the instrument was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha and it yielded 0.86, 0.81, 0.84, 0.93, 0.81 and 0.75 for the six clusters of the instrument. Out of the 1,312 instruments administered, 1,288 were filled and returned, signaling 98% return rate. The research questions were answered using mean scores, while the hypotheses were tested using independent sample T-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that the use of English Computer-Based Test is suitable for testing grammar and reading comprehension but is not suitable for testing oral English and writing skill. However, while there was a significance difference in the mean responses of lecturers and students on the suitability of testing oral English and writing skill, there was no significance difference in the mean responses of lecturers and students on the suitability of testing computer-based test for testing grammar and reading comprehension. The results further revealed that students have positive perception about the use of English computer-based test. It was also found that there was a number of infrastructural and technical-skill challenges experienced during the use of English computer-based test. From the findings, it was concluded that the study has put forward, research-based evidence to show that the use of English computer-based test is not suitable for testing some important skills taught in the course and is also faced with challenges, implying that, the continued use of CBT without making proper interventions and adjustments, will be detrimental to the achievement of the assessment objectives of the Use of English Programme. Hence, it was recommended that universities that make use of CBT should ensure that their lecturers get proper training on how to set Use of English CBT questions and that their ICT staff also get proper training on how to develop and manage appropriate CBT software for the course. They should also make provisions for more infrastructures such as examination halls and computers so as to ensure seamless examinations.