The Effect of Using Alternative Assessment
Methods on EFL Students’ Test Performance and
Their Attitudes Towards These Methods at a
Secondary School in Misurata
Yasmine Farid Abudagga
Dr. Abdulhamid Onaiba
N o ve m b e r, 20 23
Content
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Results and Discussions
• Conclusion
Introduction
Assessment is “an ongoing process that encompasses a much wider
domain. Whenever a student responds to a question, offers a comment, or
tries out a new word or structure, the teacher subconsciously assesses the
student’s performance” (Brown, 2004, p.4)
Methods of Assessment
Assessment
Traditional
Assessment
Nasab (2015) defined
Traditional Assessment as a
standardized test consisting
of multiple choice, short
answer, true-false, as well as
extended response questions.
Alternative
Assessment
Alternative assessment,
also known as formative
assessment, is an
approach that involves
continuous assessment of
the language proficiency
of students (Moqbel,
2020).
Statement of the Problem
The researcher of the current study, along with other EFL Libyan teachers, has
observed that many students perform poorly in their exams. This may be due to
various factors, one of which is that students are assessed using only one method,
namely Traditional assessment through pen -and-paper tests. This limitation prevents
students from compensating for any gaps in their knowledge or skills that may have
arisen during the assessment. As a result, this study was conducted to explore the
potential effect of Alternative assessment tools in bridging the gap where Traditional
assessment methods have been insufficient.
Aims of the Study
This study aims to
1. Explore the effect of Alternative assessment methods on students’
test performance in Libyan EFL classes.
2. Elicit students’ attitudes towards Alternative assessment tools.
Research Hypotheses
Null Hypothesis (H0): Alternative Assessment methods have no
effect on second-grade secondary school students’ test performance.
Hypothesis 1 (H1): Alternative Assessment methods have a
positive effect on second-grade secondary school students’ test
performance.
Research Questions
1. How does using alternative assessment methods affect second grade secondary school students’ test performance?
2. What are students’ attitudes towards using alternative assessment
methods?
The Significance of the Study
……………………………………….
• Fills a research gap
• Provides insights into the effectiveness of the AA method.
• Helps teachers choose assessment tools that motivate students and improve
learning outcomes.
• Supports teachers in matching teaching materials and assessments with students'
needs.
Literature Review
1- The Effect of Alternative Assessment Methods on Students’ Test
Performance
•
Alternative assessment has led to several positive outcomes in teachers’ practices in
general and students’ learning in particular ( Baniabdelrahman, 2010; Safa & Goodarzi, 2014;
Heidarian, 2016; Aliasin & Amanlu, 2017; Kafipour & Khoshnood, 2023).
•
In Safa & Goodarzi’s (2014) study, for instance, the researchers used Task -Based
Language Assessment (TBLA) as an AA tool to develop EFL students' grammar skills. The
results revealed a significant difference between the two groups, indicating that the students
in the experimental group experienced a noteworthy improvement in their grammar skills
after undergoing the task -based assessment.
Previous Research
• Not all studies yielded positive outcomes when examining the effect of
AA methods on students' achievement.
• Sahera et al. (2022) conducted a study at Amman Arab University to
evaluate the effectiveness of using authentic assessments (AA) and
traditional assessments (TA) in health and educational sciences. The
analysis of students' final grades showed a statistically significant
difference, with students achieving higher grades in the traditional
exam compared to the authentic assignment.
2.Students’ Attitudes Towards Alternative Assessment Methods
• A number of studies highlight the positive attitudes that students have towards AA
methods .
• Ramadan and Dekheel (2020) conducted a study at Sirte University in Libya, using a close -en ded
questionnaire to explore EFL students' attitud es towards assessmen t metho ds. The study’s findings
showcased those students generally preferred AA method s.
• Students' attitudes towards different AA methods were examined in several other studies
and the findings indicated that some students preferred traditional testing methods.
• Caner (2010) conducted a study that focused on the investig ation of students' attitud es towards AA
through the use of portfolios. The findings of the study indicate that, in general, the particip an ts
exhibit a preferen ce for traditio nal pen and pencil tests as a means of assessmen t.
Methodology
Research Design
• The study employed a quantitative research design.
• Creswell (2014) defined quantitative research as a research approach
that aims to explain social phenomena by collecting numerical data,
which are subsequently analyzed using mathematical methods,
particularly statistical techniques.
Research Instruments
Instruments
Quasi-Experiment
A type of research design
often used when a
randomized controlled trial
(RCT) is not feasible or
ethical.
Questionnaire
Questionnaires are written
instruments that present participants
with a standardized set of questions
or statements, to which they can
respond by providing written
answers, marking Likert-style
judgments, or selecting options from
a series of statements.
Participants and Settings
• The experiment was conducted at Misurata Secondary School for Boys
in the city of Misurata, Libya, during the academic year 2022/2023.
• The study comprised 56 second-year secondary school students who
were enrolled in the scientific section.
• Purposive sampling, which is a type of non -probability sampling, was
specifically employed in this study.
Data Collection Procedures
• Pretest conducted for 167 second -year scientific section students at Misurata
Secondary School for boys.
• Two classes with the most homogeneous marks were chosen for the quasi -
experiment.
• Quasi-experiment conducted with a control group and an experimental group.
• Control group taught and assessed using traditional methods.
• Experimental group taught traditionally but assessed using alternative assessment
(AA) tools.
Procedures
• Quasi-experiment lasted approximately three months.
• Diverse AA tools used for assessment, including presentations, writing
assessments, reading comprehension assessments, role -plays, concept mapping,
interviews, project-based assessments, and observation.
• Posttest administered to both groups in a traditional format.
• Papers graded and results analyzed using a paired -sample t-test.
• A questionnaire was administered to the experimental group to elicit attitudes
towards AA tools.
Data analysis
• The analysis program was SPSS software version 21.
• In the quasi-experiment, the result of the post -test was analyzed using a
paired-sampling t-test to compare the control and the experimental
group post-test results.
• A descriptive analysis was used to analyze the questionnaire data.
Results and Discussions
The Quasi-Experiment
The p-value for the post-test control and experimental groups was
(0.580) >0.05 for both groups, which indicates that there is no
statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the two
groups in terms of students’ test performance.
The Questionnaire
The results of the questionnaire showed positive attitudes towards both
AA and TA methods. However, the AA method to some extent
outweighed the TA method where students generally viewed AA as
valuable resources that provided fresh experiences and opportunities for
growth.
Conclusion
• This study has attempted to provide a deep understanding of how AA methods affect
second-year scientific section students’ test performance at Misurata Secondary School
for Boys in Misurata, Libya, as well as attempted to elicit students’ attitudes towards
these methods.
• The post-test scores of the control and experimental groups did not show a statistically
significant difference, so the study’s results contend that AA methods do not
necessarily affect the test performance of second -grade secondary school students
compared to TA methods.
• Regarding students' attitudes towards assessment methods, the results showed positive
attitudes towards AA and TA methods. However, the AA method to some extent
outweighed the TA method.