Evaluation of an online teacher-made test through blackboard in an English as a foreign language writing context

Abstract

The significance of this study is to improve the assessment quality of future online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing tests through Blackboard, a learning management system (LMS), and to avert any potential inclusion of odd items. This study aims to examine the Blackboard (Bb) test quality at the Preparatory Year Program (PYP) in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) writing course using item analysis and a questionnaire of EFL teachers’ practices for constructing a good quality test. To achieve the study objectives, 30 objective-type questions from the final Technical Writing course examination, attempted by 97 level two preparatory year students, were analyzed to check three indices: difficulty index, discrimination index, and distractor efficiency. In addition, a questionnaire was administered to rate the EFL teachers’ (N=50) practices of constructing their technical writing test for the final examination in terms of good quality test norms. The item analysis has shown that the test proved to be valid and reliable; however, it was easy. Many items had no discrimination indices, and many distractors were not functioning. The analysis of the questionnaire data showed that there was a high level of commitment by the EFL teachers to apply the required norms for constructing a good quality language test. Genders and teaching experience had no significant differences in the EFL teachers’ degree of the test norms employment. In the light of the findings, recommendations and further research are suggested.

Keywords: Blackboard, evaluation, good quality test, Saudi EFL writing context, teacher-made test