Investigating the Influence of Quality Factors on User Satisfaction with Summative Computer-based Assessment

Abstract

Computer-based assessment or e-assessment system is an e-learning system where information communication technology is utilized for examination activity, grading, and recording of responses of the examinees. It includes the entire assessment process from the examinees, teachers, institutions, examination agencies, and the public. E-assessment systems have been used extensively in educational and non-educational settings worldwide because of their significant impact on assessment to both the institutions and students. Electronic assessment systems have many significant advantages over conventional paper-pencil-based approaches, like reducing production cost, automatic marking, and fair grading. Other benefits include the ability to conduct adaptive testing, an increase in the frequency of assessment, a large number of people could be examined, low staff requirements during the assessment, and the ability to improve the quality of the evaluation. Text, images, audio, video, and interactive virtual environments in an e-assessment system are all feasible. Nevertheless, given all these advantages, some examinees expressed negative views about electronic assessment in our study due to fear or lack of familiarity with assessment technology and lack of information on e-assessment methods. Despite the increased adoption of e-assessment in higher education and organizations, the examinees' attitudes and opinions need to be studied to implement the system successfully. In an e-assessment environment, several factors account for the evaluation of the system quality. These factors can be categorized into three dimensions: technical, educational, and economical. However, based on literature reviewed,  limited studies attempted to map these quality factors to determine user satisfaction with an e-assessment system. This scarcity of e-assessment satisfaction studies is the gap the study intends to fill. Furthermore, this study's findings would help provide practical and theoretical implications for educational institutions and organizations. This study is among the first application of the Delone and McLean information system success model to predict user satisfaction with computer-based assessment in a developing, African country.