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Obstacles to Applying Electronic Exams amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study in the Palestinian Universities in Gaza

Bashitialshaer, Raed LU ; Alhendawi, Mohammed and Avery, Helen LU (2021) In Information (Switzerland) 12(6).
Abstract
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we aim to identify and understand the obstacles and barriers in applying electronic exams successfully in the process of distance education. We followed an exploratory descriptive approach through a questionnaire (one general, open question) with a sample of university teachers and students in four of the largest universities Palestinian in Gaza. A total of 152 were returned from 300 distributed questionnaires. The results indicate that the university teachers and students faced 13 obstacles, of which 9 were shown to be shared between teachers and students, with a significant agreement in the regression analysis. Several of the obstacles perceived by respondents are in line with the literature and... (More)
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we aim to identify and understand the obstacles and barriers in applying electronic exams successfully in the process of distance education. We followed an exploratory descriptive approach through a questionnaire (one general, open question) with a sample of university teachers and students in four of the largest universities Palestinian in Gaza. A total of 152 were returned from 300 distributed questionnaires. The results indicate that the university teachers and students faced 13 obstacles, of which 9 were shown to be shared between teachers and students, with a significant agreement in the regression analysis. Several of the obstacles perceived by respondents are in line with the literature and can be addressed by improved examination design, training, and preparation, or use of suitable software. Other obstacles related to infrastructure issues, leading to frequent power outages and unreliable internet access. Difficult living conditions in students' homes and disparities in access to suitable devices or the internet make social equity in connection with high-stakes examinations a major concern. Some recommendations and suggestions are listed at the end of this study, considering local conditions in the Gaza governorates. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
electronic exams, emergency remote teaching in higher education, university teachers and students, obstacle comparisons, COVID-19 pandemicms), ICT infrastructure, low and middle ncome countries, digital equity, electricity supply, educational equity, higher education
in
Information (Switzerland)
volume
12
issue
6
article number
256
pages
28 pages
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85108734500
ISSN
2078-2489
DOI
10.3390/info12060256
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dd609f47-d295-4687-9087-08b67ce8bf8c
date added to LUP
2021-06-23 13:12:53
date last changed
2023-10-10 21:18:57
@article{dd609f47-d295-4687-9087-08b67ce8bf8c,
  abstract     = {{In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we aim to identify and understand the obstacles and barriers in applying electronic exams successfully in the process of distance education. We followed an exploratory descriptive approach through a questionnaire (one general, open question) with a sample of university teachers and students in four of the largest universities Palestinian in Gaza. A total of 152 were returned from 300 distributed questionnaires. The results indicate that the university teachers and students faced 13 obstacles, of which 9 were shown to be shared between teachers and students, with a significant agreement in the regression analysis. Several of the obstacles perceived by respondents are in line with the literature and can be addressed by improved examination design, training, and preparation, or use of suitable software. Other obstacles related to infrastructure issues, leading to frequent power outages and unreliable internet access. Difficult living conditions in students' homes and disparities in access to suitable devices or the internet make social equity in connection with high-stakes examinations a major concern. Some recommendations and suggestions are listed at the end of this study, considering local conditions in the Gaza governorates.}},
  author       = {{Bashitialshaer, Raed and Alhendawi, Mohammed and Avery, Helen}},
  issn         = {{2078-2489}},
  keywords     = {{electronic exams; emergency remote teaching in higher education; university teachers and students; obstacle comparisons; COVID-19 pandemicms); ICT infrastructure; low and middle ncome countries; digital equity; electricity supply; educational equity; higher education}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{6}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Information (Switzerland)}},
  title        = {{Obstacles to Applying Electronic Exams amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study in the Palestinian Universities in Gaza}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/info12060256}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/info12060256}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}