Perceptions of university students regarding computer assisted assessment

Computer assisted assessment (CAA) is a common technique of assessment in higher educational institutions in Western countries, but a relatively new concept for students and teachers in Pakistan. It was therefore interesting to investigate students’ perceptions about CAA practices from different universities of Pakistan. Information was collected through a questionnaire, completed by 1877 students. It was concluded that overall sampled students were aware of CAA. Comparatively, female students were found to be more highly inclined towards CAA. Sampled students from different departments (i.e., Commerce, Mathematics and Pharmacy) and from universities D and E showed a particularly positive attitude towards CAA. However, overall sampled students felt that CAA overburdened them, and created some administrative and managerial problems, so teachers should probably avoid using this technique of assessment as routine. Prominent advantages regarding CAA referred to by the students included time saving, being more interesting, and being unbiased. Disadvantages included hardware and software related problems during examination.