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ICELW 2019 June 12 -14 , New York, NY, USA
Computer Based Technology (CBT) Assessment
Implementation in a Nigerian Higher Institution
and a Lecturer’s Work Stories: Implication for E-
Counselling
1 1
Ifeyinwa Osegbo and Vera Nwadinobi
1 Department of Educational Psychology/Guidance & Counselling
Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe, PMB 1734 Onitsha Anambra State, Nigeria
Abstract— Computer based Technology (CBT) assessment is learning is the use of ICT to enhance and support teaching
a new practice in the conduct of examinations in Nigeria but and learning process. Computer based technology (CBT)
it has its problems. Many societies have accepted information assessment is a new practice in the conduct of
technology as the way the world is moving, therefore this examinations and tests in Nigeria but it has its problems. It
study aimed at investigating Lecturers perception of is the use of computers to administer tests and
innovative computer based assessment format in a Nigerian
College of Education. Participants included 200 lecturers, examinations in which student’s responses are
120 female and 80 male. The age range was between 30 and electronically recorded and assessed.
64 years. They were randomly selected purposively from five Learner’s assessments are very critical in any
schools in a college of Education in Nigeria. The design instructional programme. To this end, assessment should
adopted was a cross-stage mixed-model design. Oral be based on international best practices. Technology
interview, structured questionnaire and focus group facilitates assessment and e-assessment has been identified
discussions were used to collect data. Measured accessibility as a best practice (Buzzetto-More, & Adade, 2006).
variable showed that 98% of lecturers have access to Some Nigerian higher institutions in the recent times
computer. However results on the knowledge requirements have embraced CBT assessment for semester
and usage variable revealed that many lecturers do not have examinations and continuous assessment tests. This is
adequate ability level in the use of computer especially the partly because the paper and pencil test (PPT) as a method
chief lecturers and older lecturers. The most challenging of writing examinations and tests which has been the usual
aspect of CBT based assessment was found to be the practice for decades, seems to be phasing out in the
Authoring Manager in transporting the questions to Qpack.
The findings of this study has implications for E-Counselling international digital world and best practices. Also the
and attitudinal change. Most Nigerian lecturers’ ability in attendant problems of the manual method of assessment
the usage of computer is very low even though most of them which include examination venue-capacity, cost
have access to computers. This could be linked to their implication of printing examination materials, delay in the
attitude and perception towards the innovative CBT based release of results, examination malpractice etc could also
assessment which is that it is not necessary and should be be the reason for the paradigm shift. Change is the only
discouraged. This calls for E-Counselling with emphasis on thing that is permanent and constant. But every change is
CBT based assessment for optimal service delivery and expected to bring about a positive development to the
international best practices in Nigerian higher institutions. society. Technology based assessment (CBT) provides
Index Terms— CBT assessment, lecturers, work stories, opportunities to measure complex form of knowledge and
higher institutions. reasoning that is not possible to engage and assess through
I. INTRODUCTION the traditional PPT method (Onyibe, Nwachi-Ikpor &
Abdulhakim, 2015).
Orlich, Harder, Callahan and Gibson (2004) have However, despite the advantages embedded with the use
described assessment as a range of activities including of CBT and ICT in teaching and learning, and the
testing, performances, project ratings and observations. introduction by higher institutions in Nigeria, it is still not
The traditional educational system is a setting whereby the well accepted by some Nigerian lecturers. There is no
teacher and the students are in the same room called gainsaying that information communication technology
classroom using board and other instructional materials to offers new measures for assessing learning that will yield
effect teaching and learning. In recent times, information rich sources of data and expand the ways in which
and communication technology (ICT) through e-learning educators understand both learning mastery, and teaching
has made education to be more flexible. Many societies effectiveness (Vendlinski & Stevens in Esere & Idowu,
have accepted information technology as the way the 2012). However some challenges confront implementation
world is going (Onuora-Ogunu and Nyuykonge, 2010). E-
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ICELW 2019 June 12 -14 , New York, NY, USA
of CBT assessment in most Nigerian institutions of higher single study. The design is suitable for the study because
learning. Baker-Eveleth et al in Onyibe, Nwachi & of the research questions which have both qualitative and
Abduhakim, (2015) observed that implementing computer quantitative questions. In justifying their perceptions
exams requires a secure testing environment, one that participants had to express their views, opinions as well as
prevents students from seeking answers by scanning their their feelings about CBT in higher institutions in Nigeria.
computer hard drives, instant messaging or e-mailing The population of this study comprised all the lecturers
friends, or browsing the internet. The use of ICT for test in higher institutions in Nigeria. However for ease of
administration in Nigerian higher institutions is geared administration, one college of education was purposively
towards changing the state of test administration, but the selected as a case study. The participants were 200
integration has not yet been fully utilized in the nation’s randomly selected lecturers from the six academic schools
higher institutions. Few authors have developed CBT of the institution. The sample was stratified on the basis of
applications to be used in examinations. Authors like Ayo, gender and age. There were 120 female and 80 male
Akinyemi, Adebiyi and Ekong (2007) proposed a model lecturers.
for computer-based test in Nigeria which enforces all The instrument was the ‘CBT Assessment
applicants for the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board Questionnaire’ which consisted of two sections. It
(JAMB) examination to be subjected to online entrance contained both the demographic information and the
examination. The model revealed that CBT has the items/questions requiring respondent’s information on
potential to eliminate some of the problems that are their accessibility to computer, their ability to use the
associated with the paper-based test. Durojaye and computer, whether they employ CBT in assessment of
Omotehinwa, (2013) also developed computer based test their students and their perception to utilization of CBT
application where tests in multiple choice formats could be and ICT gadgets in assessment. The instrument was
taken online and graded immediately. These studies validated by experts in Measurement and Evaluation to
showed that CBT could help lecturers, instructors, teachers ensure validity. The reliability of the instrument was
and others make examination an easy and less established through Cronbach alpha reliability technique
cumbersome task. However most of these applications are with a co-efficient value of 0.75.
developed without getting the lecturers, teachers and even The method for data collection was a combination of
students intimated on how to go about it. This is in line administered questionnaire and focus Group Discussion
with Olagunju (2003) who found out that secondary school (FGDs) exercise. The content of the questionnaire was a
teachers’ computer literacy is low. combination of close and open ended questions. Focus
In higher institutions in Nigeria, CBT assessment has Group discussions produce descriptive data about people’s
been introduced but observations have shown that most own written or spoken and observable behaviour.
lecturers are not quite disposed to it and this has added to The data were analyzed using both quantitative and
other problems confronting the implementation of CBT qualitative format. Two main procedures were therefore
assessment in higher institutions of Nigeria. To fully applied in the analysis of the data so as to be in tandem
implement CBT assessment for students in the higher with the mixed research approach adopted for the study.
institutions, there is need to get the lecturers who are the NCSS 2007 quantitative method of data analysis was used
facilitators of learning involved and equipped with the to analyze quantitative data collected from the closed-
necessary skills and attitudes needed for the process of the ended questions. (NCSS performs a variety of data
new innovative CBT assessment. To this end, the present analysis and presentation of functions, including statistical
study is aimed at investigating lecturers work stories in analysis and graphical presentation of data). Content
accessibility, ability and usage of computer for CBT analysis was used for the qualitative data collected. This
assessment in a Nigerian higher institution and its involved sorting, categorizing and tallying the data which
implication for E-counseling. To guide the study, the were mainly additional information to or justification of
following research questions were raised: responses given to closed-ended questions in line with the
1. Does Nigerian higher institution lecturers have mixed model design. Narrative presentation was done for
ability to use computer? some of the questions.
2. To what extent does Nigerian higher institution III. RESULTS
lecturers have access to computer.
3. Does Nigerian higher institution lecturers employ The biographical characteristics of the respondents are
ICT gadgets to enhance CBT assessment? presented before the presentation of the findings related to
4. What is the lecturer’s perception of computer- the problem under study.
based assessment in Nigerian higher institutions
like?
TABLE I.
DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS ON THE BASIS OF GENDER AND AGE.
II. METHODS Variables Frequency Percentage
The study adopted mixed methods research approach. Male 120 60%
Mixed method is defined by Johnson & Onwugbuzie, Female 80 40%
(2004) as the class of research where the researcher
combines qualitative and quantitative techniques into a Age
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ICELW 2019 June 12 -14 , New York, NY, USA
30 – 40 Years 80 40% 1. Personal computer 100 50%
41 – 45 Years 60 30% (laptop)
46 – 50 Years 40 20% 2. Friends 16 8%
51 – 60 Years 10 5% 3. College internet 44 22%
facility
Table 1 presents the demographic characteristics of the 4. Library 08 4%
participants in frequency count and percentage. It shows 5. Office 12 6%
that 60% of the study samples are males while 40% are 6. Cyber café 16 8%
females. Fig. 2 shows the respondents who fall within 30 7. None 04 2%
– 40 years age bracket to constitute 40% of the total
sample. The bar and pie charts that follow describes the Total 200 100%
demographic characteristics of the study participants.
Table 2 presents lecturer’s accessibility to computer.
Gender From the table most of the respondents had one access or
the other to a computer. 50% of the respondents have
Series 1 access to personal computer, 8% has access to their
friends’ computer, 22% has access to college internet
80 facility, only 4% has access to computer in the library, 6%
60 has access to computer in the office while 8% has access
to computer in cyber cafes. Only 2% of the respondents
40 said they have no access to computer at all. Fig. 3 below
20 presents the pie chart of table 2 above.
0
Male Female
Figure 1. Bar Chart Distribution of Participants based on Gender
Figure 3. Percentage Distribution of Respondents Computer
Accessibility
Research Question 2: Does Nigerian higher institution
lecturers have the required ability to use computer?
Figure 2. Pie Chart Distribution of Respondents based on age
Research Question 1: Does Nigerian higher institution
lecturers have access to computer?
TABLE II. TABLE III.
LECTURERS COMPUTER ACCESSIBILITY INDEX SHOWN IN FREQUENCY COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS AND USAGE INDEX IN FREQUENCY COUNT
COUNT AND PERCENTAGE AND PERCENTAGE
S/N What is the nature Frequency Percentage What is your rating Frequency Percentage
S/N of your ability to
of your access to
computer? use computer?
1. Very high 10 5%
The International Conference on E-Learning in the Workplace 2019, www.icelw.org ICELW 2013 Template #1 3
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ICELW 2019 June 12 -14 , New York, NY, USA
2. High 20 10%
3. Moderate 90 45%
4. Low 60 30%
5. Very low 20 10%
Total 200 100%
Table 3 above shows the frequency of the responses by
lecturers indicating their ability in the use of computer.
Only 10 (5%) out of 200 respondents have high ability in
the use of computer. 20 representing (10%) of the
participants have high ability. Less than half of the total Figure 5. Percentage Distribution of Lecturers’ Employment Gadget in
sample (45%) has moderate ability while 40% of the total Assessment
sample has either low or very low ability. Below is fig. 4
depicting the result in table 3. Research Question 4: What is the lecturers’ perception
in computer-based technology assessment in Nigerian
higher institutions like?
Very High High Focus group discussions and interviews revealed
diverse opinions concerning computer-based assessment
Moderate in Nigeria higher institutions. Some of the lecturers
Very Low especially those in the School of Arts and Social Sciences,
Languages, and Early Childhood Care and Education and
Chief lecturers were of the opinion that computer based
technology assessment is not very relevant to their
programmes of instruction while others are constrained
Low due to their own personal challenges in ICT literacy. The
following excerpts represent a summary of ideas and
Figure 4. Percentage Distribution of Respondents Computer opinions of the respondents:
Requirements and Usage Index
Research Question 3: Does Nigerian higher institution 1. A participant respondent remarked:
lecturers employ ICT gadgets to enhance CBT assessment. “CBT assessment does not encourage initiative,
abstract thinking and creativity’, I do not believe
in it and I have never subscribed to it”.
LECTURERS’ EMPLOYMENT OF ICT GADGETS IN CBT ASSESMENT 2. Another respondent said:
S/N Do you normally Frequency Percentage “CBT promotes guess work among the students,
thereby making them get away with unmerited
employ ICT or marks”.
engage in CBT 3. The third respondent complained thus:
assessment of your “Computer based technology assessment seems
good but the difficulty in the use of authoring
students? manager in exporting the questions to Qpack is
1. Yes 40 20% my problem”.
2. No 160 80% 4. Yet another respondent added:
“I am already used to paper and pen assessment,
Total 200 100% computer based technology assessment is an
The table above shows that 80% of the lecturers do not unnecessary stress”.
make use of ICT gadgets which is used for CBT Other respondents has the following to say:
assessment. Only 40 participants representing (20%) of the 5. “To draw the questions poses a lot of challenges
sample agreed to using ICT gadgets in assessment. Fig 5 as it is time consuming and stressful”.
further demonstrates the above result. 6. “Computer based assessment limits practical
knowledge of the subject matter”.
7. “CBT assessment is fast and machine scored,
thereby reducing lecturers’ stress in marketing”.
8. “I am almost out of the system and we were not
trained in CBT assessment, so I think the new
breed lecturers should go ahead with computer
based assessment”.
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