Effects of familiarity with digital assessment in online education

This study analyses changes in students' perceptions of online examinations during the transition from a face-to-face to a fully online assessment system. We compare data from a survey administered to two samples of students at a distance learning university at the end of two consecutive academic years in which a new online examination system was introduced. The survey focused on students' experiences and opinions of online examinations and the digital requirements associated with them. Analyses of variance were conducted on the data from the two student samples, finding significant evidence of changes in students' perceptions as they became more familiar with online examinations. The results suggest that familiarity with digital tools positively influences preference for online over face-to-face exams, as well as positive perceptions of the procedures associated with online exams, particularly webcam proctoring and the use of a digital interface to answer exam questions.