The Alternatives in Assessment in an Online EFL Classroom in the Secondary Education in the Republic of North Macedonia

Abstract

Studying online exchanged the traditional approach of teaching and the passive role of the learners with an interactive approach in which the learners and the teacher create the lessons together. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to reconsider the appropriateness of traditional assessment and to research the utilization of the alternatives in assessment, which correspond to online education. Тhis study establishes the level of implementation of the alternatives in assessment in secondary schools in the Republic of North Macedonia, the impact of self-assessment, peer-assessment and portfolio on learners’ motivation for studying, as well as EFL teachers’ and learners’ perceptions of these assessment techniques, by means of a survey-one for teachers and one for students. The results show the positive teachers’ and learners’ perceptions towards the implementation of portfolio, self-assessment and peer-assessment in an EFL online classroom, but also that their use is at a low level which requires improvement. What is more, these alternatives in assessment have a positive influence on learners’ motivation for studying and their overall success. According to that, it is necessary to come up with an efficient permanent implementation of these forms of assessment in the EFL classroom.