MEASURING STUDENTS’ SATISFACTION WITH COMPUTERIZED EXAMINATIONS AT THE SEU

Examinations that are conducted using a paper-based method require a lot of planning and the whole process can be hectic for universities, students and instructors alike. Most universities in various parts of the world have started to shift to computerized systems due to certain limitations of paper-based exams, such as human error in grading answer sheets and biases in marking, wastage of resources, and students' satisfaction issues. Hence, it has become very important for universities and educatorsto measure the level of their students'satisfaction towardsthis new approach. The current study is an attempt to investigate the impact of computerized exam processes on students' satisfaction level. The study was conducted using a 15-item questionnaire that was circulated using a survey method to 7873 students from both the male and female branches of the Saudi Electronic University (SEU) who had just finished their computerized exams for the first semester of the 2019 academic year. The research findings conclude that computerized-based exams were fairer than paperbased examinations, as there is no human bias in the marking and students were able to finish their exams without stress, which indirectly improved their performance and resulted in a high satisfaction level with this system of assessment. Our findings highlight the importance of measuring students' satisfaction level with computerized exams at the SEU, as this will help other universities in the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as globally, in understanding students' perceptions of computerized exams and assist in designing an appropriate approach to assessment by overcoming various associated challenges.