The Current Status of Digital Assessment Tools Usage in Pakistani Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

In modern education, digital assessment has become an important aspect. It allows for modifying the method of assessing students. In Pakistan, the use of digital assessment is common in educational institutions, most commonly universities. The use of digital assessment in universities depends on university culture, administrative support, technology resources available in universities, and the digital literacy of faculty members. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how much digital assessment is used in universities. A qualitative research design was used for this study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from 18 private and public universities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and from Deputy or Vice Controllers, IT experts, Controllers of Examinations, or Heads of Examinations. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis by Braun and Clark. Findings reveal that the use of digital assessment is different in various universities. Some universities use digital assessment too much, while on the other hand, there are also universities in which digital literacy is not common. The conclusion of this study is that the use of digital assessment in Pakistani universities is expanding day by day, and it brings a positive and effective change in the methods of assessing students' progress by using technology.