Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of the Use of Online Examinations in an Open and Distance Learning Environment

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored undergraduate students’ perceptions of the usefulness and ease of using online examinations in relation to the practicality and security of those who enrolled for Teaching Mathematics in the FET Phase. The perception theory, which outlines positive and negative perceptions, was used to underpin this study. An interpretive paradigm was also used as the study employed a phenomenological qualitative research design. The study generated data from 12 students who participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. The findings of the study revealed both positive and negative perceptions of online examinations. Positive perceptions that made online examination pleasurable were cost saving and saving on travel time, writing at one’s own pace and space, submitting answer sheets online, getting immediate feedback, and writing online and offline. On the other hand, negative perceptions included difficulties in using the Invigilator App, noise pollution, network connectivity, and load shedding. The study suggests that students identify spaces where they can easily access a stable internet network with no noise pollution.