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In our current age of digitization, computer-based testing (CBT) has become an integral part of the educational process and, hence, educators must learn more about the use of this type of testing and the impact it has on students’ academic progress, emotions, and well-being. In fact, CBT has several advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, CBT is generally efficient, can provide immediate scoring and feedback in certain types of questions and allows for several types of innovative and authentic assessment, including the use of video clips, slide shows and simulations (Boevé et al., 2015; Öz & Özturan, 2018). On the minus side, however, CBT requires adequate facilities, special procedures for test security and the provision of back-up procedures. Additionally, students/teachers may not easily adapt to CBT because they lack familiarity with and/or competence in using relevant tools (Ebimgbo et al., 2021; Odo, 2019). Considering the advantages of CBT and the fact that it is increasing in popularity with the current trends of digitization, several scholars attempted to explore a variety of relevant issues, such as how CBT could affect students’ performance (Jalo et al., 2021; Jeong, 2014; Rodríguez et al., 2021) and/or their perceptions (Alnasser, 2022; Bloom et al., 2018; Debuse & Lawley, 2016). However, fewer studies have attempted to explore how transitioning to CBT could affect students’ achievement emotions and well-being.
Achievement emotions are a certain emotion directly linked to learning activities or learning outcomes (Pekrun et al., 2011). This type of emotions greatly influences learning and achievement in academic settings (Pekrun, 2006). Cognitively, achievement emotions influence storage, processing, memory, attention, and retrieval of information, among others (Pekrun, 2011, Phelps, 2006). Additionally, achievement emotions significantly influence intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Pekrun, 1992). Due to this importance, several studies have examined the influence of achievement emotions in relation to learning in the classroom (Behrens et al., 2019; El-Dakhs et al., 2022; Stephan et al., 2019), studying (Karimi et al., 2022; Pekrun et al., 2011; Peterson et al., 2015) and taking exams (Daniels & Gierl, 2017; Dermitzaki et al., 2016; Harley et al., 2020). These studies, however, have rarely compared students’ achievement emotions in computer-based versus paper-based exams. This gap has motivated the current study which compares the achievement emotions in computer-based versus paper-based exams among undergraduate students in a private Saudi university. More specifically, the current study aims to identify the differences in students’ emotions during paper-based versus computer-based exams and to explore what factors influence students’ emotions in these modes of testing. We must note that CBT in the current study does not mean online exams. CBT in the present study refers to tests held in computer labs using computers and/or learning management systems under regular human proctoring.
The current study is significant for three reasons. First, the present study helps fill a gap in the literature. Only a few studies have compared students’ achievement emotions under different modes of testing, including CBT. Second, the results of the present study will contribute to the smooth transition into CBT in higher education. Third, the present study is conducted in Saudi Arabia, part of the Arab World. This adds to the value of the study since the Arab World is greatly under-represented in achievement emotions research.