JEELS
(Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
P-ISSN: 2407-2575 E-ISSN: 2503-2194 https://jurnalfaktarbiyah.
id/index.
php/jeels KURDISH EFL TEACHERSAo PERSPECTIVES ON ASSESSMENT AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL: FACTORS.
CHALLENGES.
AND
WASHBACK
*Ivan Hasan Murad1.
Sanan Shero Malo2 1,2English Language Department.
College of Humanities.
University of Zakho.
Kurdistan Region-Iraq *ivan.
murad@uoz.
krd sanan.
malo@uoz.
(*) Corresponding Author Abstract: Assessment constitutes a fundamental component of educational process, shaping teachersAo instructional However, its efficacy largely depends on the way teachers perceive assessment.
Thus, this research article investigates Kurdish university-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachersAo perspective on assessment in terms of the factors that influence their choice of assessment methods, their challenges in assessment, and the washback effects of assessment on studentsAo learning and study habits.
Employing a quantitative approach, the study utilized a Likert-scale survey to collect data from a random sample of 75 teachers from 11 public universities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Data were analyzed using 1Citation in APA style:
Murad.
, & Malo.
Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
DOI: 10.
30762/jeels.
Submission: July 2025.
Revision: October 2025.
Publication: November 2025 Murad.
, & Malo.
Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version The findings revealed several factors influencing teachersAo assessment choices, including strict institutional regulations, large class sizes, and studentsAo growing reliance on AI tools.
The study also found that teachers face numerous challenges, such as detecting AI-generated work, limited access to technological resources, and balancing formative and summative assessments.
Moreover, the results indicate that assessment practices generate both positive and negative washback, influencing studentsAo motivation, effort, and learning The study highlights the importance of aligning assessment practices with Kurdish EFL higher education principles to promote effective learning Keywords: Assessment, challenges, factors.
Kurdish EFL teachers.
University-level setting INTRODUCTION Assessment plays a crucial role in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, shaping both teaching practices and learning outcomes.
At the university level, particularly in EFL context where students look forward to achieving high level of linguistic and academic competence, assessments are designed to measure their language proficiency, critical thinking, and communicative competence (Bouckaert, 2.
However, the effectiveness of these assessments is contingent upon the way they are perceived and implemented by instructors.
Therefore.
EFL teachers possess a range of beliefs and perspectives on assessment that are crucial which influence not only the design and execution of assessment, but also teachersAo broader educational impact and the quality of studentsAo learning, including the washback effect (Yin, 2.
Understanding these perspectives can help identify gaps between assessment policies and classroom realities, ultimately leading to more effective evaluation Murad.
, & Malo.
Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
Throughout history, the focus of assessment has witnessed In 1990, assessment focused on the measurement of what students have learned.
Back then, according to Brown .
, assessment was defined as a series of evaluations and measures utilized to check the achievement of learners.
It involved collecting and analyzing data on the studentsAo achievements and learning.
It also measured the improvement of students, the teaching methods, and the studentsAo motivation.
Following this.
Allen, .
defined it as the systematic process by which a documentation of studentsAo data regarding their knowledge, attitudes, aptitudes, skills, and beliefs for the purpose of refining educational programs and improving studentsAo According to the Great Schools Partnership .
, the term assessment refers to the wide variety of methods or tools that educators use to evaluate, measure, and document the academic readiness, learning progress, skill acquisition, or educational needs of The role of assessment continues to progress with the evolvement of the technological tools utilized in the educational Assessment, therefore, is defined as a dynamic, learnerinformed procedure that incorporates digital tools, student voice, and real-time analytics to support equitable, personalized, and lifelong learning pathways (Darling-Hammond et al.
, 2.
In the Kurdistan university-level EFL context, assessment has witnessed many changes and development towards the better based on the systems of education which have been utilized, the Bologna Process as an example, to catch up with the modern and globalized world of knowledge.
This process is defined by Wychter .
as "a unified initiative involving governmental bodies, academic institutions, educators, students, stakeholder organizations, employers, and quality assurance agencies aimed at systematically and cohesively restructuring higher education frameworks across Europe" .
According to Ade .
, the process is an intergovernmental collaboration between 48 countries in Europe with a focus on improving the quality of HE in terms of facilitating the mobility and coordination between these countries which involves public Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
international entities, quality assurance bodies, and other institutions.
In terms of assessment process, unlike the traditional annual system of education in which there was a heavy dependence on tests, this system encourages a range of assessment strategies, methods, and workload that encourage learner-centered approaches such as presentations .
n each semeste.
, reports, assignments, quizzes, projects, homework, mid-term exams, final exams etc.
Assessment is an umbrella concept that encompasses both testing and a wide array of evaluation strategies.
Scholars argue that the concept of assessment extends beyond the traditional forms of assessment, including testing, as it involves more than testing for the purpose of providing a holistic evaluation of the studentsAo outcomes and performances (Brookhart & Nitko, 2019.
Chappuis & Stiggins.
Wiliam, 2.
, especially in higher education.
According to several studies, university-level assessment should be a systematic and a continuous process in nature, with clearly defined objectives, assessment methods, and prompt and consistent feedback (Chappuis & Stiggins, 2.
In addition, as it is argued by William .
, assessment must be a complementary part of teaching with formative and summative strategies aiding in supporting quality learning and academic progress.
The implementation of the assessment methods by teachers is influenced by a number of factors.
Building on Kozma's .
Fulmer et al.
came up with a three-tiered model for categorizing the influences of assessment practices, which are used by several researchers (Deneen et al.
, 2019.
Ma, 2.
The current study also addresses the same classification system as factors influencing teachersAo choice of assessment methods, examining factors at micro, meso, and macro levels.
At the micro level, personal and classroom factors have their own influence.
These include teachers' assessment literacy, selfefficacy, beliefs, and experience.
and contextual elements like class size, technology access, and classroom dynamics (Black & Wiliam, 2018.
Yan Murad.
, & Malo.
Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
et al.
, 2.
The meso level encompasses institutional influences such as institutional policies, administrative guidelines, and stakeholder expectations (Ma & Bui, 2.
Macro-level elements involve broader policy scopes, particularly national and international assessment norms, high-stakes testing regimes, and their washback effects (Ma & Bui, 2021.
Wilson, 2.
These interconnected levels collectively influence teachers' assessment choice and implementation strategies.
According to Cheng and Curtis .
, due to administrative and accreditation requirements and pressures, institutions and educational bodies ought to abide by prescribed assessment Educational institutions establish departmental guidelines and institutional standards to ensure that assessment practices are consistent, valid, and aligned with curricular goals.
These frameworks provide teachers with clear criteria for selecting appropriate evaluation methods, thereby promoting fairness and comparability across courses and programs.
However, teachers might think that one size does not fit all, and feel that they need to choose different assessment methods from those assigned by the department or institution.
In addition, in educational contexts, particularly in EFL settings, standardized testing is widely spread and more favored due to administrative requirements and accountability pressures (Cheng et al.
, 2.
This could limit teachersAo freedom in implementing certain methods of assessment such as formative or performance-based assessments that may better address diverse student needs.
Consequently, teachers may feel obliged to follow prescribed assessment policies, which sometimes conflict with their professional judgment and preferred pedagogical Assessment methods that require less time to be administered are often more favored by teachers especially those who have classes with large number of students (Hamp-Lyons, 2.
Such teachers might tend to favor particular methods of assessment such as multiplechoice questions, short answer questions, or even automated scoring tools or those methods that represent the true level of their students such as essay-writing, oral presentations, and project assignments Murad.
, & Malo.
Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
(Fulcher, 2.
This factor also impacts the quality of the assessment in terms of the validity of the assessment method, as overemphasis on reliability may compromise validity (Erlinawati & Muslimah, 2.
The availability of resources alongside teachersAo in-service training has a big role in the provision of quality assessment practices that reflect the real performance of the students.
According to Giraldo, .
, the availability of limited resources leads teachers to avoid utilizing modern assessment methods such as computer-based assessments or performance-based ones.
Moreover, the insufficient teaching and working experience, especially in terms of designing assessments or implementing and administering them, leads to focusing on the ones that are familiar but could be outdated (Malone.
The scoring criteria of particular assessment methods also influence the choice of the method being utilized.
This is because the time-consuming factor in terms of scoring might influence EFL teachersAo willingness to choose particular assessment methods (Brookhart, 2.
Moreover, studentAos reliance on AI in obtaining read-made answers has put much pressure on teachers to reconsider the written assessments.
This has driven them to focus more on assessments that require in-class writing, oral presentations, or preparing projects that require more complicated tasks (Warschauer.
EFL teachers face challenges in the assessment process, ranging from technological disruptions to institutional constraints.
The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly has made authentic assessment more complicated.
This is because teachers struggle to evaluate genuine language and knowledge proficiency when assignments may be AI-generated (Warschauer, 2.
To address this, as it is already mentioned above, educators increasingly adopt in-class writing, oral presentations, or project-based assessments, though these methods demand additional time and effort (Perkins et al.
, 2.
Large class sizes further exacerbate assessment difficulties, forcing teachers to rely on less nuanced methods like multiple-choice tests rather than essays Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
or speaking tasks, which limits formative feedback and hinders learning outcomes (Hamp-Lyons, 2017.
Tsagari & Vogt, 2.
Students' level and performance that might be inconsistent due to varying prior knowledge and motivation complicates assessment, requiring differentiated strategies that standardized tests fail to achieve (Brown & Abeywickrama, 2019.
Kunnan, 2.
In addition, limited access to technological resources in many EFL classrooms, especially in Kurdish EFL classrooms, restricts the use of digital assessment tools, compelling teachers to rely on traditional paperbased methods that may not fully measure communicative competence (Giraldo, 2021.
Shadiev & Hwang, 2.
Institutional guidelines constrain EFL teachers by prioritizing summative over formative assessment methods, stifling innovation in methods of assessment such as authentic ones like portfolios or peer evaluations (Cheng et al.
, 2007.
Fulcher, 2.
Making balance between formative and summative assessments continues to be a persistent challenge for EFL teachers, as challenges such as time constraints and curriculum demands often lead EFL teachers to opt for high-stakes testing, reducing opportunities for meaningful feedback and authentic assessment (Black & Wiliam, 2018.
Popham, 2.
Grading in some particular modules such as writing and speaking skills, initiates a sort of bias which causes problems for teachers despite the use of assessment strategies that mitigate bias, highlighting the need for better rater training and assessment literacy (Weigle, 2020.
Malone, 2.
Lastly, the administration workload of preparing, administering, and grading assessments causes teacher This is because much paperwork detracts from student engagement and provision of quality assessment and teaching (Bachman & Dambyck, 2018.
Bailey & Brown, 2.
These challenges underscore the need for support, professional training and development, and flexible assessment strategies to enhance EFL teaching efficacy.
The washback effect of assessment in EFL contexts profoundly shapes studentsAo learning behaviors, language development, and study Murad.
, & Malo.
Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
habits for it is considered as a reflection of the way assessment impacts them (Hattie & Timperley, 2.
Well-designed assessments have been confirmed and evidenced to promote language proficiency by offering students continuous academic support for the purpose of skill reinforcement and knowledge development.
Frequent, low-stakes assessments are particularly impactful in promoting memorization and fluency, provided that they are detailed, constructive feedback fosters metacognitive awareness and self-regulated learning (Black & Wiliam.
Hattie & Timperley, 2.
The diagnostic function of assessment enables both students and teachers to identify specific strengths and weaknesses, allowing for targeted interventions that address individual language needs (Alderson et al.
, 2015.
Kunnan, 2.
Moreover, other forms of authentic assessments such as project-based tasks, critical essays, and many others encourage higher-order thinking and scrutinizing skills, analytical reasoning, and cognitive engagement that make students confident in their skills and knowledge, moving beyond rote memorization to cultivate deeper understanding and concept development (Brookhart, 2017.
Shadiev & Hwang, 2.
According to the best knowledge of the researchers, not many studies have been conducted to address the aims and themes of the current study especially in the context of Kurdish EFL education at university level leaving a gap in literature that needs to be addressed.
Regarding the factors that influence university-level teachersAo choice of assessment methods, a recent study was conducted by Williams-McBean .
to investigate factors affecting teachersAo choice and use of assessment.
The study employed a mixed-method design employing a survey administered to 1088 Jamaican school teachers and interviews with 32 English teachers.
The study revealed that factors such as beliefs and knowledge, institutional policies, and international assessment norms, high-stakes testing regimes, and their washback effects have a huge role in teachersAo assessment choice.
Latif and Wasim .
conducted a study to understand teachersAo assessment literacy by investigating their personal beliefs, conceptions, and theories regarding the assessment methods.
The Murad.
, & Malo.
Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
study was qualitative in nature and twelve teachers from three different institutions took part in it.
A thematic approach was followed to analyze the data gathered from the semi-structured interviews.
Results revealed complexity, diversity, and uncertainty in teacher The study also found out that contextual and institutional policies and regulations have an undue influence on teachersAo choice of assessment methods.
In their study.
Tanberkan, et al.
investigated the impact of AI on assessment and evaluation approaches in education.
The objective the authors aimed at was to check both the benefits and ethical challenges posed by AI technologies for students and teachers.
Using a literature review as the primary data collection method, the study highlights opportunities such as individualized learning and efficient assessment, but also stresses risks, especially for students lacking AI ethical literacy who may resort to unethical practices.
In another study.
Hussain et al.
explored the classroom assessment practices of Grade 10 English teachers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pakistan, focusing on both the challenges and opportunities faced at the secondary level.
The study employed a quantitative approach and data were collected via a questionnaire from 235 teachers in Districts Mardan and Swat.
The study revealed key challenges including time constraints, having big class sizes in terms of number of students, lack of assessment training, and concerns over the psychometric soundness of their tools.
Albondoq .
did a study to investigate the washback effects of assessment on English language learning and teaching.
This study stressed the crucial role of feedback for learners and their academic progress and explored washbackAos impact on studentsAo language learning skills, motivation, and teachersAo instructional techniques.
questionnaire was employed to gather data from 42 English language teachers and 200 students across the English and Translation Results demonstrated that washback positively impacts studentsAo language learning skills, development, and motivation.
Murad.
, & Malo.
Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
However, individualized feedback was seen not to have been possible due to heavy academic loads.
A study by Omar .
investigated the effect of examination on teaching and learning.
The study was conducted in Kurdistan and involved high school teachers teaching English language.
The researcher employed a survey of two parts, one collecting demographic information and the other part consisted of 30 items on washback effect of examinations.
Results from the study revealed that the examination had a negative washback on both teaching and learning.
Teachers tended to teach to the test and studentsAo focus shifted from learning the material to studying for the test only.
In spite of the fact that assessment has a critical role in EFL education, there is a gap in understanding how university-level Kurdish EFL teachers perceive and navigate the assessment in terms of factors that influence their choice of assessment methods, challenges they face in assessment, and the washback effect of assessment on studentsAo learning and study habits.
Existing studies have explored washback effects in standardized testing (Cheng, 2.
or school-based assessments (Qi, 2005 as cited in Arthur & Partey, 2.
, but fewer have examined university settings where assessment practices may differ due to academic autonomy and diverse student needs.
Additionally, while challenges in assessment implementation have been documented .
, time constraints, lack of trainin.
, little research has systematically investigated the institutional, cultural, and pedagogical factors that influence the choice of assessment methods from teachersAo By addressing these issues, the research aims to contribute to more informed assessment policies and teacher support Therefore, the current study holds significant implications for university-level Kurdish EFL teachers and also other foreign EFL teachers for it contributes to the growing body of research on key aspects in assessment and EFL education.
Through examining the factors that influence teachersAo choice of assessment methods, their potential washback effects, and the challenges they encounter in the Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
assessment process, this research tries to develop a more nuanced understanding of the way assessment can be enhanced for the purpose of ensuring deeper learning.
METHOD
Research Design The current study employs a quantitative approach in examining the university-level Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives of It particularly studies their perspectives of the factors that influence their assessment choice, the challenges they face in assessment, and the potential washback effect of assessments on EFL student learning and study habits.
The current study employed a quantitative research instrument in the data collection process.
The process began with the distribution of a survey .
ee the Appendi.
especially designed for the purpose of the study.
According to Mertens .
, utilizing quantitative approach helps in capturing the breadth of the topic under investigation.
Participants The participants involved in this study consisted of 75 Kurdish EFL university-level teachers representing 11 public universities in the Kurdistan Region-Iraq (KRI).
These universities include: University of Zakho.
University of Duhok.
University of SalahAldin.
University of Sulaimani.
University of Halabja.
University of Soran.
University of Garmian.
University of Charmo.
University of Koya.
University of Raparin, and University of Acre for applied sciences.
Such a diverse representation enriches the quality of the data being collected.
Bryman .
states that for uncovering heterogeneous and effective experiences, collecting data from a wide range of samples is crucial.
Moreover, it ensures multiple perspectives, improves the credibility of the data, and makes sure the collected information is representative (Creswell & Creswell, 2.
A random sampling technique was used in this study for it ensures representativeness of the subjects of the Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
study (Cohen et al.
, 2.
, and gives all the population an equal chance to participate in the study (Fraenkel et al.
, 2.
Data Collection Instrument: preparation and data collection process A structured survey of a quantitative components utilizing Likert Scale .
=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agre.
specially constructed as a part of a PhD thesis main instrument.
As a total, the survey included 24 detailed items.
Each 8 items of the survey represented one category: factors influencing EFL university-level teachersAo choice of assessment methods.
EFL teachersAo challenges of assessment, and the washback impact of assessment.
After the survey was constructed, it was given to a panel of jury consisting of 10 members specialized in English applied linguistics, for the purpose of evaluating and validating the items of the survey in terms of validity .
ace validity, content validity, and construct validit.
According to Lieberman et al.
and Creswell and Creswell .
, to enhance the quality of any research instrument that has been constructed in educational research, it should be presented to a panel of jury of experts for the purpose of assessing whether or not the items adequately cover the intended content domain, ensuring its validity and reliability.
Based on the evaluation and feedback from the jury members, the majority of the items were edited as they were long and vague in terms of language.
Then, the link for the survey was sent to 15 Kurdish EFL university-level teachers for piloting purposes.
It is argued that piloting a data collection instrument increases its validity and reliability and boosts its practicality (Chhetri & Khanal, 2.
Moreover.
Cohen et al.
state that any instrument used in social science must be subject to piloting for the tool to be valid and reliable.
After 15 days of the first piloting phase, a second round of piloting was conducted to eliminate all the confusions and misunderstandings of the items included in the survey.
After this, the survey was ready for the data collection process.
Based on the close connections that the staff of universities in KRI have, the survey was sent to colleagues from 11 public universities as Google Form link, which was shared with their Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
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staff members for completion.
These colleagues were either Head of English Language Departments or Directors of Language Centers.
less than two weeks, a total number of 83 responses were received.
After critically reviewing the received responses, it turned out that 8 responses were not practical for 3 of them had straight neutral responses and 5 of them had missing data.
Therefore, a total number of 75 valid responses were dealt with in this study.
Data Analysis The data collected for this research study were inserted and analyzed employing the Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) The main purpose of this analysis was to measure participantsAo responses to the items of the survey by exploring the descriptive and inferential statistics.
In order to determine the mean value and standard deviation for each survey item, the descriptive statistics were employed which provided an overview of central tendencies and the responses variability degree.
Then, inferential analysis was conducted using one-sample t-test.
This test was used to find out whether the observed mean values for the items of the survey significantly differed from the hypothetical value.
In order to assess the level of the statistical significance, the t-test and corresponding pvalues were computed.
For determining the statistical differences, p < 05 was used as a threshold.
Ethical Considerations To ensure confidentiality, the researchers have clearly indicated the intentions of the study including the aims and objectives.
It has also been made clear that participation is voluntary and that all responses will strictly be kept confidential.
It is important to make clear to the participants the true intentions of the study and that their responses will be kept strictly confidential (Kang & Hwang, 2.
Once the participants realize that their information and data are kept confidential, they tend to become more supportive in terms of data Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
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they provide.
Sherif .
confirms this and argues that when sound data collection process in terms of ethicality is used, rich and valid data can be gained.
FINDINGS
After the second piloting phase of the survey, the reliability of the items of the survey was checked.
Cronbach Alpha was employed to check the reliability of the items of the survey.
The utilized survey in this study consisted of three categories and each category consisted of eight items.
Table 1 shows the results of the reliability check utilizing CronbachAos alpha.
Table 1.
Reliability check using CronbachAos Alpha Reliability Statistics Cronbach's Alpha N of Items It is widely known that the internal consistency of a survey can be evaluated using CronbachAos alpha, which checks if the items of the survey or a category of a survey are measuring the same concept (Cohen et al.
, 2.
As it can be noted form the above Table 1, an alpha 769 is gained which is regarded as a generally acceptable to good value (Ahmed et al.
, 2.
Table 2 displays the statistics for the items of the category related to factors that influence teachersAo selection and implementation of assessment methods.
As it is indicated in the table.
Kurdish EFL university-level teachers agree that one of the most influential factors that affect their choice of assessment methods is studentsAo excessive reliance on AI tools, with a mean value of 4.
11 (SD= 0.
and p=0.
<0.
This shows that teachers cannot properly employ assessment methods such as homework assignments, reports, projects, writing essays, portfolios and other sort of assessment methods which require students to write long blocks of essays.
Moreover, factors such as Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
departmental guidelines (M = 3.
SD=1.
013, p-value = 0.
, having big number of students in the class (M = 3.
SD=0.
742 p-value 0.
and the reliability issue of assessment methods (M = 3.
SD=1.
033, pvalue = 0.
suggest that teachers view these issues as influencing their choice of assessment methods.
The teachers moderately agreed with the fact that the availability of resources influences their choice of assessment with mean value 3.
21 (SD=0.
and the difference was statistically significant .
-value 0.
, suggesting that this factor plays a meaningful role in shaping their choice of assessment methods, though the strength of the agreement was not high.
Table 2.
Factors influencing the selection and implementation of assessment methods Items StudentsAo excessive reliance on AI tools influences teachers' selection of specific assessment methods.
Assessment methods are selected according to the standards set by departmental Assessment methods are selected in terms of reliability.
Classes of large numbers of students influence the selection of certain assessment The availability of resources, such as teaching facilities influences the choice of assessment methods.
Scoring criteria play a role in the selection of assessments methods.
Lack of proper in-service training makes it difficult to decide on the effective assessment methods.
Assessment methods that can be administered within the allocated time are Mean Std.
Dev.
P-value Table 2 also indicates that while time constraint might be considered, it is perceived as less influential as teachers have disagreed Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
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, 1029-1057.
that it affects their choice of assessment method with mean value 2.
(SD=0.
, and p-value .
This suggests that teachers do not employ assessment methods merely because they can be administered within a specific time frame.
The rest of the factors: lack of proper in-service training and the scoring criteria with mean values: 3.
11 (SD=0.
and 12 .
and p-values, .
025 and .
151 respectively, were not perceived as influential factors in the choice of assessment methods as their p-values were higher than the level of significance .
Table 3.
Challenges Encountered by Kurdish EFL University-Level Teachers in Assessment Std.
PITEMS
Mean Devi.
Inconsistencies in students' performance make 75 it hard to maintain fair assessment standards.
Limited access to technological resources 75 impacts the quality of the assessment process.
Due to heavy reliance on AI tools, 75 Institutional policies and regulations restrict 75 flexibility in assessment methods.
Balancing between formative and summative 75 assessments is a significant challenge.
Maintaining objectivity is quite challenging in 75 Assessing classes of large numbers of students 75 is challenging.
The administrative workload related to 75 assessments is overwhelming.
The results in Table 3, overall, indicate a high level of teachers' agreement across the majority of the items in the survey, with seven out of eight items showing mean values ranging from 3.
67 to 4.
This indicates a strong consensus among Kurdish EFL university-level teachers with regard to the challenges they encounter in assessment.
They collectively agree or strongly agree that inconsistencies in studentsAo performance, limited access to technological resources, heavy reliance on AI tools, institutional polices restricting the flexibility of Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
assessment choice, balancing formative and summative assessment methods, maintaining objectivity in assessing, and having classes with large number of students with mean values 4.
04 (SD=0.
861, 4.
(SD=0.
922, 4.
01 (SD=1.
, 3.
80 (SD=1.
, 3.
79 (SD=0.
, 3.
(SD=1.
, and 3.
67 (SD=0.
respectively and their p-values 00 which is <0.
This underscores that such elevated mean values are not due to chance, but rather a genuine reflection and statistical robust perspectives of Kurdish EFL university-level teachers regarding the challenges they encounter in assessment.
An exception to the above statistics is the last item in Table .
with a mean value of 3.
03 (SD=1.
and p-value of 0.
05 suggesting a moderate level of agreement .
eaning towards neutra.
This indicates that teachers perceive assessment workload as not significant for they might believe that the influential factor of learning is the availability of valid and reliable assessment methods along with an effective basis of Table 4.
Assessment Washback
ITEMS
Assessment methods are effective in identifying students' points of strength and Preparing for assessment motivates students to study hard and practice what they have learned.
Assessment methods encourage students' higher order thinking skills.
The feedback from assessment methods positively impacts students' studying Assessment makes students focus on authentic learning.
Due to the critical nature of assessment students are heavily engaged with their learning tasks and hence study for longer Assessment drives students to memorize rather than understand concepts.
Mean Std.
Dev.
Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
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Assessment positively impacts students' language abilities.
Table 4 above presents teachersAo perspectives of the washback impact of assessment on studentsAo learning and studying habits.
Except for the item that states that assessment positively impacts studentsAo language abilities with a mean value 2.
72 (SD=1.
and a p-value 0.
which is <0.
05, the table indicates teachersAo overall agreement with the majority of the items.
Teachers collectively agree that assessment methods and practices conducted at university-level EFL context positively influence students learning and study habits in multiple ways, including identifying their strength and weaknesses, motivating them to study, fostering their higher-order thinking, shaping their study habits through feedback, promoting authentic learning, and increasing engagement, while also driving memorization.
The mean values clustered within a narrow range (M =3.
96 to 3.
with all results statistically significant .
<0.
It could be argued that the above statistics represent the real perspectives of Kurdish EFL teachers and therefore, together, these findings suggest that the pervasive influence of assessment in EFL context has positive impact on studentsAo learning and studying habits.
This could mainly be due to the fact that the assessment practices and methods employed are overall effective in supporting student learning and study habits.
DISCUSSION
The results reached in this study confirm that there are several factors that influence Kurdish university-level EFL teachersAo choice and implementation of assessment.
Among these factors are the departmental policies and guidelines, the availability of a big number of students in the class, the reliability of the assessment method in capturing a holistic picture of the potentials of the students, the availability of limited teaching and technological resources, and studentsAo excessive reliance on AI tools in preparing their assignments, projects, and essays.
The results of this study are in line with Cheng et .
and Latif and Wasim .
in that departmental guidelines Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
and standardized testing which are widely spread and more favored due to administrative requirements and accountability pressures, delimits the ability of teachers to employ modern and effective assessment methods.
Moreover, this intensifies the challenges for teachers especially when there is a big number of students in the classroom, as this has been found to be another factor affecting teachersAo choice and implementation of assessment methods.
The finding is in harmony with Latif and Wasim .
and Hussain et al.
as, in their studies, they found out that having classes with big number of students limits teachersAo ability to employ diverse assessment methods.
As a result, this may in turn force the teachers to rely less on valid, robust, and reliable assessment methods in favor of those promoting surface learning and drive students to study only for the test.
StudentsAo excessive reliance on AI tools in assessment has been found out to be one of the most crucial factors that influence teachersAo choice and implementation of assessment methods especially those authentic ones.
In this regard, this finding aligns with the results of many studies investigating the impact of AI on assessment, among these is the study by Tanberkan et al.
who also found out that those students lacking AI ethical literacy may choose to use it in an unethical manner such as provision of ready-made assignments, projects, and other educational requirements.
Regarding the challenges teachers encounter in assessment, the findings in the current study reveal that Kurdish university-level EFL teachers face multiple, interrelated challenges.
Among the most frequently reported challenges are studentsAo excessive dependence on AI-driven websites in preparing their assignments and projects, the lack of adequate technological infrastructure, varying levels of student performance, overcrowded classrooms, and the constant struggle to balance formative and summative assessment.
Furthermore, maintaining objectivity in grading and scoring remains a persistent These challenges align with those identified in earlier For instance.
Tanberkan, et al.
found out that teachers tend to question the originality of student work due to the widespread Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
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, 1029-1057.
use of generative AI, which undermines the integrity of assessments.
However, due to a lack of applications and software that check the originality of the work, many teachers depend on those which are available on Google and are free.
Similarly, a study by Brown and Abeywickrama .
highlighted that insufficient teaching facilities and devices compromise the fair implementation of assessment, especially the technology-integrated assessments.
In line with this, studies such as Hussain et al.
and Tsagari and Vogt, .
have found out that large class sizes significantly impact teachersAo choice of assessments and the feasibility of the provision of tailored feedback, which is seen as a critical element in assessment.
Also, teachers struggle to be objective in grading and scoring students' answers when they are faced with imbalanced levels of studentsAo academic abilities (Malone.
These findings are in harmony with the results of the current study, highlighting that assessment challenges are both universal and As it could be noted in the results section and overall positive washback effects of assessment have been noticed.
This is reported to generally encourage the provision of positive feedback that enhances studentsAo studying habits.
Also, positive washback of assessment was eminent in motivating students to study hard, pinpointing their weak and strong aspects of language learning, encouraging their higherorder thinking skills, and directing studentsAo focus more to authentic types of learning.
These results are in line with the results from Albondoq .
reporting that there is positive washback in assisting students to learn, driving them to become motivated, and developing their language skills.
A negative washback effect of assessment was reported to being ineffective in developing their overall language This result is in line with the results from Omar .
, who found out that assessments, especially tests, had negative washback effect on teaching and learning.
Murad.
, & Malo.
Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studie.
, 12.
, 1029-1057.
CONCLUSION
The current study concludes that there are a number of factors that hinder University-level EFL teachersAo selection and implementation of assessment methods, such as strict departmental guidelines, studentsAo reliance on AI tools, the availability of a big number of students in the classes, the lack of teaching facilities, and the reliability issue of assessment method.
It also concludes that teachers encounter a range of challenges when implementing assessment including: studentsAo reliance on AI tools, the availability of large number of students in the classrooms, studentsAo proficiency level, teachersAo limited access to technological resources especially software or applications that detect AI-written texts, abiding by strict institutional guidelines, balancing formative and summative types of assessment, as well as maintaining objectivity in grading.
In terms of washback, it is concluded that, overall the assessment methods and practices conducted in the EFL context yield effective positive washback in that they foster motivation, higher-order thinking, engagement, authentic learning, enhance study habits, and pinpoint studentsAo strengths and weaknesses in language learning.
At the same time, the finding that assessment is ineffective in developing studentsAo language abilities underscores the need for carefully designed assessment methods that minimize negative consequences.
Based on the above conclusions, it is recommended that EFL departments at the public universities in Kurdistan Region of Iraq reform their departmental guidelines and provide teachers with more autonomy in choosing assessment methods based on their reliability and studentsAo needs.
Also, institutions and universities must provide teachers with valid and reliable AI detection software so that students would not heavily depend on AI tools in their assessments.
Moreover, it is recommended that universities or EFL departments be given the freedom to decide about the number of students admitted to the To better support fair and innovative assessment, the ministry of higher education and scientific research is recommended to provide all teachers with adequate access to modern technological Murad.
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Kurdish EFL teachersAo perspectives on assessment at university level: Factors, challenges, and washback.
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, 12.
, 1029-1057.
devices and teaching facilities.
This would help them use diverse methods of authentic assessments.
Finally, universities should work on providing ongoing professional development programs for the staff of the EFL departments to improve their assessment literacy.
DECLARATION OF AI AND AI-ASSISTED TECHNOLOGIES
The authors declare that they have used ChatGPT solely for the purpose of improving the language and readability of the manuscript.
They have not used any AI-assisted technologies for designing, analyzing, and interpreting the data of this research and that all the contributions remain the sole work of the authors.
They assume full responsibility for the publication of the content of the paper.
In line with the guidelines and polices of the journal concerning the use of AIassisted technologies, this declaration is prepared.
REFERENCES