Drivers and barriers to academic instructors’ willingness to adopt student-generated online quiz games as an assessment method

Abstract

In recent years, academia has begun recognizing the necessity of integrating innovative assessment methods into academic courses. Nevertheless, initiatives to introduce alternative assessment practices may encounter resistance, despite the strong pedagogical rationale behind it. This research was conducted following a workshop titled “Make Games, Not Exams,” which aimed to introduce higher education instructors to an alternative method of assessing academic course achievements through student-generated online quiz games. The primary objective was to explore the instructors’ attitudes toward the assessment method introduced in the workshop and their willingness to integrate it into their courses, two months after the program’s conclusion. The study utilized a qualitative approach involving the participation of 10 instructors who took part in the workshop. The results revealed that only half of the instructors were willing to incorporate this method into their teaching. Most instructors agreed with the pedagogical rationale for using digital game generators as assessment tools. Nevertheless, they expressed reluctance to adopt this method primarily due to resistance to change, the time investment required, concerns about the compatibility of games with academic content, and apprehensions regarding evaluating student outcomes. Institutional support and peer influence were also noted as barriers. These findings suggest that integrating such an innovative approach demands a prolonged commitment involving ongoing exposure and consistent support for instructors within the institutional context.