Digital Games as a Support for Stealth Assessment:EFL Teachers’ Perspectives

Abstract

The present study aims to shed light on the crucial roles of using digital games generally on enhancing English language learning and specifically on supporting stealth assessment which is a new technology that embeds ongoing formative assessment in game -based environments without the awareness of the students who are being assessed. The study also aims at guaranteeing complete comprehension of the term stealth assessment by Iraqi EFL teachers, investigating their perceptions toward using educational digital games to support stealth assessment and comparing their perceptions based on the variables of gender and age generation (25-35&35-55) . The study also aims to identify the main types of digital games that can be most effective for applying stealth assessment in English language classrooms. Sixty EFL teachers were chosen randomly from different distinguished secondary schools from the general directorate of Baghdad ( Al -Rusafa District ) to represent the study sample. The researcher has constructed a questionnaire after confirming its face validity by exposing it to specialized experts in EFL teaching methods and applied linguistics.After analyzing the results of the study by using suitable statistical methods , they demonstrate that EFL teachers have high positive perceptions towards using educational digital games for supporting stealth assessment . They also indicate that Duolingo , Quizlet, and Minecraft digital games are the most effective for applying stealth assessment . This study also recommends that teachers ca use educational digital games in learning and teaching English language as they are the best method for keeping the students engaged in teaching classrooms .