The impact of computer-based testing on EFL university students’ reading and listening skills test performance and test anxiety levels

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of computer-based testing (CBT) on upper-intermediate EFL university students’ test performance in reading and listening, and on their test anxiety levels. Forty students at the English Language Centre of Pharos University in Alexandria (N = 40) were randomly assigned to a control group taking paper-and-pencil tests or an experimental group taking the same tests in a computer-based format. Three reading and three listening tests, each developed according to Cambridge B1 specifications, were administered over eight weeks. Students’ text anxiety was assessed using the Test Anxiety Inventory questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The results revealed no statistically significant differences in reading or listening performance between groups; however, test anxiety levels were significantly higher among CBT participants (t = −8.99, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that while CBT can be used interchangeably with traditional paper-based tests, additional measures such as pre-test orientation and digital familiarization sessions are essential to mitigate increased anxiety from CBT. For practitioners, this study highlights the importance of preparing and orienting EFL learners before transitioning to computer-based assessment environments.

https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2026.18.022