The Feasibility of Using E-mail in Student Formative Evaluation

The present study aims to investigate the feasibility of using email in student formative evaluation in west of Mazandaran province. The purpose of this research was applied and the method was descriptive survey. The statistical sample included 400 university professors in West of Mazandaran province. The sample size has been 162 based on Morgan table. Stratified random sampling method was used. The data gathering tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with 27 questions on a Likert scale. Cronbach alpha was calculated 0. 778. Both descriptive and inferential statistics methods، together with SPSS software، were used for data analysis. One sample t test was used at inferential level. Findings showed that the professors in west of Mazandaran province are desirably familiar with email. From their perspective، the use of email is possible and effective in formative evaluation. They also believe that all email supplies (band width، high speed internet، honesty، cultural context، students'' attitudes changing، and professors'' attitudes changing) are highly necessary in formative evaluation. Besides، factors like: ''to be time consuming، the possibility of fraud، causing trouble for professors، the seriousness of barriers، lack of information literacy، lack of standards and administrative barriers''; are serious barriers to formative evaluation.