MALAYSIAN TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON AI-BASED CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN 21ST-CENTURY EDUCATION

Abstract

This study investigates the opportunities and challenges faced by Malaysian secondary school teachers in adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) for classroom assessment within the context of 21st-century education. As digital transformation advances globally, AI tools are increasingly integrated into teaching and assessment processes. AI demonstrates the potential to automate assessments, deliver personalized feedback, and enhance data-informed teaching. However, its implementation poses several challenges, including limited teacher training, ethical concerns, data privacy issues, and inconsistent readiness. Using a quantitative exploratory design, data were collected from 280 secondary school teachers in urban public schools in Selangor, Malaysia. The structured questionnaire examined six key themes: awareness, readiness, attitudes, benefits, challenges, and misconceptions. Findings reveal that 78% of teachers expressed positive perceptions of AI’s usefulness in reducing workload and providing real-time feedback. Nevertheless, 65% reported concerns about over-dependence on AI and possible threats to professional judgment and data ethics. These insights highlight the need for targeted training, robust infrastructure, and clear policy guidelines to ensure responsible and effective AI integration. The study offers data-driven recommendations to inform ethical and practical adoption of AI in educational assessment.