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ABSTRACTOnline education and computer‐assisted instruction (CAI) have existed for years, but few general tools exist to help instructors create and evaluate lessons. Are these tools sufficient? Specifically, what elements do instructors want to see in online testing tools? This study asked instructors from various disciplines to identify and evaluate the importance of several features that they want to see in testing tools. Along with standard elements, the respondents evaluated the importance of more advanced elements including adaptive responses and programmability, which would be used to add responsiveness and intelligence to provide more tailored questions and assistance. A latent variable analysis of the detailed model was performed and the results reveal that several advanced features not commonly available today would be useful to many instructors—particularly to handle higher level courses. Instructors teaching lower level courses tended to emphasize basic testing and simple grading features. The features were grouped into nine categories: question formats, feedback, programmability, grading, question bank, page display capabilities, platform, data analysis, and security. The results of the study examine the relative importance of the categories as well as the detail items within each category.

This study measures instructors' online teaching self-efficacy with an aim to capture their immediate and initial perception of migrating their teaching online and identify potential instructional needs and support. The authors sent a survey to all instructors in our institution four days prior to the first day of classes in spring 2020 and received 73 responses (60% response rate). The number of years of experience with online tools was low (88%). Instructors reported high confidence in their ability to teach online (82%); realization of the effort to create quality online experiences (90%); belief that teaching online would be different (90%); recognition of having to modify their assessment (77%); ability of adjusting teaching efficiently with unexpected events (82%); knowledge of where to seek teaching and technology guidance (86% & 89%); and confidence in developing a similar rapport with students (71%). Respondents were split in their beliefs about offering similar active learning opportunities. This study supplements research on instructors' perception of online teaching as a well-planned and intentional event, offering implications over the immediate and long-term support to be offered to instructors regarding migrating courses online both in times of crisis and when such opportunities arise.