Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly shaping assessment practices in higher education. However, its emergence has raised important questions about instructors’ readiness, ethical awareness, and professional support needs. This study examined EFL instructors’ assessment literacy for GenAI in Saudi higher education, with a focus on their assessment literacy level, perceptions of ethical, practical, and pedagogical implications, and training needs. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were collected from 216 EFL instructors across Saudi universities. The instrument was validated through factor analyses, resulting in six constructs that include familiarity and use, assessment literacy, assessment application, ethical fairness, self-efficacy, and professional development. The findings indicate that instructors reported a high level of GenAI-related assessment literacy, especially in areas related to conceptual understanding and evaluative judgment. Ethical concerns were strongly expressed, including issues concerning academic integrity, privacy, and the need for human oversight. Although participants reported confidence in aligning GenAI with pedagogical goals, their practical use was less consistent in tasks requiring contextual judgment. Significant differences were observed across gender, rank, and teaching experience, while age showed a selective pattern. Overall, the study documents the importance of aligning individual competence with institutional support for responsible GenAI use in language assessment.

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