This book encourages the development of higher-quality learning and assessment practices and describes the principal characteristics of self-assessment, peer assessment, and group assessment with guidelines for effective implementation

e-Assessment promises lecturers and tutors the opportunity to both streamline the assessment process and to allow for greater variety and creativity in testing students. We asked Helen Ashton, an active member of the JISC CETIS Assessment Special Interest Group and a lecturer specialising in the design and development of e-assessment systems, to explore e-assessment from a practitioner's perspective. In this article she looks at each stage of the e-assessment life cycle from what to assess to how to measure student performance. (Abstract by author)

Corporate managers are constantly looking for more cost-eective ways
to deliver training to their employees. E-learning is less expensive than
traditional classroom instruction. In addition, many expenses - booking
training facilities, travel costs for employees or trainers, plus employee
time away from the job - are greatly reduced. However, some rms that
have spent large amounts of money on new e-learning eorts have not
received the desired economic advantages. (Abstract by author)

While a great deal has been written on the advantages and benefits of online
teaching, and research continues to proliferate, many practitioners are seeking
guidelines that can be applied to the design of assessment in online environments.
The last decade has seen the convergence of traditional distance education
with on-campus modes of delivery and work-based training signalling new
models of flexible delivery. In addition, demand driven education accentuates
the learner’s role and needs while the teacher has become a manager, mediator
and motivator of student learning. Issues raised by national and international
bodies and quality assurance agencies now seem to be addressing the same
questions. How can a teaching and learning process that differs so markedly
from what has been practiced for hundreds of years maintain and support
quality? Who will be the guardians of quality and the innovators of learning
and assessment design?
This paper addresses current definitions of quality in online assessment and
examines emerging expectations of what constitutes appropriate online assessment.
A case study is presented of a Web-based assessment framework that is both
interactive and product-oriented and involves learners in making contributions
to course resources through learning activities. It is proposed that an interactiveparticipatory model of assessment utilises the communicative features of
technology while affording a motivating and authentic assessment experience. (Abstract by authors)

Successful use of information and communication technologies depends on usable designs that do not require expensive training, accommodate the needs of diverse users and are low cost. There is a growing demand and increasing pressure for adopting innovative approaches to the design and delivery of education, hence, the use of online learning (also called E-learning) as a mode of study. This is partly due to the increasing number of learners and the limited resources available to meet a wide range of various needs, backgrounds, expectations, skills, levels, ages, abilities and disabilities. The advances of new technology and communications (WWW, Human Computer Interaction and Multimedia) have made it possible to reach out to a bigger audience around the globe. By focusing on the issues that have impact on the usability of online learning programs and their implementation, Usability Evaluation of Online Learning Programs specifically fills-in a gap in this area, which is particularly invaluable to practitioners.

Why do we need a new approach to evaluation in distance education and e-learning? -- The theory and practice of program evaluation -- Evaluation theory and practice in distance education and e-learning -- Messick's framework : what do evaluators need to know? -- Getting started -- The unfolding model : scientific evidence -- The unfolding model : values and consequences -- Findings from two authentic case studies -- Bringing it all together.

Looks at the process used to assess noncollegiate instruction in the United States. Background on prior learning assessment; Reference to the programs used by American Council on Education and the New York Board of Regents for assessing noncollegiate instruction; Discussion of some of the distinct issues related to the assessment of noncollegiate sponsored programs of instruction.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: first the paper aims to sketch the theoretical basis for the use of electronic portfolios for prior learning assessment; second it endeavours to introduce latent semantic analysis (LSA) as a powerful method for the computation of semantic similarity between texts and a basis for a new observation link for prior learning assessment..
Design/methodology/approach – A short literature review about e-assessment was conducted with the result that none of the reviews included new and innovative methods for the assessment of open responses and narrative of learners. On a theoretical basis the connection between e-portfolio research and research about prior learning assessment is explained based on existing literature. After that, LSA is introduced and several examples from similar educational applications are provided. A model for prior learning assessment on the basis of LSA is presented. A case study at the Open University of The Netherlands is presented and preliminary results are discussed..
Findings – A first inspection of the results shows that the similarity measurement that is produced by the system can differentiate between learners who sent in different material and between the learning activities and chapters.