L8 3 2

=Teaching staff are provided with support resources (including training, guidelines and examples) on designing effective assessment programmes. =

Evidence
Assessment, which is about understanding student learning (Ramsden, 2003), affects the nature, effectiveness, and importance of learning (Hannafin et al., 2003): ‘Given that students orient their study towards their perception of the assessment, the solution offered is to find more challenging forms of assessment’ (Laurillard, 2002, p. 204). Assessment that communicates high expectations challenges learning approaches and builds competency for outcomes.

Rust (2002) notes that students are more likely to abstain from a task, plagiarize, cheat, or take a surface approach if they believe tasks are not relevant. Assessment tasks that are much more likely to appear relevant are ‘real-world’ tasks where there is a perceived audience. Rust suggests that reports to government committees, magazine articles, or information leaflets, for example, may be more relevant than traditional essays.

E-assessment can increase the range of what is tested and can provide evidence of both cognitive and skills-based outcomes. With e-assessment personalization of learning is possible, also there is potential for on-demand summative assessment. The real advantage may, however, be in the immediacy of feedback.

Evidence suggests that e-assessment can provide assessment that is more authentic – through the use of e-portfolios, reflective diaries, blogs, or virtual scenarios.

Quality assurance and staff training in the design and delivery of e-assessments need to respond to these new developments. Also, examination regulations need to be revised. [The regulatory bodies in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are producing regulatory principles and guidance for e-assessment. http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/files/Final_regulatory_principles_document_-_PRINTED.pdf

A model provided in the JISC e-assessment effective practice handbook (2007) illustrates the relationship between assessment, feedback and support for progressing to the next element of learning. There is also a checklist for exploring the implications of implementing e-assessment in a particular context. This involves such items as reviewing the availability for learners of technologies, support and codes of practice, and reviewing models of staff training and support, also evaluation of achievement of objectives among other items.

Resources
Milne & White (2005) collect together twenty-three sets of e-learning quality guidelines from an array of geographical regions. Such guidelines, or something like them, should be part of the support offered to staff by their organizations. Staff need guidelines, and examples of good practice.

JISC e-assessment effective practice handbook (2007): This provides a sequence of case-studies demonstrating innovation and effective practice in e-assessment. It also provides a benchmark against which to assess progress and barriers. They include a tool for implementing effective practice with e-assessment.