Practice and practise in university: What defines success and how does online assessment support achieving this?

Abstract

This chapter reviews current assessments in technical subjects such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or computer science in higher education. We consider definitions of success in terms of stated policy aims and defacto examination practice. From this background we examine the rapidly changing nature of learning materials from a static physical textbook to online resources with interactive components. Automatic online assessment is a key component of contemporary online learning. The chapter describes some of the current range of tools, from those targeted as very specific subjects to more general methodologies such as comparative judgement. We consider how these new tools will shape students’ work and how this might contribute to, or hinder, their success.