Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Abstract According to the Quality Assurance Agency, ‘Assessment describes any processes that appraise an individual's knowledge, understanding, abilities or skills’, and is inextricably linked to a course or programme's intended learning outcomes. It also has a fundamental effect on students' learning where it serves a variety of purposes including evaluation, feedback and motivation. Assessment also provides a performance indicator for both students and staff. E‐assessment offers opportunities for creating innovative assessment practices that help engage students and increase their motivation for learning. The paper reports the findings of a qualitative study undertaken in the academic years 2006–07 and 2007–08 where a series of online summative assessments were introduced into a 1st‐year financial accounting course. Feedback from students obtained from an evaluative survey and focus group interviews indicates that assessment played a significant role in the teaching/learning process. That is, students perceived a beneficial impact on learning, motivation and engagement.
Pru Marriott (2009) studied this question.