Integrating CAA within the University of Ulster

Marking coursework is a time consuming activity, further exacerbated by the need for regular submission and timely, informative feedback. Increasing student numbers (particularly within computing and management) coupled with a decline in resources, mean that staff are unable to give formative feedback on student learning to the extent they may wish. Understandably there is concern that as the quantity of marking increases, there is a corresponding deterioration in the quality of assessment. This has led staff at the University of Ulster to investigate new ways to assess students. Computer Assisted Assessment (CAA) offers the opportunity to assess students more regularly without increasing staff workload. This paper outlines how WebCT has been used to support computer assisted assessment throughout the Faculty of Informatics and the Faculty of Business and Management at the University of Ulster.