WebCT and Online Assessment: The best thing since SOAP?

Cheating and increasing class sizes in Information Systems courses have forced us to reconsider our approach to assessment. Online assessment was introduced in our department in a pilot form in 1996 through an in-house developed package, SOAP (Student Online Assessment Program) and has evolved over subsequent years. This paper examines our explorations into WebCT and compares its Quiz tool with the facilities (potentially) offered by developing an in-house assessment package. We examine the differences between the two examples of learning and teaching technology mainly from a teacher s perspective but include some illuminating examples of feedback from our students. We conclude with some suggestions of factors that govern the successful use of online assessment in Information Systems courses.