HE Research Projects

CASTLE (Computer ASsisted Teaching and LEarning) - An excellent place to begin with CAA for formative assessment, particularly if you are looking for free materials. CASTLE is a JISC/JTAP funded project which provides an authoring shell for the delivery of web-based MCQs. Users need only minimal IT skills ( i.e. being able to use a browser) and need not know any other CGI, HTML or other scripting or markup language.

Clyde Virtual University Assessment Engine - CVU offers free tools, which enable the delivery of online assessments and evaluation forms. The assessment engine allows users to design web-based tests and the assessment system displays tests to users, marks the responses, and offers immediate feedback. Question types available include multiple choice, multiple response, free text entry and list ordering.

Mathletics - Mathletics, developed by Martin Greenhow, is a large collection of mathematics and statistics in Question Mark format.

MedWeb - (University of Birmingham) contains MCQ databases (mainly but not exclusively on medical topics) as well as a system for generating web-based assessments from pre-existing or new questions. Automated marking, feedback and a confidence rating system are also available.

NetQuest - This project, based at the University of Bristol, is developing TML (Tutorial Markup Language) to enable users to develop searchable question banks for the online delivery of assessment.

The SCAAN (Scottish Computer Assisted Assessment Network) project has recently been established. The consortium includes the University of Strathclyde, the University of Glasgow and Herriot-Watt University.

Test and Learn (TAL) is a web-based assessment system designed under the guidance of Jon Sims Williams at Bristol University to deliver tests in mathematics for engineering students. The project has been expanded to cover chemistry. The site includes details of the TAL components (Test Editor, Question Editor), information about using MCQs and question banks.

TRIADS - (The University of Derby/Tripartite Interactive Assessment Delivery System) is a toolkit for users of Authorware Professional to develop CAA using a wide range of sophisticated question types. The site contains an impressive demonstration of TRIADS materials.

waMCQ (Wide Area MCQ) is based at the University of Dundee and offers a web-based assessment delivery system. Sample tests in medicine are available from this site.

WebTest (Heriot Watt University) - is a system for creating, delivering and marking web-based assessments. Features include the randomisation of questions, ability to display maths and scientific formulae and the creation of diagrams and graphs on the fly.

Wolverhampton University Computer Based Assessment Project - Offers downloadable quizzes for mathematics, statistics and basic computing and numeracy.