Functions of E-Assessment

Here, the current level of learning can be assessed, often through self-assessment methods (e.g., with digital flashcards), to determine whether students meet the prerequisites for a learning unit.

This also allows for the identification of gaps that the instructor can later address in a teaching-on-demand approach.

Formative assessments 'are rather understood as ongoing support and guidance of the learning process' (Fröhlich-Steffen/den Ouden 2019: 18) during a learning unit. They are also referred to as process-oriented assessments.

Here, the 'assessed' individual can determine and monitor their learning progress through self-directed feedback, as well as reflect on their own learning methods. Instructors can also gain insight into students’ learning status based on the feedback during formative assessments and adjust learning content accordingly. Assessments conducted formatively are often applied as self-assessments (as noted by Michel 2015: 15).

The focus is not on evaluating students' performance, but rather on feedback. This is crucial for learning and learner success in self-assessments. The type of feedback does not necessarily have to fit a simple right/wrong scheme; various forms of extended feedback are also possible.

According to current research, formative feedback can only be effective when the learning process is aligned by both students and instructors (as stated by the Center for Science Didactics RUB n.d.: 5). Formative assessments can include moderated group discussions or learning portfolios, in addition to self-assessments.

Summative assessments take place at the end of a learning unit or development. They place "higher demands on objectivity, reliability, and validity" (Schaper et al. 2012). This includes exams such as (e-)examinations, take-home exams (THE), or oral examinations (via video chat), which are administered at the conclusion of a learning unit and grant eligibility. This allows for a decision to be made regarding whether the learning unit has been successfully completed or if the prerequisites for enrolling in another module have been met.

Here, the focus is on the examination and evaluation of learning objectives by the instructors. Following the approach of constructive alignment, students should, however, be informed at the beginning of the semester about which examination format to expect. For example, students can learn how to use the learning platform and the question types in a timely manner through corresponding practice exams if they have an e-exam (as noted by Hoffmann/Sauer 2018: 7). "The potential of examinations to support the learning process and to become a constructive part of the learning process" is, however, rarely utilized (Müller/Schmidt 2009: 30).