Higher education in Australia and elsewhere has seen a substantial increase during recent years in both student numbers and the drive for greater efficiency. Within the realm of teaching and learning, assessment has long been acknowledged as a powerful motivator of student learning. Hence, methods of assessment which foster student learning while minimising staff marking time are valuable in modern higher education. The use of computers in teaching and assessment already has a considerable history within education. However, the rise of the Internet - especially in the form of the World Wide Web (Web), presents new opportunities for many aspects of education, particularly assessment. Using the advantages of the Web, it is possible to construct assessment which is available beyond the confines of the classroom, requires no paper or other physical resources (apart from a computer and access to the Web), can be objectively and immediately marked, and can be used for formative or summative purposes.

WebMCQ is a Web-based assessment system recently developed for this purpose by James Dalziel and Scott Gazzard, with the cooperation of the University of Sydney. It takes advantage of the many inherent possibilities of the Web for assessment, combining these into a complete system of formative (practice questions with extensive feedback) and summative assessment. WebMCQ can be used for a variety of multiple choice type question formats, and due to its generic structure, it may be used in any subject area (provided that multiple choice questions are appropriate). In 1997, the Department of Psychology at the University of Sydney used this system to present formative assessment questions and feedback in First Year Psychology. Prior to the end of second semester tutorial test, WebMCQ was made available to students to practice for the test and receive feedback on questions presented. Over 1000 of 1173 students used these questions - many for several hours, and many on several occasions. Evaluations indicated an extremely enthusiastic student response to this learning tool. Further data from 1998 is also discussed. The relationship between tutorial test performance and use of WebMCQ is examined, including the relationship between the amount of use of WebMCQ and tutorial test scores. The value of WebMCQ as a general tool for modern higher education assessment is considered, with reference to further development, application and evaluation of WebMCQ during 1998.