1. Introduction
Blended learning is regarded as the most effective way to train learners by many e-learning researchers. It's more and more widely adopted, not only in those situations in which distance requires its use, but also to enhance traditional face-to-face learning. At the University of Salerno, within the CampusONE Project, some systems and platforms have been experimented to support blended learning, e.g. OpenUSS [1] and Chef [2]. This experimentation has revealed the need for an advanced assessment tool which was easily integrated with the existing systems. Moreover, an accurate analysis involving several teachers and students has allowed us to identify the following important requirements of an effective environment for developing and use assessment tests:
High re-usability of the authored content This is a very important matter in e-learning field, where content development is a quite time-consuming task
A customizable assessment strategy, to provide the tutor with the chance to tailor the test to the knowledge and skill level of the class.
A rich reporting section, to permit learners to properly self-assess and tutors to evaluate learner's results and test effectiveness.
A flexible access control system to the tests, in order to inhibit learners from following wrong learning paths, by denying himlher to access learning experiences that could require a prior study of other subjects.
Fully accessibility and usability of the Web-based interface: no technical grounds (restriction due to software compatibility or lack of usability standard compliance) should limit these features for any user.