The Application of Computer-Aided Assessment to Postgraduate Study in Sports Management

Computer-aided/assisted assessment (CAA), or Computer-based assessment (CBA) has been developed since the mass-expansion of the personal computer in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. A body of literature which reflects the relatively new nature of the field has been developed on the subject - Bull and Danson (2004) offer a comprehensive listing - although the common view is that CAA is ‘the use of computers to deliver, mark and analyse assignments or examinations’ (Bull and McKenna 2004). Other authors have investigated the use of CAA as a stand-alone assessment tool used in conjunction with class-based teaching or as a tool that is embedded within a virtual learning environment (VLE). This article does not intend to represent a typology of CAA forms, or a literature review of its benefits, disadvantages or uses but will focus, instead, on theoretical and operational aspects of formative assessment within a specific framework – the kind of learning situation that arises in a class-based environment, accompanied by an on-line teaching environment such as WebCT. That is the current situation within the Department of Business and Service Sector Management at LondonMet and here, the application of CAA to formative assessment will be investigated in the light of the sport management subject area specifically focusing on the MA Sport Management (MASM). The context is the Business and Service Sector Management subject area which is very broad with about 4000 students. The total Sport Management student body is approximately 75,while the MA Sport Management numbers less than 30, hence it is a very small proportion of the total.