Assessment for/as Learning: Integrated Automatic Assessment in Complex Learning Resources for Self-Directed Learning

In the so-called 'New Culture for Assessment' assessment has become a tool for Learning. Assessment is no more considered to be isolated from the learning process and provided as embedded assessment forms. Nevertheless, students have more responsibility in the learning process in general and in assessment activities in particular. They become more engaged in: developing assessment criteria, participating in self, peer-assessments, reflecting on their own learning, monitoring their performance, and utilizing feedback to adapt their knowledge, skills, and behavior. Consequently, assessment tools have emerged from being stand-alone represented by monolithic systems through modular assessment tools to more flexible and interoperable generation by adopting the service-oriented architecture and modern learning specifications and standards. The new generation holds great promise when it comes to having interoperable learning services and tools within more personalized and adaptive e-learning platforms. In this paper, integrated automated assessment forms provided through flexible and SOA-based tools are discussed. Moreover, it presents a show case of how these forms have been integrated with a Complex Learning Resource (CLR) and used for self-directed learning. The results of the study show, that the developed tool for self-directed learning supports students in their learning process.