Assessing students' knowledge has always been one of the primary concerns of anyone involved in some kind of teaching activity. When it comes to eLearning, addressing the assessment issue is both a pedagogical and a technical challenge.
On the pedagogical side, one of the factors that characterize the eLearning experience is the fact that learners sit alone in front of their computers or mobile devices with no one around to assist them. As teachers, we have to leave lanterns along the learner's path to make sure that the lonely learner does not get lost and confused. Constant assessment helps in keeping the learners on track. By giving them many opportunities to test and validate their new knowledge, the learners can immediately identify the areas of the course that deserve more attention and can build new knowledge on solid grounds.
On the technical...