Assessing student performance in an online course is similar to classroom assessment. Frequent assessment helps students keep pace with content requirements.

Assessment can be based on writing an individual paper, preparing a group presentation, class participation, attendance, homework problem sets, exams (essay, short answer, multiple choice, true/false), and so on. Alternatively, when a student performs a task rather than taking a test, it is called performance assessment. Examples of performance assessment include: debating a topic; demonstrating a skill; conducting an experiment and writing the results; doing a project; or compiling a portfolio of work.

Ideally the assessment process informs the teacher and the learner about learner progress and at the same time, contributes to the learning process. In theory, good assessment:

• measures meaningful learning outcomes
• does so in a fair, reliable, accurate way
• is easy to administer, score, and interpret
• informs the teacher about student performance and how they are interpreting course experiences
• results in meaningful feedback to the learner
• is itself a learning experience