ABSTRACT
There are a range of issues that educators need to explore relating to the ways in which we conceive ‘openness’ and ‘distance’, how learners approach their assessment, and also the established cultures of distance education development and delivery. These impact to make the assessment experience for open and distance teachers, trainers and learners different from their face-to-face counterparts. This chapter looks at learners' approaches, the tensions and opportunities for assessment, and key qualities in open and distance assessment. In open and distance learning (ODL), we have become accustomed to writing and producing volumes of study materials. Using computer mediated communication, we are similarly challenged to devise effective learning encounters using this medium. A key distinction in open and distance assessment is the smaller window of opportunity in which to assess learners, compared to other settings. In face-to-face teaching, we come to know students in a variety of ways – from lectures, tutorials and individual consultations.
