P. Tsang et al. (Eds.): ICHL 2010, LNCS 6248, pp. 453–464, 2010. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010 Implementing Institutional Online Assessment – Addressing the Challenges Esyin Chew, Norah Jones, and Haydn Blackey Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT), University of Glamorgan, United Kingdom, CF37 1DL {echew,njones2,hblackey}@glam.ac.uk Abstract. This paper provides a case study of a challenging institutional adop- tion of online submission and assessment. The paper reports on the way in which an institutional strategy and underpinning principles at the University of Glamorgan was implemented, highlighting both good and constructive lessons learnt. A to-do list (what is working) and ‘not to-do list’ (what is not working) for engaging staff with online submission and assessment is presented.. Seven evidence-based good practices, and the educational ethos for the centralised support team for supporting online submission and assessment, are discussed as an attempt to remove both the internal and external barriers of staff engage- ment. The findings of this case study show that positive engagement with academics is being achieved. Glamorgan’s experience is discussed to provide insights which can be compared and contrasted with experiences in other insti- tutions to inform others who are attempting similar developments while enhancing what we are doing from the feedback on the papers from others in the same or similar environments. Keywords: Online Assessment, Blended Learning, Technology Enhanced Learning, Institutional Policy, Academic Engagement. 1 Introduction Blended learning is increasingly being used as a strategy in many higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the UK (JISC, 2005; Sharpe et al., 2006). Modern higher educa- tion may experience changes in daily practice as a result of educational technologies being embedded into educational practice. It has changed how stakeholders of higher education such as students and academics gain access to information and communi- cate with each other. Academics need not carry a pile of books to lectures or print out dozens of handouts; research students no longer need to physically attend the library to renew books or to find a journal article. Instead, the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), digital library, online journal articles, web 2.0 technologies, online assessment and a variety of educational technologies are pervasive. However, we would argue that although technological innovations have a great impact on the information/ re- sources accessing and communication aspects in most of the UK HEIs, core assess- ment-related activities may remain as an optional “add-on” to embed technologies, especially in the context of Welsh HEIs (GWELLA, 2009). Many universities may