Re-assessing validity and reliability in the e-learning environment

Reliability and validity have a well-established place in the development and implementation of educational assessment devices. With the advent of electronic delivery and assessment some of the factors that influence reliability and validity have changed. In order to understand the process involved the authors have suggested that a socio-technical approach to these educational issues gives an economical explanatory system. Within this socio-technical system, the authors show that the way the students extract information from sources is changing to an extent where it is difficult to distinguish between cheating and poor quoting behavior. This has led them to postulate a new classification within validity and reliability - knowledge validity and reliability. They argue that electronic delivery and assessment have not changed their core structures, but rather require revised education and training for both staff and students.