Describes a Scottish project--"School-based assessment using item banking"--investigating the feasibility of producing computer-based test marking and reporting facilities. Teachers would construct their own tests from item banks and carry out diagnostic assessment and criterion-referenced measurement to evaluate students with SCRIBE, a…

Criteria for evaluating and selecting computer software programs are given, based on the author's research at Teachers College, Columbia University (New York). Specific attributes of programs which either motivate students or directly encourage learning are examined. Shortcomings of existing software are also noted. (PP)