Most schools already assess students on screen in some form, even if it's only a quick quiz in the learning platform. E-assessment software goes further. It handles the whole life of an assessment, from writing the questions to running a secure exam, marking it, and understanding what the results say about learning.
As more exams move on screen, including the IB's own, schools are asking which tools can carry that load. This guide explains what e-assessment software is, what it does at each stage, and what to look for when you choose a platform.
What Is E-Assessment Software?
E-assessment software is a system for creating, delivering, marking and analysing assessments on screen. You may also see it called online assessment software, digital assessment software or an online exam platform. The term covers everything from a five-minute formative check to a full mock exam sat under exam conditions.
The difference between e-assessment software and a basic quiz tool is scope. A quiz tool helps you ask questions. An e-assessment platform also controls the conditions those questions are answered under, supports the staff supervising the exam, and sends results back to your gradebook.
For IB schools, the term carries extra weight. The IB calls its own on-screen exams eAssessment, and schools increasingly want students to practise in similar conditions long before exam day. We cover that in our guide on how to prepare students for IB eAssessment.
What E-Assessment Software Does at Each Stage
A complete platform supports five stages: create, deliver, invigilate, grade and analyse. Weaker tools tend to cover one or two well and leave teachers to fill the gaps by hand.
Create
Teachers build assessments from a range of question types, from multiple choice and short answer to extended writing, audio and video responses. Good platforms let you add images, video and simulations, and attach resources such as formula booklets.
Most also offer a question bank, so teachers don't start from a blank page. A shared school library keeps everything colleagues have built in one place, so good assessments aren't lost when a teacher moves on. Some platforms now use AI to draft new questions and mark schemes, which teachers then review and edit.
Deliver
Not every assessment needs the same level of security. A quick formative check can run in any browser. A mock exam needs more control.
Most platforms offer a range of delivery modes:
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Open browser for low-stakes work, where students can still use other resources.
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Browser with security, which keeps the assessment full screen and flags when a student leaves it.
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Lockdown application for high-stakes exams, which blocks other apps, copy and paste, and screenshots.
On-screen tools matter too. Look for a calculator, graphing tools, a maths editor and a visible timer. Some platforms also support paper exams, printing papers with a unique code per student and scanning them back in for digital marking.
Invigilate
During a live exam, a monitoring dashboard shows who has joined, who is working and who has finished. Invigilators can add extra time, pause and resume, message students, and see a log of when anyone left the assessment and why.
Grade
On-screen marking puts each response next to its mark scheme. Teachers can annotate, highlight, comment or record audio feedback, and students can upload handwritten work such as diagrams.
Many platforms now offer AI-suggested marks. Used well, this is a starting point for the teacher, not a replacement. The teacher reviews every suggestion and decides the final mark.
Analyse
Once results are in, analytics show performance by student, by question and by standard. That makes it easier to see which topics a class found hardest and where to reteach.
Why Schools Move to Online Assessments
The case for e-assessment usually comes down to four things.
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Time back for teachers. Less time spent photocopying, collecting and adding up marks means more time for feedback and conversations with students.
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Fairer, more consistent conditions. Accommodations such as extra time can be set once per student and applied every time, rather than managed by hand for each exam.
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Readiness for on-screen exams. Students who have practised with on-screen tools are less likely to be thrown by them on the day. This matters most for schools preparing for IB eAssessment.
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Clearer evidence. Question-level and standards-level data shows where a class is strong and where it needs support, without hours of spreadsheet work.
For a practical view of rolling this out, see our step-by-step guide on how to implement digital mock exams.
What to Look for in E-Assessment Software
Use these questions when you compare platforms.
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Question to ask |
Why it matters |
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Does it handle both formative checks and high-stakes exams? |
One platform for both means teachers learn one tool and students practise in familiar conditions. |
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How does the lockdown mode work on student devices? |
Your IT team will ask. Look for an app that only opens the assessment and doesn't collect information from the device. |
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What happens if the internet drops mid-exam? |
Students should be able to keep working, with responses saved securely until they reconnect. |
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How are accommodations managed? |
Setting extra time once per student, with invigilators able to adjust it live, saves effort and avoids mistakes. |
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Can you run paper exams alongside digital ones? |
Some subjects and some students still need paper. A hybrid option avoids running two systems. |
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Does AI grading keep the teacher in control? |
AI should suggest, never decide. Teachers need to review, adjust or discard every suggestion. |
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Does it connect to your learning platform? |
Automatic class sync, single sign-on and gradebook sync remove admin and duplicate data entry. |
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Does it run on the devices you already have? |
Check support for Mac, Windows, iPad and Chromebook before you commit. |
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For IB schools, does it mirror IB eAssessment? |
Familiar tools like split-screen source and response help students practise in realistic conditions. |
How AssessPrep Approaches E-Assessment
AssessPrep is Faria Education Group's online assessment platform. It covers all five stages in one place, for both digital and pen-and-paper assessments, and it was built with IB schools in mind.
Teachers can build assessments from 20+ question types, deliver them securely in lockdown mode on Mac, Windows, iPad and Chromebook, and grade with AI suggestions they review and control. For schools using ManageBac+, classes sync automatically, teachers and students use one login, and grades flow back to the ManageBac+ gradebook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is E-Assessment the Same as Online Assessment?
Broadly, yes. Both describe assessments created and taken on screen. "E-assessment" is more common in the UK and in exam settings, while "online assessment" is used more widely. The IB uses "eAssessment" for its own on-screen exams.
Can E-Assessment Software Handle Handwritten Work?
Good platforms can. Students can upload photos of handwritten work, such as diagrams or calculations, against a specific question. Some platforms also support full paper exams that are scanned back in and marked on screen.
Is AI Marking Reliable Enough to Use?
Treat AI marking as a suggestion, not a verdict. It can save time on first-pass marking, especially for shorter answers, but the teacher should review every mark and make the final call. Many teachers choose to use it for some question types and not others.
Does E-Assessment Software Work without the Internet?
It depends on the platform. In AssessPrep's lockdown app, students need a connection to download the assessment and to submit it. If the connection drops during the exam, they can keep working and their responses are saved securely on the device.
What Devices Do Students Need?
Check each platform's requirements. AssessPrep's lockdown app runs on Mac, Windows, iPad and Chromebook, and students install it once.
See AssessPrep in Action
AssessPrep brings creating, delivering, invigilating, grading and analysing assessments into one platform, connected directly to ManageBac+. Book a demo to see how it could work in your school.
