This paper describes the work of an advanced first-year student in the Department of Computer Science, Monash University, who developed a Web-based multiple-choice quiz. It highlights the unique quiz features, and its use by students and staff. The paper describes how the quiz was incorporated into the first-year computer programming unit, which is based on the C programming language, and presents a conduit of attitudes useful to those who are planning to use the Web as a resource for educational assessment. It also describes some aspects of introduction of the quiz into engineering and Java.

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This paper describes a model of neurones and networks of neurones based on their biological characteristics. Neurones communicate with each othcr at contact points called synapses that receive signals from axons of other neurones. Such a signal can be either excitatory or inhibitory. A neurone generally receives several input signals and produces an output signal depending OR the weighted sum of the input signals. When thc post-synaptic potential sum reaches the threshold for excitation, an action potential is generated and propagated along the axon. Previous work has postulated that artificial neurones that arc more biological in their function can form more robust and noise-tolerant neurone networks compared with conventional artificial neural networks (ANN). We are therefore examining a proof-of-concept by modelling a simple neurone network that uses a waveform rescmbling a biological action potential, Our neurone network implementation is different from an ANN, in that each neurone is modelled on biological function and communicates via action potential pulses rather than static voltage summing networks. Note that we refer to neurone as having a biological style of behaviour as described in this paper and that we use the word neuron to designate the common neurons used in a typical ANN.

The World Wide Web can be used a powerful and convenient means of disseminating computer aided education because most students already have access to the Web and the necessary Web browsers such as Netscape. There are many benefits in this approach because students already tend to do significant amounts of Internet surfing and are familiar with the usage of Web sites and browsers. Therefore on line instruction for their course work using this all pervasive computer network which may be accessed form almost anywhere is a powerful and beneficial low cost alternative to other forms of computer aided learning.

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