The background context for this paper is the development of the international MSc e-Learning Multimedia and Consultancy that arose from the TRIPLE M Advanced Curriculum Development (CDA) Project supported by the European Commission under the SOCRATES programme (1998-2001). Earlier outcomes from the associated ongoing practice- based action research project: Open and Flexible Learning in Virtual Environments (OLIVE) have been reported in Hudson at al (2003 and 2002). The MSc is a collaborative programme between Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen in the Netherlands and Sheffield Hallam University in the UK. There are approximately sixty students enrolled across four cohorts at the present time. The programme as a whole is framed within a virtual learning environment (VLE) and involves a "blended approach" through international studies, local studies and independent study. A socio- constructive theoretical framework has informed the programme design as outlined in Hudson et al (2003) with the aim of facilitating communication, collaboration and interaction. Students work in international groups using the VLE, videoconferencing, email and synchronous discussions. The local studies involve face to face meetings in national groups at local study centres supplemented by video conferencing. In the case of the small number of students working at a distance from the local study centres, alternative means of communication have been established and supplemented by one to one communication via email, video conferencing and telephone. Our major research aims are to explore the aspects that characterise effective pedagogical practice and student engagement in open and flexible e-learning environments. This point of departure, combined with the outcomes of earlier phases of development, has given rise to several research questions including the following:1. How best can we facilitate purposeful engagement of autonomous and independent learners in e-learning environments?2. To what extent is the notion of assessment for learning a key condition for achieving orchestrated interdependence and autonomy in e-learning?A major focus of our attention in the early stages of development of this project has been on the promotion of formative peer assessment as a means of supporting learners in online learning communities. Subsequently as a result of student and tutor feedback, a framework for facilitating the process of formative self assessment has become the priority of our current development. This is based on the introduction of a personal and professional development planning process across the programme as a whole via a VLE "community" area, in order to support formative self assessment through a process of systematic reflection, evaluation and action planning. In doing so the term formative assessment is understood as "all those activities undertaken by teachers and by their students [that] provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged" (Black and Wiliam, 1998, p7). This has also become the focus of attention in terms of our ongoing action research during 2003-04 and will provide the focal point for our paper and presentation. ReferencesBLACK, P., & WILIAM, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education, 5(1), 7-74HUDSON, B., OWEN, D. AND VAN VEEN, K. (2003) Working on educational research methods with Masters students in an international online learning community, ECER 2003 - European Conference on Educational Research, University of Hamburg, 17-20 September 2003. Education-line, Brotherton Library, University of Leeds, Leeds, http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/ (Visited on 23 July 2003)HUDSON, B., HUDSON, A. AND STEEL, J. (2002) Orchestrating interdependence in a multinational virtual learning community, ECER 2002 - European Conference on Educational Research, University of Lisbon, 11-14 September 2002. Education-line, Brotherton Library, University of Leeds, Leeds, http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/ (Visited on 23 July 2003).