Abstract
The recent discussion about e-learning applications in (university) teaching is characterised by a certain enthusiasm about the possibilities of sophisticated, developed computer technology. The reality often looks different: In higher education institutions - outside of individual pilot projects - simple e-learning applications are often used that do not come close to exploiting the potential of state-of-the-art computer technology. In turn, fundamental, sometimes sweeping criticism is levelled at such applications in the current academic discussion. Can such simple applications - despite this criticism - be used sensibly in certain areas of university teaching? On closer examination, what are their possibilities and limitations? Why are more advanced programmes not used more often? The following article examines these questions using simple self-test units as examples, which were created and tested in teaching by European universities for the subject of economics within the framework of the EU-funded project "Web-Econ". The basis for this is a brief overview of the design principles of learning aids (instructional and problem-solving principles) and the learning theory approaches that underpin them (behaviourism, cognitivism and constructivism).
