3.+Checklists

=**C****hecklists** for establishing an appropriate fit between what the social web offers and what student assessment is trying to achieve=

These checklists are an aid for academics who are interested in using the social web for assessing student learning. They assume some basic knowledge about the social web's affordances for assessment as well as about university assessment practice and policy (the Introduction has more on these topics).

These checklists may assist with reviewing present practice or with planning for new assessment practices. Individual academics may find these checklists useful, and they may wish to engage students in some aspects of their decision-making, as they work out what they see as an appropriate fit between assessment practices on the one hand and the practices entailed in using the social web on the other hand. It is recommended that academics also use these checklists to work within teaching teams, and at whole-of-degree or whole-of-department level, in order to stimulate broader collegial engagement with pedagogy and policy implications of using the social web for assessing student learning.

These checklists are organised around four key stages of the work that teaching staff do to assess student learning: They bring into focus aspects of each stage where the affordances of the social web may invite or may even demand rethinking of assessment-related expectations and habits. An overarching question is posed first, followed by more specific questions that ask how?, when?, where?, why?, what? and what if? Who are they for? - You, if you are responsible for planning, setting, marking or auditing an assignment that uses the social web. Links are provided to give relevant student and staff perspectives that were voiced during focus groups held in mid-2010, to reflect on 17 case studies in five universities.
 * 1) Designing and preparing student assignments
 * 2) Introducing and supporting student assignments
 * 3) Marking student assignments and reporting results
 * 4) Reviewing and improving student assignments


 * 1. Designing and preparing student assignments that use the social web:**


 * ** How will particular aspects or affordances of the social web be ** ** used to best advantage **** to demonstrate the essential student learning that is intended to occur in this assignment? **
 * What associated benefits (or risks) are anticipated from using the social web for this assignment, for example in terms of industry relevance, class management, student engagement, staff productivity, others?
 * What advance preparation of the learning tools, spaces and resources for the assignment will be needed so that students can focus on the intended learning and so that other benefits can be realised or risks minimised?
 * What criteria will be used to guide and assess students’ learning processes and learning outcomes in this assignment and how wiill they align with intended learning outcomes?
 * When and how will other teaching or support staff need to be involved in the planning of the assignment before it is offered to students?

Student and staff perspectives on designing and preparing student assignments that use the social web


 * 2. Introducing and supporting student assignments that use the social web:**


 * ** How will particular aspects or affordances of the social web be used to best advantage for explaining and encouraging what students are expected to do in this assignment? **
 * When, where and how will teaching staff provide students with access and support to use the social web and guidance on using it for academic purposes?
 * What initial instructions about the assignment and examples of acceptable work will teaching staff provide to students, and when, where and how will students be able to review these and to clarify things they don’t understand?
 * What formative feedback will students receive from teaching staff on their work in progress and when and how, and how else will teaching staff motivate students to do their best?
 * If students’ classmates or other peers or other parties such as external experts are expected to play a role (non-assessable) in introducing or supporting the assignment, when and how will they be advised and assisted to do this?

Student and staff perspectives on introducing and supporting student assignments that use the social web


 * 3. Marking assignments that use the social web and reporting student results:**


 * ** How will particular aspects or affordances of the social web be used to best advantage during summative assessment and closing the loop with students? **
 * What rubrics will markers use to map process and outcome criteria for assessment against standard levels of learning achievement, and what other checking of student work will they do in order to finalise marks?
 * How will markers factor activities, contributions, reviews and feedback by a student’s classmates, other peers or other parties into deciding in an individual student’s final mark?
 * What measures will individual markers take to ensure that their decision-making undergoes moderation and review by other teaching staff?
 * How will markers provide constructive feedback on individual, small group and class achievements such that students and other parties can make good use of it in future?

Student and staff perspectives on marking assignments that use the social web and reporting results


 * 4. Reviewing and improving student assignments that use the social web:**


 * ** How will particular aspects or affordances of the social web be used to best advantage to aid quality management and continuous improvement of the assignment? **
 * When and how will teaching staff reflect on what worked and didn’t work, gather such feedback from students and other parties involved in the assignment, and act upon lessons learned?
 * What measures will teaching staff take to review the assignment in light of trends in the social web, advances in academic assessment and new directions in the field of study?
 * When and how will teaching staff put forward their work on this assignment for academic peer review, through presentation or publication in teaching, learning and assessment forums?
 * How will teaching staff document the design, implementation, marking and review of the assignment for future reference?

Student and staff perspectives on reviewing and improving student assignments that use the social web Page source: Gray, K., Waycott, J., Thompson, C., Clerehan, R., Sheard, J., Hamilton, M., & Richardson, J. (2011) //Using Social Web (Web 2.0) Activities for Student Assessment: Resources for University Learning and Teaching.// Retrieved from https://web2assessmentresources.wikispaces.com