Web 2.0 Authoring Tools in Higher Education Learning and Teaching (2009-2011)
New Directions for Assessment and Academic Integrity
Dr Celia Thompson et al
Australian Learning And Teaching Council Priority Projects Program PP9-1350
This collaborative project involved a team of 7 researchers from The University of Melbourne, Monash University, and RMIT University. The project examined how lecturers assess students' Web 2.0 activities in higher education. In university learning and teaching there is growing encouragement for students to use so-called Web 2.0 forms of authoring or content creation, also known as social software - eg blogging/microblogging, audio/video podcasting, social bookmarking, social networking, virtual world activities, and wiki writing. In a Web 2.0 environment users can easily publish and share their work, connect with an extended community, and comment on other users' contributions. Commentators have offered numerous pedagogical rationales for using Web 2.0 in higher education. To date, however, little attention has been given to issues relating to the assessment of students' social web activities - and the unique challenges that this form of assessment may create for academic integrity, standards, and assessment practices.