This chapter examines the role Web 2.0 tools can play in promoting the “assessment for learning” agenda. It presents a number of cases of peer, self, and computer assessments that display a range of characteristics proposed by Elliott (2008) for the next generation of assessment tasks. The discussion of the cases reveals a missing characteristic, which is a form of feedback to the students that will take their learning forward—the author calls this “advice for action.” It is argued that in order for assessment tasks and tools to become more effective they need to be embedded within a pedagogical framework, which in turn requires a supportive infrastructure as proposed by the 4Ts pyramid. The major components of the pyramid consist of: (1) tool development; (2) staff training; (3) rethinking the assessment tasks; and (4) learning from the assessment tasks.
Web 2.0 for reference services staff training and communication
