Digital technologies and assessment

This chapter addresses the main challenge to reconsider how familiar assessment practices can be adapted, radically changed, enhanced or even replaced with the use of increasingly sophisticated and pervasive digital technologies. An added complication is the constant and fast-moving development of technologies, allied to the fact that many pupils in primary school are nowadays skilled and experienced users of technology. Teachers need to consider how best to use these skills and experiences to allow pupils not only in their own learning but also in the assessment of themselves and others. Increasingly pupils are seen as active partners in their learning, and assessment is something which is done with them and for them. In this chapter, the reader will recognise the potential of digital technologies for assessment, identify the affordances of digital technologies in supporting assessment for learning and perceive the potential of digital technologies to instigate, implement, share and give feedback on assessments to learners and the wider school community.