As educational technology continues to change the face of educational contexts in the digital age, the way in which teachers can incorporate various existing online resources and applications within their everyday classroom activities deserves closer attention. In particular, it is important to explore how interactive Web 2.0 tools might be integrated into classroom-based assessment practices. This way, the efficacy of online tools and their ability to both facilitate teacher assessment practices and empower student learning can be adequately assessed. This chapter aims to explore, showcase and discuss how Web 2.0 tools can be integrated into teachers' classroom-based language assessment to get information that can be used diagnostically to adjust teaching and learning with reference to current literature, explore challenges and focus on suggestions and avenues for further research. Furthermore, examples of web tools that could be used for formative assessment will be briefly enlisted.

This article reports a mixed-method study that examined the washback effect from a locally-produced, theme-based, high-stakes English language proficiency test in tertiary education in a Turkish EAP context. The aim was to explore the extent to which washback on teaching was induced by an integrated theme-based English proficiency test designed to reflect authentic language use in the tertiary education context in Turkey. The data collection involved classroom observations and focus group interviews with 14 instructors from the Preparatory English Language Program (PEP). Classroom observations were conducted using the Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching Observation Scheme (COLT) (Spada & Frohlich, 1995), and data was qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. Inductive analysis of the transcribed interview data was also used. The findings indicated that both positive and negative test effects were exerted on teaching. In addition to positive washback on materials, this study also found negative washback in the form of narrowing of the curriculum. Findings also implied that although the test had varying amounts and types of washback depending on the particular teacher involved, both content and methodology in teaching are affected. The article concludes by interpreting these results in the light of recent studies on learner washback, discussing implications for teachers, and providing suggestions for further research.

This research study explores teacher and student perceptions to verify consequential validity and the potential washback effect of a locally developed university-level English language proficiency test which consists of reading and listening-to-writing assessment tasks. The integrated language proficiency test is used upon completion of the English language preparatory program in the Turkish context to determine learners’ access to further English medium academic courses in their departments. To examine whether this source-based proficiency test has achieved its intended outcomes, 39 freshman students and 19 university instructors, who offered courses in various departments, were surveyed through questionnaires. Interviews were conducted with the instructors to gauge their perspectives about the validity of the integrated proficiency test-based decisions (whether students pass or fail) over time in terms of the language competency and academic skills of their learners. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis also revealed evidence both for positive and negative issues concerning the consequential validity of the test. Findings may help educators to reach a better understanding of the construct of integrated language assessment tasks in EAP contexts and the consequences of their use in achieving the intended and unintended curricular goals.

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In an attempt to understand the ways L2 undergraduate students use information from external sources in their writing and to examine what difficulties they encounter during the process, this classroom-based research investigated student writers’ perceptions towards their source use, purposes of students’ self-reported citation practices, and suggested actions to be taken for progress in source-based writing within the context of freshman English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing course. Perceptions of 22 freshman student writers were surveyed through an open-ended questionnaire. Questionnaire was given upon the completion of a source-based writing assessment task and it required students to reflect on their writing performance which was produced under examination circumstances. Frequency counts and thematic content analysis revealed several challenges in handling citation practices effectively and a limited range for using citation purposes, mainly limited to attribution of sources. The study has implications for instruction in order to enhance citation practices of emerging L2 student writers..