Abstract:

In a world increasingly driven by technology, a trend further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of new technologies such as generative AI, teachers require novel assessment literacies to effectively evaluate students' digital literacies. However, there is limited research on how teachers' practices, relationships, and personal literacies shape such assessments. This ethnographic study explores these complex dynamics through the experiences of two Singaporean English Language teachers assessing digital literacies via a digital curation project in their secondary school classrooms.

Data were collected primarily through lesson observations, teacher interviews, and artefacts over a two-month period. Thematic analysis was conducted to examine teachers' formative assessment practices, their digital and assessment literacies, relationships with students, and systemic constraints.

The findings reveal that a teacher's proficiency in facilitating meaningful learning discussions, providing personalised feedback, and leveraging technology for assessment has a strong impact on their ability to develop students' digital literacies. However, their own digital literacies, potentially misaligned expectations of students, and contextual barriers can constrain effectiveness.

This study concludes that innovative assessment literacies, integrating digital literacies, relational elements, teacher identity, and systemic constraints – all specific to digital contexts – are crucial for teachers to fulfil their evolving roles. The study provides empirical insights to enable educators to assess digital literacies in the classroom and offers recommendations for the development of teacher policies and programmes designed to equip educators with the necessary assessment capabilities for the digital age.

Keywords:

Digital literacies, assessment literacies, formative assessment practices, classroom assessment.