FLOWING OR FAUXING: THE BENEFITS OF ACTIVITY THEORY AS A RESEARCH METHODOLOGY FOR WRITING ASSESSMENT

Writing assessment has been in a constant state of adaptation for over a century. Often conceived of in terms of requirements and grids, the ability of writing assessment to serve as a means of inquiry and powerful teaching tool can be lost. However, through the use of recent discussions of activity theory it is possible to emphasize the malleable nature of assessment techniques and stakeholder identity particularly in issues of programmatic assessment. Specifically, it is possible to understand how students and teachers approach programmatic assessment and are changed by programmatic assessment by researching writing assessment as a tool used by situated stakeholders with real and varied perspectives. This powerful means of inquiry opens channels of negotiation that allow the writing assessment practices to teach while reinforcing program and disciplinary values. Using a semester-long case study of the relationship between a single instructor and programmatic practices as an example, this presentation illustrates the benefits of using activity theory as a research methodology in writing assessment research and theory.