How well do
tests really evaluate student understanding and achievement?
Many educators believe that
there is a more effective assessment alternative. These teachers use
strategies that do not focus entirely on recalling facts. Instead, they
ask students to demonstrate skills and concepts they have learned. This
strategy is called authentic assessment.
How can you encourage students
to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world tasks?
to evaluate students' abilities in 'real-world' contexts. In other
students learn how to apply their skills to authentic tasks and
Authentic assessment does not encourage rote learning and passive
Instead, it focuses on students' analytical skills; ability to
what they learn; creativity; ability to work collaboratively; and
and oral expression skills. It values the learning process as much as
do science experiments
have real-world applications
assessment methods in my classroom?
with only using traditional testing methods.
They believe these methods
do not test many skills and abilities students need to be
educators assert that students must be prepared to do more than
information and use algorithms to solve simple problems.
They believe students
should practice higher-order thinking skills, and criticize tests they
feel do not measure these skills.
assessment in my classroom?
performance samples – learning activities that encourage
students to use
higher-order thinking skills. There are five major types of performance
students' ability to use skills in a variety of authentic contexts.
students to work collaboratively and to apply skills and concepts to
include such activities as:
writing, revising, and presenting
a report to the class
experiment and analyzing the results
working with a
a position in a classroom debate
to assess how well students have mastered basic concepts and skills.
begin with a stimulus, like a math problem, political cartoon, map, or
excerpt from a primary source.
to interpret, describe, calculate, explain, or predict.
use enhanced multiple-choice questions.
Or they may
mapping, a technique that assesses how well students understand
among concepts. (Concept map printable)
like short investigations, present students with a stimulus and ask
a brief written or oral answer
accounts for student improvement and teaches students the value of
editing, and revision.
portfolio can include:
journal entries and reflective
students to evaluate their own participation, process, and products.
the basic tools of self-assessment.
oral responses to questions like:
What was the most difficult
part of this project for you?
What do you
If you could
again, what would you do differently?
What did you
find that authentic
assessment is most successful when students know what teachers expect.
should always clearly define standards and expectations.
or established sets of criteria, to assess student work.
emphasizes process and performance, it encourages students to practice
critical-thinking skills and to get excited about the things they are
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