Chapter 8, page 185
To help you understand the idea of an authentic assessment, here is a definition and some examples:
Definition. An authentic assessment is a test item or other item used for a grade that has students
perform a meaningful task that is typical of what people do in the real world.
An authentic assessment has these characteristics:
A. It is in fact an assessment (i.e., something graded, as a test question or a graded project).
B. It places students in a situation that simulates an authentic, real-world activity.
C. It includes much of the complexity and open-endedness of real-world problems.
D. Solving the problem requires the use of effective cognitive strategies and extensive knowledge.
Here is a good example of an authentic assessment:
Design a museum exhibit that helps museum-goers understand the main events of the
American Revolution. Explain why you have made the choices that you have. (This is
used as a major project equal to two test grades.)Why is this a good authentic assessment?
A. It is being used to evaluate students (it counts as two test grades).
B. It has students do an activity that real professionals do in the real world (museum curators do indeed
design museum exhibits).
C. It is a complex, open-ended problem. A lot of deep reflection must go into solving it.
D. Students cannot solve the problem without much knowledge of the American Revolution and without
using effective strategies such as explanation.
Examples and Nonexamples. To help you clearly understand the concept, I will next show you
some examples and nonexamples that should help you focus on the key features of authentic assessment.
AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT NOT AN AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT
This is an essay question on an exam:
Imagine that you are an expert on television,
and you have been asked to testify before a
Senate committee on the effects of television
violence. Prepare a short address to give to
the Senators that tells your position on this
issue and why you hold it, together with an
outline of key points and key evidence that
you will use to support your claims when the
Senators ask you questions.
This is an ungraded group assignment
during class: Imagine that you are an expert
on television, and you have been asked to
testify before a Senate committee on the
effects of television violence. Prepare a short
address to give to the Senators that tells your
position on this issue and why you hold it,
together with an outline of key points and key
evidence that you will use to support your
claims when the Senators ask you questions.The item on the right is not an assessment of any kind because the assignment is not being treated as an
assessment to evaluate students’ progress. There is a good authentic activity, but the activity is not being
used for assessment. The item on the left is being used for assessment.