Authentic Assessments: How to Measure Student-Learning in Real-World Contexts
Michael G. Strawser
Associate Professor of Communication, University of Central Florida
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Who Am I?
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Outcomes
(2) Develop strategies for authentic assessment
STUDENT LEARNING
How do you know learning has taken place?
“Any learner must remain highly motivated to stick with the arduous process of building a new paradigm and thinking about its implications and applications. To maintain such dedication, students must believe that their learning will make a difference to themselves and others….to learn deeply we must intend to do so.”��- Ken Bain (Super Courses)�
Rationale: �Authentic assignments measure outcomes that are worthwhile, meaningful, and significant. ��
Know
Think
Do
Think about your own course(s): what is the end goal? Know, Think, Do – or a combination?
(AUTHENTIC) ASSESSMENT
Assessment
Summative and Formative/Indirect and Direct Evaluation
Course Outcomes
Learning Objectives
Holistic
Transformative
Authentic
AUTHENTIC ASSIGNMENTS
Authentic assignments require application of what students have learned to a new situation and demands judgment to determine what information and skills are relevant and how they should be used.���
Authentic Assignments: The Goal
Higher order thinking
Answer essential disciplinary questions using real-life concepts
Replicate real world performances
Involve performance measures and develop applicable skills
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Authentic assignments are scaffolded and students can practice skills and are provided consistent (and helpful) feedback.
Typical tests | Authentic tasks | Indicators of authenticity |
Require correct responses | Require a high-quality product or performance, and a justification of the solutions to problems encountered | Correctness is not the only criterion; students must be able to justify their answers. |
Must be unknown to the student in advance to be valid | Should be known in advance to students as much as possible | The tasks and standards for judgment should be known or predictable. |
Are disconnected from real-world contexts and constraints | Are tied to real-world contexts and constraints; require the student to “do” the subject. | The context and constraints of the task are like those encountered by practitioners in the discipline. |
Contain items that isolate skills or facts | Are integrated challenges in which a range of skills and knowledge must be used in coordination | The task is multifaceted and complex, even if there is a right answer. |
Include easily scored items | Involve complex tasks that for which there may be no right answer, and that may not be easily scored | The validity of the assessment is not sacrificed in favor of reliable scoring. |
Are “one shot”; students get one chance to show their learning | Are iterative; contain recurring tasks | Students may use particular knowledge or skills in several different ways or contexts. |
Provide a score | Provide usable diagnostic information about students’ skills and knowledge | The assessment is designed to improve future performance, and students are important “consumers” of such information. |
Assignments are authentic when there is a meaningful connection between the grade and project participation (Frey, Schmitt & Allen, 2012)
Students must: �(a) apply course concepts to �(b) real world scenarios by �(c) completing meaningful assessments
Authentic Assignments
Benefits
Increase motivation
Build communication skills
Aid in holistic assessment
Students engage in higher order and creative thinking as well as problem-solving
Challenges
Time consuming (for student and teacher)
Hard to navigate details and align real-world clients/participation
Students may ‘rebel’ because it is different
Traditional Assessment | Authentic Assessment |
Selecting a response | Performing a task |
Contrived | Real-life |
Recall/recognition | Construction/application |
Teacher-structured | Student-structured |
Indirect evidence | Direct evidence |
Assess and analyze a case study and suggest a plan of action
Develop a real-life strategic plan for real-life clients
Develop a deliverable to solve a real-world problem
Analyze the impact of a new public policy from the perspective of various stakeholders
Diagram a process using ‘if/then’ ideas
Role play and analyze ‘if/then’ scenarios
What is your discipline? (Identify major issues/problems surrounding this topic area)
What course are you teaching? (Identify major issues/problems surrounding this topic area)
What real-world problems do your students need to solve (or know how to solve)?
What training/information is needed to solve these problems?
How can your students solve these problems? What skills do they need to demonstrate?
What needs to happen to turn this into an assignment?
Authentic Assignments:
(1) Allow students to construct their own learning
(2) Allow students to demonstrate their skills
Authentic Assessment Toolbox
Questions time!
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Thank you for attending!
To contact me, reach out at michaelstrawser@legacyctc.com
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