Authentic Assessments
Nicole Messier, CATE Instructional Designer
April 15th, 2022
WHAT? Heading link
Authentic assessments involve the application of knowledge and skills in real-world situations, scenarios, or problems. Authentic assessments create a student-centered learning experience by providing students opportunities to problem-solve, inquire, and create new knowledge and meaning.
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Elements of Authentic Assessments
There are several elements to consider that make an assessment more “authentic” (Ashford-Rowe, 2014; Grant, 2021; Wilson-Mah, 2019;), including:
- Accuracy and validity – The accuracy of the assessment refers to how closely it resembles a real-world situation, problem, disciplinary norm, or field of study. The assessment validity refers to the alignment of grading criteria to the learning objectives, transferable skills (e.g., communication, critical thinking, etc.), workforce readiness skills, and disciplinary norms and practices.
- Demonstration of learning – The outcomes of an assessment should allow students to demonstrate learning in ways that reflect their field of study, for example, a performance or a product that is authentic to their future career. Or the assessment should allow for student choice based on interests and skills; for example, one group of students decides to create a podcast to demonstrate their learning in general education coursework.
- Transfer of knowledge – The assessment should provide the transfer of knowledge from theory to practice and from one task or experience to another. For example, students writing a blog post about a scientific principle that was demonstrated in current events replacing a traditional essay or paper on the scientific principle.
- Metacognition – The process of reflecting on learning should be purposefully planned for students to make connections to prior knowledge, experiences, and different subject areas. For example, metacognition can be encouraged in authentic assessments by asking students to evaluate their progress, self-assess their product or performance, and reflect on their thought processes and learning experiences during the authentic assessment.
- Collaboration – The assessments should provide opportunities for interaction that are aligned to the real-world situation. For example, if the task is typically completed by a team in the field, then the assessment should be completed collaboratively by a group.
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- Flexibility – The assessment should provide flexibility in the timeline and due dates for meeting project benchmarks and deliverables to align with real-world tasks. For example, if the task would take a few weeks to complete while working full time then the timeline in the course should reflect this timing to ensure authenticity and manageability.
- Environment and tools – The environment and tools used to provide the assessment should be like the environments and tools in the students’ field of study or aligned with a real-world situation. For example, students taking a graphic design course utilizing software that is used in their field to create typography, logos, etc., or medical students practicing authentic tasks in a simulation room to mirror a hospital room.
Authentic assessments can also be referred to as alternative assessments or performance-based assessments. All of these assessments are considered “alternatives” to traditional high-stakes tests or research papers, and are based on the constructivist theory where students actively construct new meaning and knowledge.
Also, it is important to understand that authentic assessments can be used to assess students both formatively (during instruction) and summatively (when the instruction is over). Want to learn more about formative assessments or summative assessments? Please visit the Assessment & Grading Practices teaching guides in the Resources section of the CATE website.
Types of Authentic Assessments Heading link
Authentic assessments can be designed using different teaching methods like inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, problem-based learning, scenario-based learning, or design-based learning. Select each of the headings below to learn about how these teaching methods can support your design of authentic assessments.
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Inquiry-based Learning
Inquiry-based learning involves the process of research and experimentation with complex questions and problems. Inquiry-based learning is structured around phases similar to the scientific method where students develop questions, experiment, and evaluate.
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Elements of Inquiry-based Learning
- Identifying a problem or question.
- Making predictions or formulating hypotheses.
- Active construction of new knowledge through testing, research, and experimentation.
- Communication and discussion of results and new knowledge.
- Evaluation of process, data interpretation, and self-reflection.
The focus of inquiry-based learning is scientific thinking and reasoning. The process students use to discover new information can vary based on the type of inquiry process you select to use in the course.
One example of an inquiry process is the 5E model:
- Engagement Phase – connections are made to past and present learning.
- Exploration Phase – students engage in testing, research, or experimentation.
- Explanation Phase – students communicate and demonstrate their learning.
- Elaboration Phase – instructor extends students’ learning with new activities.
- Evaluation Phase – students self-assess and reflect on learning.
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Inquiry-based learning can be designed for science courses such as natural sciences, social science, or health science courses. Grading of inquiry-based learning could be centered around the metacognition and critical thinking documented during the inquiry process as well as the deliverables submitted during each phase of the inquiry process.
Example – Inquiry-based Learning
An instructor decides to use inquiry-based learning during lab work in a physics course. Instead of providing students with step-by-step instructions on how to complete the lab, students are allowed to decide what data to collect, how to collect it, and how to analyze it to explain the physics principle or phenomenon. The instructor notices that student interactions increase as students voice their opinions and facilitate decision-making with their group (Nutt, 2020). Please see the Additional Resources section for more information on this example.
Please note that in some cases, inquiry-based learning is used as an umbrella term that encompasses numerous forms of inquiry learning like problem-based, scenario-based, and design-based learning. In this teaching guide, inquiry-based learning is modeled after research aligned with the scientific method and experimentation.
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Problem-based Learning
Problem-based learning involves a dilemma or problem that needs to be solved. The problem-based learning experience is structured around the research process and the discovery of solutions.
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Elements of Problem-based Learning
- Application of learning to real-world situations – the context of the problem.
- Alignment of learning objectives – the purpose behind the problem.
- Creates new knowledge while retrieving previous experiences and knowledge – the investigation of solutions to the problem.
- Communication of findings and/or collaboration with peers – the discussion or defense of solutions to the problem.
- Feedback and metacognition – how the problem improved student learning.
The focus of problem-based learning is typically on the research journey to solve real-world problems. This research journey involves an examination of previous knowledge, collection of new information, analysis, and determination of possible solutions. Grading of this type of problem-based learning could center around the documentation of the research process and the critical thinking used to determine solutions based on research.
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Problem-based learning can also be designed for major coursework (e.g., a patient problem in medical training). Students might be directed to determine one solution to the proposed problem and then students present their solutions and receive peer and instructor feedback on their presentation of the problem and solution. Grading of this type of problem-based learning could center around students’ ability to present the problem and defend the solution with research-based evidence.
Example – Problem-based Learning
An instructor decides to use problem-based learning in a teacher education course. The instructor creates several student personas with different learning problems. Students work in small groups during class to discuss the student persona and brainstorm ideas on the student persona’s learning problem based on prior knowledge. Students decide roles and the steps to complete the assessment. During the next class session, each small group explains their student persona’s diagnosed learning problem and describes examples of differentiation and scaffolding to adapt instruction to improve the student persona’s learning. Students receive feedback from their peers as well as the instructor.
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Scenario-based Learning
Scenario-based learning involves a real-world scenario that prompts student learning. Scenario-based learning provides students opportunities to draw on previous experience and knowledge to complete authentic tasks.
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Elements of Scenario-based Learning
- Realistic scenarios
- Contextualize learning from theory to application
- Incorporates retrieval of previous experience and knowledge
- Completion of authentic tasks to address the scenario
- Authentic tasks show alignment to learning objectives and workforce readiness
The focus of scenario-based learning is the application of learning in real-world scenarios through authentic tasks to demonstrate learning objectives, workforce readiness, and transferable skills (e.g., communication, critical thinking, etc.). Grading of scenario-based learning could be centered around the demonstration of learning objectives and workforce readiness through authentic tasks.
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Scenario-based learning can be designed for major coursework in undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as undergraduate general education coursework. In major coursework, students can develop workforce readiness while demonstrating proficiency in learning objectives during the scenario-based learning. In undergraduate general education coursework, scenario-based learning can provide an understanding of the assessment’s importance which can improve student engagement and motivation, as well as support student development of transferable skills.
Example – Scenario-based Learning
An instructor decides to use scenario-based learning in a general education writing course. The instructor designs scenarios for students to understand audience-centered writing. An example of a writing scenario could involve a historical event or person, where students write a letter providing advice to a historical person or take on the role of a historical person to suggest ways to address the historical event. Another example of a writing scenario could involve a human resource problem at a company, where students are asked to create a memo or policy to address the problem. These scenarios provide students with a real-world context for a specific audience and purpose for each formative assessment (Golden, 2018).
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Project-based Learning
Project-based learning involves student interest, choice, and autonomy to create a student-centered experience. Project-based learning can be completed individually or collaboratively. If project-based learning is completed collaboratively, then a group of students works together to demonstrate the application of their collective knowledge and experiences.
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Stages of Project-based Learning
- Project planning – the student or group determines how they will demonstrate the learning objectives through a selected format (product or performance).
- Project starts – the student or group research topics aligned to learning objectives and analyzes the research collected or practices skills and prepares for the performance.
- Formative feedback – the student or group receives formative feedback on the project as well as self-assess their progress.
- Completion of the project – the student or group adjusts the project based on feedback and completes the product or performance preparation.
- Presentation – the student or group presents the product or performance to the class (synchronously or asynchronously).
- Reflection – the student or group reflects on learning and experience for metacognition and provides the instructor with feedback on the process.
- Assessment of the project – the student or group receives feedback from the instructor and/or peers and receives a grade on the project.
The focus of project-based learning is the application and assimilation of knowledge that is demonstrated in a product or performance. Students select the product or performance in project-based learning based on their interests and skills. The final product or performance is used as the summative assessment to confirm student outcomes and the project plan will have a timeline for submitting deliverables for formative feedback.
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Project-based learning can be designed for major coursework in undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as undergraduate general education coursework. Allowing for student choice on how students demonstrate learning can help motivate and engage students in undergraduate general education coursework. In major coursework, students can demonstrate their proficiency in the learning objectives, professionalism, and transferable skills (e.g., communication, critical thinking, etc.) during the project.
Example – Project-based Learning
An instructor decides to create a summative authentic assessment using project-based learning in a social sciences course. The instructor provides a list of societal issues aligned with the learning objectives that students will select from, or students have the option of submitting a different societal issue with an explanation of how it aligns with the learning objectives. Next, students will select the product or performance to demonstrate their learning. Students will then create a project plan and submit their plan to receive feedback from the instructor. Students adapt their project plan based on instructor feedback, begin research on the societal issue, and complete the product or performance to demonstrate their learning. Lastly, students present their product or performance asynchronously using a video recording tool like VoiceThread for feedback and grading.
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Design-based Learning
Design-based learning (or design thinking) involves creativity, critical thinking, and brainstorming to solve human-centered problems. Design-based learning provides opportunities to collaboratively engage with peers to innovate and determine solutions. The process students use to ideate can vary based on the type of design process you select to use in the course.
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One example of design-based learning
- Empathize – students focus on human-centered experiences and learn about their audience.
- Define – students define personas (e.g., who will benefit from the innovation, who will be the end user of the product or service, or who might be the customers to attract), goals, and objectives.
- Ideate – students brainstorm without judgment of ideas.
- Prototype – students develop an outline, sketch, flowchart, model, role-play, etc.
- Test – students implement the prototype and receive feedback (self, peer, and instructor).
- Reflect and redesign – students reflect on their learning process and refine or redesign the prototype.
The focus of design-based learning is to foster students’ ideation, curiosity, openness to new ideas, and comfort with ambiguity. Design-based learning can be implemented in major coursework in design fields like industrial design, environmental, architecture, graphic design, and engineering as well human-centered fields like law, psychology, anthropology, and business.
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Example – Design-based Learning
An engineering or architectural instructor decides to incorporate design-based learning activities into scheduled class time. Each design-based learning activity begins with a class discussion of a human-focused problem and personas (people who are impacted by the problem). For example, the instructor shows a picture of a public building and asks students to identify personas who might find the building unaccessible. Students spend time empathizing and defining the personas and goals of their redesign of the entrance. Next, students begin the ideation nonverbally using an asynchronous interactive board (Padlet, Jamboard, Trello, etc.) during class and then continue to ideate over the next few weeks. In a subsequent class, the instructor guides students through a discussion to determine the top ideas for solving the problem. Each group selects one idea to design and test. Students submit the prototype and reflection on the process for feedback and grading.
Want to learn more about tools that you can use for design-based learning? Please visit the Other EdTech Apps in the EdTech section of the CATE website to review tools, resources, and more.
WHY? Heading link
Impact of Authentic Assessments
Authentic assessments have the potential to improve student self-efficacy (belief in own capacity), performance, and learning.
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- Self-efficacy and confidence – in a review of research completed on fifteen studies of project-based learning, 90% of the students reported improved confidence and were optimistic that they could implement project-based learning in future careers (Indrawn, 2019).
- Higher grades – In a general education writing course, students who participated in scenario-based learning showed consistently higher averages (one to two letter grades higher) than students who did not receive scenario-based learning (Golden, 2018).
- Engagement and retention – authentic assessments have shown improved student engagement and learner retention through participation in authentic assessments.
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- Direct evidence – authentic assessments provide direct evidence of students’ learning and skills for instructors and students to better understand the learning taking place and plan the next steps for instruction and learning.
- Student diversity – authentic assessments allow students to demonstrate their unique abilities, lived experiences, interests, and social identities.
- Real-world artifacts – authentic assessments provide students with authentic tasks that can be utilized in professional portfolios, resumes, or interviews.
Workforce Readiness and Graduate Attributes Heading link
Workforce Readiness and Graduate Attributes
Authentic assessments’ impact has also been viewed through the lens of workforce readiness and graduate attributes. For example, in a project-based learning experience, 78% of students reported that the experience prepared them to be workforce ready because of the real-world practice they received through the authentic assessment (Indrawn, 2019).
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Several graduate attributes have been identified as outcomes of authentic assessment participation (Foss, 2021; Indrawn, 2019; Karunanayaka, 2021; Elliott-Kingston, 2018; Murphy, 2017; Rowan, 2012), including:
- Open-mindedness – students who participate in authentic assessments learn to be receptive to the diversity of ideas and multiple perspectives.
- Comfort with ambiguity – students who participate in authentic assessments learn to live with uncomfortableness as they construct new knowledge and meaning.
- Ability to engage in an iterative process – authentic assessments provide students with opportunities to ideate, evaluate, and reflect on ideas and learning. Students develop effective problem-solving skills through this iterative process that includes idea incubation.
- Creativity – authentic assessments positively reinforce students’ creativity through the inquiry process.
- Learn to fail – authentic assessments provide formative feedback to help students build resiliency and strengthen their self-efficacy even when faced with failure.
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- Take risks – authentic assessments encourage student risk-taking, and the instructor provides a safe and supportive learning environment for taking risks.
- Search for multiple answers – students learn how to brainstorm ideas and develop numerous solutions to address problems.
- Internally motivated – authentic assessments support students’ internal motivation by providing opportunities for student choice based on their interests and future careers. Students develop metacognition and self-regulation skills as they reflect on their motivations, interests, and learning.
- Take ownership of their learning – authentic assessments foster student ownership and autonomy. Students develop scholarship and a commitment to life-long learning through participation in authentic assessments.
- Leadership – authentic assessments foster leadership, professionalism, and decision-making skills as students self-direct their learning and performance.
- Citizenship and empathy – in many cases, authentic assessments ask students to reflect on an audience, end-user, or global community when solving a problem or designing a product. These experiences help to foster citizenship and empathy.
HOW? Heading link
Considerations for Authentic Assessments
There are several variables that you should consider as you begin to design an authentic assessment:
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- The education and experience level of students – consider how you will support students who may not have the professional skills yet to complete the authentic tasks (see the Student Success during Authentic Assessments in the HOW section of this guide).
- The subjectivity of authenticity – consider how you will ensure that the designed assessment is authentic to the students. Please note that authenticity is subjective in nature; this means that what one person views as authentic might not be regarded the same by another (see the Elements of Authentic Assessments in the WHAT section of this guide for ways to make your assessment more authentic). Will you provide students with an opportunity to give you feedback to improve authenticity? Will you engage with practitioners in the field to ensure the authenticity of scenarios, problems, or prompts?
- Complexity – consider how you will ensure that the assessment’s level of complexity is aligned to the learning objectives, course outcomes, and real-world situation, problem, or field of study.
- Instructor’s role – consider how you will interact with students during the authentic assessment (see the Student Success during Authentic Assessments in the HOW section of this guide). How will you ensure that your role supports the education and experience level of your students? Will you provide guidance, facilitation, or direct instruction during the authentic assessment?
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- Student ownership and choice – consider what level of student responsibility and choice that will be present in the authentic assessment. Will students have minimal responsibility if you are using direct instruction, or will the students have higher levels of responsibility if you are guiding student-directed inquiry? Will students have the opportunity to choose how they will demonstrate their learning with a final product or performance?
- Formative feedback – consider how students will receive formative feedback during the authentic assessment. Who will provide the formative feedback (instructor, TA, peers, or self)?
- Manageability – consider the manageability of the authentic assessment regarding class size and course modality.
- In large class sizes consider incorporating authentic assessments through partner or group work to reduce grading and feedback time as well as encourage communication and collaboration skills of students.
- In online courses consider incorporating asynchronous peer review to provide opportunities for student interaction and feedback.
- Alignment of assessments and instruction – consider how you will utilize authentic learning instruction to support student achievement in authentic assessments. For example, if using design-based learning during a group assignment then consider utilizing design thinking during your lectures and activities.
Authentic Assessment Products or Performances Heading link
There are numerous types of products and performances to choose from when designing an authentic assessment. This is not an all-encompassing list of authentic products or performances, but more of a starting point for ideas. Instructors should also consider allowing students or groups to brainstorm ideas for products or performances and self-select a format.
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Writing for an Actual Audience
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- Action plan
- Agenda
- Analysis – Gap, SWOT, Comparative
- Article for a professional publisher
- Autobiography
- Biography
- Blog article
- Business report
- Children’s story
- Editorial
- Executive summary
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- External document
- Fact sheet
- Fictional short story
- Forecast
- Handbook
- Historical fiction
- Internal document for communication – memo
- Letter to…
- Literary analysis
- Media review
- Narrative
- Outline for meeting, training, or presentation
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- Pamphlet or brochure
- Podcast narrative
- Poetry
- Policy
- Presentation slides and speaker notes
- Proposal
- Reflection
- Report
- Research paper
- Short story
- Song lyrics
- Script for presentation, skit, or role playing
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Performances
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- Conference presentation
- Dance performance
- Debate
- Demonstration
- Dramatization
- Music performance
- Newscast
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- Oral report
- Panel discussion
- Play performance
- Podcast
- Poetry performance
- Presentation
- Recorded interview
- Role playing
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- Routine – exercise, cheer, aerobic, gymnastics
- Skit
- Speech
- Teaching a skill
- Training
- Video presentation
- Workshop
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Design of Products
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- Blueprints
- Diagram
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- Diorama
- Drawings or sketches
- Flowchart
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- Physical model
- Project plan
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Creation of Products
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- Animation video
- Assessment tool – checklist, rubric
- Dance choreography
- Data display – spreadsheet
- Drawing
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- Infographic
- Multimedia
- Musical piece
- Painting
- Photographs
- Questionnaire
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- Resource
- Sculpture
- Survey
- Timeline
- Visuals – chart, graph, Venn diagram
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Other Types
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- Experiment
- Peer review
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- Portfolio
- Scrapbook
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- Self-assessments
- Work samples
GETTING STARTED Heading link
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Getting Started
The following steps will support you as you develop an authentic assessment:
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- 1) The first step is to utilize backward design principles by aligning the authentic assessments to the course learning objectives, disciplinary norms, practices, and transferable or workforce readiness skills.
- a) What should students know and be able to do?
- b) What are your learning objectives and course outcomes?
- c) Are there disciplinary norms or practices that should be incorporated into the authentic assessment?
- d) Are there transferable skills or workforce readiness skills that should be incorporated into the authentic assessment?
- 2) The second step is to determine the goals of this authentic assessment.
- a) Will the authentic assessment allow students to demonstrate proficiency in the learning objectives as well as develop self-regulation and metacognition skills?
- b) Will the authentic assessment have opportunities for practice and feedback?
- c) Will the authentic assessment collect valid and reliable data to confirm student outcomes?
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- 3) The third step is to develop the authentic assessment by determining:
- a) Authenticity – What elements of the assessment will make it authentic (see Elements of Authentic Assessments in the WHAT section of this guide)?
- b) Format – Will the format be a product or performance? Will the format be student-selected or instructor-selected?
- c) Students’ and instructor’s role – What will be the level of responsibility for student ownership of learning? What forms of guidance and authentic learning will you provide for student support?
- d) Timeline and Progress – What will be the timeline for the authentic assessment? How will progress be monitored by the students and instructor?
- e) Deliverables – What items or elements of the authentic assessment will be graded?
- f) Feedback – What will be the frequency of feedback? Who will provide the feedback? Will there be an opportunity for students to provide feedback to the instructor on their experience?
- g) Grading – What are the grading criteria for this authentic assessment? How will these criteria be explained so that students understand the expectations?
- 4) The fourth step is to review data collected from the authentic assessment and reflect on the implementation of the authentic assessment to inform continuous improvements for equitable student outcomes.
Want to learn more about assessments? Please visit the other Assessment & Grading Practices teaching guides and the Resources Section of the CATE website to review resources and more. Would you like support in designing an authentic assessment? Consider scheduling an online or in-person instructional design consultation.
- 1) The first step is to utilize backward design principles by aligning the authentic assessments to the course learning objectives, disciplinary norms, practices, and transferable or workforce readiness skills.
Student Success during Authentic Assessments Heading link
A well-planned and communicated authentic assessment will help improve student performance and student satisfaction during the authentic assessment.
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Communication of Authentic Assessments
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Overview
Consider providing an overview of the authentic assessment that demonstrates alignment to the course and learning objectives, as well as possible disciplinary norms and practices. This overview can also help explain how students’ participation in the authentic assessment will provide them with the opportunity to practice transferable and workforce readiness skills. Additionally, this information can help create buy-in improving student motivation and engagement during the authentic assessment.
Timeline
Consider creating a timeline of the authentic assessment that includes the following information:
- Start date for authentic assessment
- Due dates for the submission of deliverables
- Dates for formative feedback and progress monitoring
- The final due date for authentic assessment product or performance
- Date for summative feedback and grade
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Deliverables
Consider providing a detailed list of the required deliverables for the authentic assessment. For example, if utilizing project-based learning then the deliverables might include:
- The project plan
- Draft(s) of the project with formative feedback
- Completed project
- Presentation of project
- Reflection on process
- Self-assessment of final project and presentation
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Expectations and Grading for Authentic Assessments
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Grading Criteria
Defining grading criteria is one way to support students’ understanding of expectations during the authentic assessment. Grading criteria refer to what students will do (performance) and what instructors will measure and score. Once you have determined what students will submit for grading (the deliverables) then you can communicate expectations for each deliverable by listing the grading criteria and total points for each criterion.
For example, if utilizing project-based learning then one deliverable might be the project plan. The project plan might be worth 50 points and the grading criteria and total points for each criterion might include:
- Project question or problem – 10 points
- Proposed materials or research – 15 points
- Proposed product or performance – 10 points
- Proposed process of design – 15 points
Rubrics
You might consider taking the grading criteria for a deliverable and expanding on the information by utilizing a rubric. Rubrics can help you describe the varying levels of performance for each grading criterion.
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For example, you can describe the criterion: project question or problem (worth ten points) in three levels of performance.
- Proficiency – project question or problem is fully developed and demonstrates a clear alignment to the learning objectives (ten points).
- Developing – project question or problem is adequately developed and demonstrates alignment to the learning objectives (seven points).
- Needs revision – project question or problem isn’t developed enough to support the project and/or is not aligned to the learning objectives. Please revise and resubmit (six or fewer points).
The description of the performance levels will help students understand what the expectations are for each component of the authentic assessment. You can develop a rubric with one, two, three, or more levels of performance. The criterion performance levels can be displayed in Blackboard by utilizing the rubric tool. Want to learn more about rubrics and assessment tools in Blackboard? Please visit the Blackboard Assessments & Grading page in the EdTech section of the CATE website.
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Facilitation and Guidance during Authentic Assessments
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Facilitation
Consider the varying levels of student responsibility and instructor facilitation that can be offered during an authentic assessment, examples include:
- Direct instruction – the instructor provides the question or problem, materials, process, or design, as well as directs the analysis and facilitates the drawing of conclusions. This type of instruction provides the most structure, scaffolding (support), and guidance during the authentic assessment.
- Structured authentic assessment – the instructor provides the question or problem, materials, process, or design, but the students direct the analysis with support from the instructor and draw conclusions based on their analysis. This type of instruction allows for students to create new meaning or knowledge while being guided through a structured authentic assessment.
- Guided authentic assessment – the instructor provides the question or problem, and materials and the students determine the process or design, as well as direct the analysis and draw conclusions. This type of instruction allows for student autonomy with an instructor-selected focus on a specific question or problem.
- Student-directed authentic assessment – the instructor provides the learning objectives or course outcomes, and then the students determine the question or problem, materials, process or design, analysis, and conclusions. This type of authentic assessment provides the least amount of structure but can still contain scaffolding and guidance from the instructor through reminders and feedback.
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Consider how you will encourage students’ ability to self-direct their learning while providing them with appropriate levels of support and guidance to ensure their success in the authentic assessment.
Guidance
There are several ways to provide support and guidance to students during an authentic assessment, including:
- Class discussion – add time for authentic assessment discussions around progress, challenges, and achievements.
- Peer review – provide opportunities for students to review their peers’ work and provide feedback.
- Calendar – add the authentic assessment timeline to your course calendar, so that students have due dates and progress monitoring dates.
- Announcements – create reminders using the announcements tool in Blackboard to support student progress monitoring as well as provide students with resources.
- Online office hours – designate specific online office hours for students to drop in to ask questions and get support.
- Resources – provide students with resources, including preferred databases, exemplar authentic assessments, and UIC academic support services.
CITING THIS GUIDE Heading link
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Citing this Guide
Messier, N. (2022). “Authentic Assessments.“ Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence at the University of Illinois Chicago. Retrieved [today’s date] from https://teaching.uic.edu/resources/teaching-guides/assessment-grading-practices/authentic-assessments/
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Heading link
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Articles, Websites, and Videos
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Authentic assessments
- Selkin, P. (2020). Video – Alternative Assessment Strategy for a Physics Final (6:01 minutes)
- University of Liverpool (n.d.). Authentic Assessment – including authentic case studies
- UNSW. (n.d.). Assessing Authentically
- Ashford-Rowe, K. (n.d.). Authentic Assessment Matters.
Inquiry-based learning
- Nutt, D. (2020). Inquiry-based labs give physics students experimental edge.
- Art of Mathematics. (n.d.). Inquiry-based Learning Guides
- Lesley University. (n.d.). Empowering students: The 5E model explained.
Problem-based and Scenario-based learning
- WPI. (2021). Video – The Great Problems Seminar (GPS) at WPI (4:20 minutes)
- Harvard Business School. (2020). Video – Take a Seat in the Harvard MBA Case Classroom (9:59 minutes)
- Cornell University. (n.d.). Problem-based Learning
- Lerner College of Medicine. (n.d.). Problem-based Learning
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Project-based learning
- WPI. (n.d.). PBL in Higher Education
- WPI. (2018). Transforming Higher Education Through Project-based Learning
- Cult of Pedagogy (2016). Project Based Learning: Start Here
- Buck Institute for Education (n.d.). my PBL works.
Design-based learning (Design Thinking)
- Brown, T. (2009). Video – Designers – think big! (16:34 minutes)
- IDEO (n.d.). Design Thinking for educators.
- IDEO (n.d.). Design Thinking.
- Morris, H., Warman, G. (2015). Using Design Thinking in Higher Education
REFERENCES Heading link
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References
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Ashford-Rowe, K., Herrington, J., Brown, C. (2014). Establishing the critical elements that determine authentic assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 39. 10.1080/02602938.2013.819566.
Berglund, J., Candefjord, S., Gil, J. (2020). Scaffolding activities for project-based learning. 10.13140/RG.2.2.34702.92487.
Eddy, P., Lawrence, A. (2012). Wikis as platforms for authentic assessment. Innovative higher education. 38. 10.1007/s10755-012-9239-7.
Elliott-Kingston, C., Doyle, O.P.E., Hunter, A. (2018). Benefits of scenario-based learning in university education. Acta Horticulturae. DOI:10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1126.13
Foss, M., Liu, Y. (2021). Developing creativity through project-based learning.
Golden, P. (2018). Conceptualized writing: Promoting audience-centered writing through scenario-based learning. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Volume 12, Number 1, Article 6.
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