Authentic Assessments

• a.k.a. “alternative assessment”• Embedded tasks that are similar to

those performed by professionals as they do their jobs

• Usually associated with inquiry, hands-on and performance based activities

• Measure knowledge and ability (both)

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Authentic Assessments

• Assess both content and higher order thinking skills

• Provide opportunities to demonstrate creativity, problem-solving and decision-making

• Reflective of standards

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So... What are some examples of “authentic assessments”?

• Model building• Measurement

taking• Oral reports• Written report• Lab report• Debates

• Portfolios• Science

notebook/journals• Student talk• Active listening• Concept maps• Open-ended

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So... What are some examples of “authentic assessments”?

• Lab performance

• Interviews• Stand and

deliver• Skills check list• ?

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Assessment is a two-sided coin

1. Assess the student

2. Assess the activity

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When do you assess Inquiry?

1. Pre-instruction

2. During Instruction

3. Post-instruction

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When do you assess Inquiry?

1. Pre-instruction

Goal: Assess students’ prior knowledge, ideas, beliefs and attitudes in order to help them construct new knowledge.

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When do you assess Inquiry?

1. Pre-instruction

Strategies: T-charts, journal writing, drawings, interviews/conversations, surveys, concept maps

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When do you assess Inquiry?

2. During instruction

Goal: To gain insight into how (or if) students’ knowledge, ideas, beliefs and attitudes are changing.

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When do you assess Inquiry?

2. During instruction

Strategies: Portfolios, journals, logs, field books, skills assessments (can the students use a balance?), product assessment (videos, websites, audio), tests, quizzes etc.

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When do you assess Inquiry?

3. Post-instruction

Goal: To evaluate students’ progress and reflect on the effectiveness and quality of instruction.

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When do you assess Inquiry?

3. Post-instruction

Strategies: Teacher evaluation forms, student interviews, written assignments, standardized tests, performance assessments (problem-solving)

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Rubric Evaluation

• Does it assess what you think it assesses?

• Does it really reflect what the students were actually doing?

• Is it fair and is it doable?• Do the students know about it

ahead of time?

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When do you assess the Inquiry activity?

You never stop!!

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Assessment Activity Part 1Using your students’ textbook:

1. Select the single most important concept in each chapter that you will cover while student teaching.

2. Devise 2 performance-based activities you could do to teach this concept.

3. List 3 “authentic” assessments you could use to “grade” student understanding of this concept.

4. Now, pick one activity and one assessment and write up the grading rubric/checklist/guideline.

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Assessment Activity Part 2Using your students’ textbook:

1. Identify the single most important “skill” in each chapter that you will cover while student teaching.

2. Devise 2 performance-based activities you could do to teach this skill.

3. List 3 “authentic” assessments you could use to “grade” your student’s ability to perform this skill.

4. Now, pick one activity and one assessment and write up the grading rubric/checklist/guideline.

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End