Techniques for Authentic Assessment. Practice Application Brief.

Assessments are authentic when they have meaning in themselves--when the learning they measure has value beyond the classroom and is meaningful to the learner. Authentic assessments (AAs) address the skills and abilities needed to perform actual tasks. Perhaps the most widely used technique is portfolio assessment. Well-designed AAs demonstrate a rich array of what learners know and can do; display products and processes of learning; are adaptable, flexible, ongoing, and cumulative; and allow multiple human judgments of learning. They pose challenges, such as abandoning traditional notions about testing and evaluation, being time consuming to prepare and implement, and requiring special training. AAs are potentially more equitable in accommodating learning styles and acknowledging multiple ways of demonstrating competence. Adult educators find AAs especially appealing as an alternative to the problematic use of standardized tests with adults. Vocational education has a long tradition of activity-based learning and product assessment. Characteristics of good AAs include the following: engaging, meaningful, worthy problems or tasks; real-life applicability; emphasis on product and process; rich, multidimensional, varied formats; opportunities for learner self-evaluation; and fairness in scoring procedures and their application. Collaboration among teachers, employers, community members, and students is essential for the design of high quality AAs. Contains 12 references. (YLB)