Alternative Assessment: Ensuring Authenticity

Authentic assessment of authentic achievement

What is “authentic assessment”?

“…an assessment requiring students to use the same competencies, or combinations of knowledge, skills and attributes, that they need to apply to the criterion situation in professional life.”(Gulikers et al, 2004)

Some history• Boud (1990) – gaps between teaching and

professional practice and between assessment tasks and the world of work;

• Biggs (1996) – constructive alignment between instruction, learning & assessment;

• Dochy (2001) – core goal of alternative assessment is application of knowledge to actual real life cases;

• Herrington & Herrington (1998); McDowell (1995) – increasing authenticity of assessment has positive influence on student learning & motivation;

• cf “performance assessment” (Hart 1994; Torrance 1995)

5 dimensions of authentic assessment

1. Task2. Physical Context3. Social Context4. Assessment Form5. Criteria & Standards

Each is a dimension that can vary in level of authenticity

Task

Physical Context

Social Context

Assessment Form

Criteria

Other aspects

• Alignment with authentic instruction• Formative assessment (? = learning

tasks) – practice needed• Complexity of task (range from simple

to multi-disciplinary, ill structured)• Student perception of authenticity• Student levels of learning

Practical Application - Context

• LLAW4212 Transactional legal practice• 4th year topic• 9 units, semester 1• 125 students• Competency based – required for

accreditation - NGP

Practical Application - Assessment

• Learning driven by assessment• 30+ formative assessment items

– Most done in groups – some individual– Feedback from staff, best practice

examples, peers– “No fail” zone

• Reflection built in• Summative assessment - 360°

performance review

Practical Application – examples

• Tasks – eg obtain probate• Physical context – Victoria Square• Social Context –

collaborative/individual/seeking assistance

• Assessment form – drafting will• Criteria – letter writing

Practical Application – examples

• Tasks – eg obtain probate• Physical context – Victoria Square• Social Context –

collaborative/individual/seeking assistance

• Assessment form – drafting will• Criteria – letter writing

Does this have wider application?

• Competence not just for FE/VET• In HE, students need cognitive competence

(critical thinking, problem solving) and also metacognitive and social competencies (reflection, communication, collaboration) ( Birenbaum 1996)

• Authentic achievement also includes authentic academic achievement (in context of becoming an academic)

References (1)

• Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher Education, 32, 347-364.

• Birenbaum, M. (1996). Assessment 2000: towards a pluralistic approach to assessment. In M. Birenbaum & F. J. R. C. Dochy (Eds.), Alternatives in assessment of achievements, learning processes and prior knowledge (pp 3-29). Boston, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

• Boud, D. (2000). Sustainable assessment: rethinking assessment for the learning society. Studies in Continuing Education, 22, 2, 151-167

• Dochy, F. (2001). A new assessment are: Different needs, new challenges. Learning and Instruction, 10, suppl 1, 11-20.

• Gulikers, J. T. M., Bastiaens, T. J., Kirschner, P. A. (2004). A Five-Dimensional Framework for Authentic Assessment. Educational technology, Research and Development, 52, 3, 67-86.

References (2)

• Hart, D. (1994). Authentic Assessment: A handbook for education. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company

• Herrington, J. & Herrington, A. (1998). Auhtentic assessment and multimedia: How university students respond to a moel of authentic assessment. Higher Education Research & Development, 17, 3, 305-322.

• McDowell, L. (1995). The impact of innovative assessment on student learning. Innovations in Education and Training International, 32, 4, 302-313.

• Torrance, H. (1995). Evaluating authentic assessment. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.