Chapter 19

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT OF
LEARNING

Group 4
 INTRODUCTIO
This
N
chapter orients on this method of
assessing learning and how can present
students with real world challenges that
require then to apply relevant skills and
knowledge.
 THE ESSENCE OF AUTHENTIC
ASSESSMENT
Authentic assessment, as defined by Mueller (2006),
involves students completing real-world tasks that
demonstrate practical application of their knowledge and
skills. Students tackle meaningful problems, using their
knowledge to create effective and creative solutions,
often mirroring real-world challenges. This type of
assessment typically includes a performance task for
students and a rubric to evaluate their work.
 THIS TYPE OF ASSESSMENT ACCOMPLISHES THE
FOLLOWING GOALS:

➤ Requires students to develop responses rather than

select from predetermined options;
➤ Elicits higher order thinking in addition to basic skills;
➤ Directly evaluates holistic projects;
➤ Synthesizes with classroom instruction;
➤ Uses samples of student work or portfolios collected
over an extended period of time;
 THIS TYPE OF ASSESSMENT ACCOMPLISHES THE
FOLLOWING GOALS:

➤ Stems from clear criteria made known to

students;
➤ Allows for the possibility of multiple human
judgments;
➤ Relates more closely to classroom learning; and
➤ Teaches students to evaluate their own works.
EDUCATORS CALL AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT BY ALTERNATIVE
NAMES, NOTABLE AMONG WHICH ARE THE FOLLOWING:
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT; ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT; AND
DIRECT ASSESSMENT.
Authentic assessment is also known as performance assessment
because it requires students to complete meaningful, real-world
tasks.

It's also called alternative assessment because it offers a

different approach to measuring student learning than traditional
methods.

Finally, it's referred to as direct assessment because it provides

clear evidence of students' ability to apply their knowledge and
skills in practical situations, unlike traditional tests which don't
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
AUTHENTIC AND TRADITIONAL
ASSESSMENTS
Traditional assessment, as described by Mueller (2006),
uses common formats like multiple-choice, fill-in-
the-blank, true-false, and matching tests.
Students typically select answers or recall information.
These tests can be standardized or teacher-created.
While both traditional and authentic assessments aim
to develop productive citizens, traditional assessment
is based on a different educational philosophy.
 TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON A
DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

➤ A school's mission is to develop productive citizens.

➤ An individual needs to acquire a certain body of knowledge
and skills for him to become a productive citizen.
➤ Schools are therefore obliged to teach this body of
knowledge and skills.
➤ The school must then test students to see if they acquired
these knowledge and skills. If they do, then the school is
successful in its mission.
Traditional assessment is curriculum-driven: knowledge
and skills are identified, forming the curriculum, and
assessment follows to measure success. Conversely,
authentic assessment is assessment-driven: it starts by
identifying the real-world tasks students should be able
to perform, and then develops a curriculum to support
those performances. Essentially, traditional
assessment asks "Did students learn the
curriculum?", while authentic assessment asks "Can
students apply their learning in real-world scenarios?".
ANOTHER SOURCE OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL AND
AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENTS IS THEIR DEFINING ATTRIBUTES
(MUELLER, 2006) WHICH ARE SHOWN IN THE MATRIX BELOW.

DEFINING ATTRIBUTES OF THE TWO TYPES OF

ASSESSMENT
Traditional Assessment Authentic Assessment

Selecting A Response Performing A Task

Contrived Real-life
Recall/Recognition Construction/Applicatio
Teacher-structured n
Direct Evidence
 SELECTING A RESPONSE TO
PERFORMING A TASK

Students are given several options and asked to

choose the right response in traditional assessment.
On the other hand, students are asked to
demonstrate understanding of a complex task,
representing a meaningful application of what they
learned.
 SELECTING A RESPONSE TO
Example PERFORMING A TASK
:
Traditional Assessment (Selecting a Response): Question: Which of
the following is the process by which water vapor turns into liquid
water?
a) Evaporation
b) Condensation
c) Precipitation
d) Transpiration
Authentic Assessment (Performing a Task):
Task: Students are given materials like a hot plate, a beaker of water,
a glass jar with a lid, and ice. They are asked to design and conduct
an experiment that demonstrates the water cycle. They must then
explain their experimental setup, observations, and how their
experiment models the different stages of the water cycle
(evaporation, condensation, precipitation, collection).
 CONTRIVED TO REAL-
LIFE.
In traditional assessment, tests offer contrived
means of demonstrating proficiency in a short
period of time, which runs counter to life outside the
school. In authentic assessment, students are asked
to demonstrate proficiency by actually doing
something.
 CONTRIVED TO REAL-
Example LIFE.
:Traditional Assessment (Contrived):
Scenario: A student is given a multiple-choice test on
grammar.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
a) Me and my friend went to the store.
b) My friend and I went to the store.
c) I and my friend went to the store.
d) My friend and me went to the store.
Authentic Assessment (Real-life):
Scenario: Students are tasked with writing a letter to the editor of
the local newspaper about a proposed change in their community.
The letter will be graded on clarity, persuasiveness, and correct
grammar and mechanics.
 RECALL/RECOGNITION OF KNOWLEDGE
TO CONSTRUCTION/APPLICATION OF
KNOWLEDGE
Recall/Recognition of Knowledge focuses on students
recalling or recognizing information, which is a weak
measure of true understanding.

Construction/Application of Knowledge, conversely,

emphasizes students constructing something – a product or
performance – that demonstrates their ability to analyze,
synthesize, and apply their knowledge. This process of
creation reveals a deeper level of understanding and what
students can actually do with what they've learned.
 RECALL/RECOGNITION OF KNOWLEDGE
TO CONSTRUCTION/APPLICATION OF
KNOWLEDGE
Exampl
e:
Traditional Assessment
(Recall/Recognition):
Question: What is the capital of France?
Expected Answer: Paris
This tests the student's ability to recall a
Authentic Assessment (Construction/Application):
fact.
Task: Students are asked to create a travel brochure for a fictional
trip to Paris. The brochure must include information about key
landmarks, historical sites, cultural attractions, and practical travel
tips (e.g., currency, transportation). It should be visually appealing
and persuasive, aiming to convince someone to visit Paris.
 TEACHER-STRUCTURED TO STUDENT-
STRUCTURED

In traditional assessment students demonstrate what

has been prepared by the teacher and therefore their
attention will be focused on and limited on the contents
of the test. On the other hand, authentic assessment
enables more choice and construction in determining
what is presented as proof of proficiency.
 TEACHER-STRUCTURED TO STUDENT-
STRUCTURED
Exampl
e:
Traditional Assessment (Teacher-structured):
Scenario: The teacher gives a test covering chapters 3-5 of
the textbook. The questions are all based on the specific
material covered in those chapters, and students have no
input into the content of the test.

Authentic Assessment (Student-structured):

Scenario: Students are given a broad topic like "The Impact of
Technology on Society." They can choose a specific area within that
topic to research and present, such as social media's effect on
communication, the role of technology in education, or the ethical
implications of artificial intelligence. They decide how they want to
present their findings (e.g., a presentation, a research paper, a
website).
 INDIRECT EVIDENCE TO DIRECT
EVIDENCE

Traditional assessments offer indirect evidence of learning,

as correctly answering test questions doesn't guarantee real-
world application. Authentic assessments, however, provide
direct evidence by requiring students to apply and
construct knowledge in real-world contexts. For example,
critiquing a classmate's argument directly demonstrates
critical thinking skills better than multiple-choice questions.
 INDIRECT EVIDENCE TO DIRECT
EVIDENCE

Furthermore, traditional assessment discourages "teaching to

the test" because tests sample knowledge, and focusing
instruction on the sample invalidates the results. Conversely,
authentic assessment encourages "teaching to the test" by
showing students models of good performance and rubrics.
This transparency helps students develop the skills needed
for success on meaningful tasks.
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