Characteristics and Examples of Authentic Assessments
Authentic assessments allow student to actively participate in performances, construct a model, engage in an experiment, or create a product that demonstrates their knowledge and skills as the standards are met. Grant Wiggins (1990) further defines this type of assessment when he states, “Assessments are authentic when we directly examine student performance on worthy intellectual tasks. Traditional assessment, by contract, relies on indirect or proxy ‘items’-efficient, simplistic substitutes from which we think valid inferences can be made about the student’s performance at those valued challenges”. Authentic assessments, or performance-based tasks, set forth a challenge that students must be successful on in order to demonstrate mastery of a concept or skill. Furthermore, they align to the standards as students pragmatically evaluate their learning. Ultimately, authentic assessments allow students to become more autonomous in their learning and take ownership of it.
Wiggins (1990) identifies some key components of authentic assessments:
Authentic Assessments:
- Reflect a variety of tasks that should be embedded within best instructional practice. Some include researching, writing, revising, and conferencing with others.
- Identify if a student can create justified answers and responses through performances and products
- Are valid and reliable because they outline the criteria for success and may not have one distinct right answer
- Replicate real-world scenarios and situations that allow students to apply skills and knowledge to demonstrate ability
- May not have one set structure for completion and must replicate similar situations and scenarios from professional and adult life
Some examples of authentic assessments include:
- Portfolios
- Oral interviews
- Photography
- Experiments
- Debates
- Journal writing
- Reader’s Theatre