Making your assessment authentic

  1. Think of one assessment you have designed for your learners in your subject area.
  2. Use the comparison in Table 2 to decide if your assessment task is traditional or authentic.
  3. Share your thoughts in the discussion forum.

Quizzes as assessment for learning. It is a traditional task

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Currently preparing children for Annual examination which they will have to answer questions prepared by the teacher in an allocated timeframe. This is a traditional method of assessment where children will be graded according to their result.

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I have prepared a Annual Examination paper for year 12 and 13 students. Here the students will have to answer the questions. This is a traditional method and at the end of the examination analysis students will be graded.

Summative Assessment at the end of the Term.
Traditional Assessment

Prepared Annual Examination and it is traditional form of assessment

One of my favorite forms of assessment Tasks is to make my students ‘perform, create, design, or construct’ a task. Easier to assess students if they learned the topic content. This is a type of authentic assessment.

I designed an assessment task for my biology class where students had to identify and label the parts of a cell on a diagram. This task falls into the traditional category as it required students to choose an answer from a provided list and demonstrate their ability to recall and recognize cell components. It was artificial in nature since the students’ performance was evaluated in a controlled environment with no real-world context. Furthermore, the task was teacher-structured, following a set format, and was indirect, as it did not require students to apply their knowledge to practical situations but rather relied on memorization and recognition.

To create a more authentic assessment, I revamped the task. Instead of labeling a static cell diagram, students were given a scenario involving a real-life issue like diagnosing a disease. They had to use their understanding of cell structure to explain how a specific cell’s dysfunction led to the disease. This revised assessment moved away from the traditional mold. It required students to apply their knowledge in a practical context, making it authentic. The task was not teacher-structured, allowing for more creativity and individual problem-solving, and it demanded more critical thinking rather than mere recall or recognition, enhancing its authenticity.

I designed an assessment task for my class where the students were to write the answers that that are usely true and false, multiple choice and matching. This assessment falls into a traditional category as the students are to choose the answer that is given and write it down.Traditional assessments are most frequently used to evaluate students, rank them, and assign a final grade. Traditional assessments generally involve the use tests, quizzes, and homework as the means for evaluation.

The instructor creates several student with different learning problems. Students work in small groups during class to discuss and brainstorm ideas on the students learning problem based on prior knowledge. Students decide roles and the steps to complete the assessment. Authentic assessment provide students situations that engage their science process and inquiry abilities and employ their science understandings in the context of solving problems.

I teach English and Visual art.

For English all three types of assessments are used through teaching.

For Visual art, it focuses more on assessment as learning even though there are formative and summative assessments.

When designing assessments for Visual arts, Authentic art is work created and planned by the student to express ideas that are personal and meaningful. It’s what all the historically important artists we admire did and what visionary contemporary artists continue to do today. It’s also a teachable behavior and an appropriate and necessary part of visual arts curriculum for all age levels. Visual falls under the authentic ways of learning.

In Fiji, traditional assessment methods persist in the education system due to historical practices, recognition, and efficiency. These methods have been used for decades, providing a consistent and administratively practical way to assess students. They are recognized internationally and are commonly employed for purposes such as college admissions. Resource constraints and alignment with teacher training also contribute to their prevalence.

Prepared exam papers which is a traditional form of assessment where students are to sit for the paper as per the timetable and complete at a given time frame.Traditional assessments are most frequently used to evaluate students, rank them, and assign a final grade. Traditional assessments generally involve the use tests, quizzes, and homework as the means for evaluation.

O ne recent assessment task which I have designed after reading the traditional assessment and authentic assessment I can say it’s 100% traditional assessment

  1. Think of one assessment you have designed for your learners in your subject area.
    • Since I’m teaching computer studies in my school, I have both formative and summative assessments to test students.
  2. Use the comparison in Table 2 to decide if your assessment task is traditional or authentic.
    • Well, I think my assessment is both traditional and authentic because, assessments are typically more structured and standardized, often involving objective questions like multiple-choice, true-false, and fill-in-the-blank questions, as well as essay questions which is an example of traditional assessment. Where I also assess students with assessments that are designed to mirror real-life tasks and are often open-ended and complex. They require students to apply their knowledge and skills in practical, real-world scenarios.

Designed an assessment task for my class where the students write the answers that are true and false, multiple choice. fill in the blanks and matching. This assessment falls into a traditional category as the students are to choose the answer that is given and write it down.

Annual examination paper was prepared and it is a traditional assessment.

That is an excellent way of assessing, which unfortunately many teachers don’t use. Asking learners to construct or create something fosters authentic learning.

Presently planning students for Annual Examination which they should respond to questions assign by a teacher in a designated time period. This is a Traditional Method for evaluation where kids will be reviewed and graded by their outcome.

I would design or prepare Annual Examination papers . It is the most traditional method of assessment where students are given question to answer. In this method of assessment students results are analyzed and students will be ranked according to their mark gained.

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Annual Examination at the end of the Term. This is a summative assessment whereby students will be graded accordingly. It is a Traditional type of assessment.