CHAPTER 2: AUTHENTIC

ASSESSMENT:
MEANING,
CHARACTERISTICS AND
PRACTICES
The term assessment, evaluation,
testing and marks are term often
used in determining the degree of
attainment of students learning
outcomes. At times they are used
interchangeably, it will be useful to
clarify their meaning to distinguish
them from one another.
Assessment - refers t o the
process of gathering data
and information about what
students know a n d c a n do.
Through assessment, th e
teacher c a n find out what
students are learning.
Evaluation – involves t h e t a s k
of interpreting, forming
conclusions and making
judgment a b o u t th e
information which w a s
gathered i n the process of
assessment.
Testing - i s a n instrument o f
assessment. A test is an
assessment tool that
r e fl e c t s t h e r e c o r d s o f t h e
student learning outcomes.
Marks- are reports of the result of evaluating
information obtained in assessment process. Marks
have certain components related to the learning
activities undertaken by the students.
Example of such components are:

20% for class participation

10% for completed
assignments
20% for quizzes
30% for submitted reports
20% for oral presentation of
completed project

100% TOTAL
Assessment involves review of evidence of
learning such as journal entries, written
work, portfolios, skill demonstrations, and
performance in learning activities, test
result and rubrics ratings which cover a
period time and should reveal the progress
of students in competencies. Evaluation
in the other hand occurs when a mark or
grade is assigned after a quiz, a
presentation or a completed task.
 Why Authentic assessment?

“The common practices of using recall and

recognition objective the skills and knowledge
they have mastered”. - Richard Stiggins (1987)

“Authentic assessment is products and/or

performances correlated with real experiences”.
- Newton Public Schools

Other names of authentic assessment are

performance assessment, alternative
assessment, and direct assessment.
CHARACTERISTICS
OF AUTHENTIC
ASSESSMENT (AA)
1. Starts with clear definite criteria of
performance made known to the students.

2. Is a criterion- referenced rather than norm-

referenced and so it identifies strengths and
weaknesses, but does not compare students
nor rank their levels of performance.

3. Requires students to make their own answer to

questions rather than select from given options
as in multiple choice items, and requires them to
use a range of higher order thinking skills (HOTS).
4. Often emphasizes performance and
therefore students are required to
demonstrate their knowledge, skills or
competencies in appropriate situations.
Authentic assessment does not rely on ability
to recall facts or memorize details, instead
students are asked to demonstrate skills and
concepts they have learned.
5. Encourages both teacher and students to
determine their rate of progress in
cooperatively attaining the desired student
learning outcomes.
6. Does not encourage rote learning and
passive taking of test; instead, students are
required to demonstrate analytical skills,
ability to integrate what they learn, creativity,
and ability to work in group, skills in oral and
written communications. In brief, authentic
assessment values not only the finished
products which are the learning outcomes, but
also the process of learning.
7. Authentic Assessment changes the role of
students as passive test takers into
become active and involve participants in
assessment activities that emphasize what
they are capable of doing instead test to
measure students’ skills or retained facts
has come under scrutiny because of the
limitation encountered in determining the
students’ capability to utilized their
 WHAT IS
AUTHENTIC
ASSESSMENT?
 “A form of assessment in which students
are asked to perform real-world task that
demonstrate meaningful application of essential
knowledge and skills..” – Jon Mueller (2011)

“Engaging and worthy problems or

questions of importance, in which students must
use knowledge to fashion performances
effectively and creatively. The tasks are either
replicas of or analogous to the kind of problems
faced by adult citizens and consumers or
professionals in field.” – Grant Wiggins (1987)
“Performance (authentic) assessments call
upon the examinee to demonstrate specific
skills and competencies; that is, to apply of
their weaknesses. This results is diminished
fear of tests and improvement of self-esteem.

From teacher- centered activities, authentic

assessment encourages a learner-centered
class where the teacher’s major role is to help
students accept responsibility for their learning
and become self-evaluators.
 Phases of
Authentic
Assessment
The purpose of assessment is to improve student
learning. Assessment achieves this purpose by
gathering pieces of evidence of student
performance over a period of time. Such evidence
may be in the form of written works, journal
entries, oral presentations, research paper results,
essay, story writing, and examination results.

“Closing the loop” encourages the use of

assessment results for further improvement. In
general, Outcome assessment goes through five
(5) phases
Identifying the most
important knowledge
and skills that
students should be able
to demonstrate as a
result of their learning
activities.
Determining the criteria
and standards of
outcomes performance
and the acceptable
evidence that may be
presented as proof of
outcomes’ attainment.
 Implementation of the
supporting activities that
will facilitate the attainment
of the desired student
learning outcomes.
Measuring the extent at
which thestudent is
attaining the desired
learning outcomes.
 Interpreting the
assessment results and
evaluating whether they
indicate attainment of the
desired outcomes and
utilizing them for
continuous improvement
 Phase I
Phase II
Identity learner
Determine criteria and
outcome.
acceptable evidences of
performance.

Phase V Phase III

Evaluate results to Implement supporting
determine attainment learning experiences and
of outcome and ensure instructional activities.
continuous
improvement.

Phase IV
Implement
assessment
strategies.
Examples of Authentic
Assessment Activities:

1) Doing science experiments.

2) Conducting social science
field research.
3) Writing stories and reports.
4) Reading and interpreting
literary pieces.
5) Solving mathematical problems that
have real-world implications.
6) Performing particular
skills/competencies
7) Simulation or role playing.
8) Exhibiting and displaying
completed works.
9) Submitting portfolios.
10)Submitting original creative
projects.
 Traditional Assessment - Is
commonly associated with pre-
determined choice measure of
assessment such as multiple choices
tasks, fill-in-the blanks, true – false,
matching type and others. Students
typically recall or select the answers.
Essentially, TA springs from the
educational which involves the
following principles and practices:
1. A School’s mission is to develop useful
citizens.
2.To be a useful citizen, one must process
a certain body of knowledge and skills;
3. The school is entrusted to teach this
body of
knowledge and skills;
4.To determine if the student have acquired
these knowledge and skills, the school
must test the student on these knowledge
and skills.
Authentic Assessment - on the other hand
is grounded on the following principles and
practices:
1. A school’s mission is to develop useful citizen;

2.To be a useful citizen, one has to be capable of

performing useful tasks in the real-world;

3.The school’s duty is to help students develop

proficiency in performing the tasks that 4. they
will be required tom perform after graduation in
the work place;

4.The school must then require students to

perform tasks that duplicate or imitate
real- world situations.
 Attributes Traditional Assessment Authentic Assessment

Action/ options Selecting a response Performing a task

Setting Contrived/ imagined Simulation/ Real-Life

Method Recall/ recognition Construction/ applications

Focus Teacher –structured Student- structured

Outcome Indirect evidence Direct evidence