Introduction
The issue of student assessment is of critical importance in my role as an educator. It is through assessment that I am able to determine whether or not learning has occurred in my students. However, the term assessment is a vague term and for any meaningful discussion to occur, it is imperative that the term is first clearly defined. Wiggins and McTighe (2005) assert that assessment involves a collection of evidence over time that demonstrates understanding and achievement of desired learning outcomes. The methods used for assessment can include tests, quizzes, dialogue, observation, performance tasks and projects.
I entered the education system as a student during the 20th century where the focus was on mastering the 3 Rs - reading, writing and arithmetic. Learning was viewed as a passive process in which information was transferred from experts (teachers) to novices (students) and the ability to recall information was sufficient evidence of understanding. Since schools existed primarily to transfer factual information, objective tests and activities based on the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy were often viewed as the most appropriate measure of student learning (Anderson, 1998).
As the 21st century approached, the world began to evolve at an increasing pace with significant changes occurring in digital technology and the global economy (Brown & Adler, 2008). As the world changed, so too did the expectations of the education system. Schools were now preparing students for a world that emphasized higher order thinking skills such as problem solving and critical thinking over the memorization of facts. The development of these skills was difficult to achieve using traditional forms of assessment resulting in a shift towards more authentic forms of assessment (Montgomery, 2002).
Montgomery (2002) asserts that authentic assessment is “the holistic performance of meaningful, complex tasks in challenging environments that involve contextualized problems” (Montgomery, 2002, p. 35). In a review of the literature, Ashford-Rowe, Herrington, and Brown (2014) identified the following 8 characteristics as indicators of authentic assessment:
I entered the education system as a student during the 20th century where the focus was on mastering the 3 Rs - reading, writing and arithmetic. Learning was viewed as a passive process in which information was transferred from experts (teachers) to novices (students) and the ability to recall information was sufficient evidence of understanding. Since schools existed primarily to transfer factual information, objective tests and activities based on the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy were often viewed as the most appropriate measure of student learning (Anderson, 1998).
As the 21st century approached, the world began to evolve at an increasing pace with significant changes occurring in digital technology and the global economy (Brown & Adler, 2008). As the world changed, so too did the expectations of the education system. Schools were now preparing students for a world that emphasized higher order thinking skills such as problem solving and critical thinking over the memorization of facts. The development of these skills was difficult to achieve using traditional forms of assessment resulting in a shift towards more authentic forms of assessment (Montgomery, 2002).
Montgomery (2002) asserts that authentic assessment is “the holistic performance of meaningful, complex tasks in challenging environments that involve contextualized problems” (Montgomery, 2002, p. 35). In a review of the literature, Ashford-Rowe, Herrington, and Brown (2014) identified the following 8 characteristics as indicators of authentic assessment:
A closer examination of these characteristics reveals that they are based on the beliefs and assumptions of Constructivism, whereby meaning is constructed by the learner and enhanced by social interaction. The criteria outlined above also provide a lens for examining my own practices within the classroom. I have come to the understanding that authentic assessment is a process. It requires careful planning, successful integration and ongoing effort. This means that I must be able to effectively combine content and process standards in a manner that is relevant to the students in my classroom. These standards must be communicated to students in a manner that promotes reflection on their progress. |
In the Authentic Assessment course I was able to examine the existing literature in more depth by researching the current perspectives in the field. It was through this literature review that my interest in digital portfolios and self-assessment as forms of authentic assessment was ignited. In addition, the literature review provided me with an opportunity to investigate some of the challenges with authentic assessment from both the teacher and student perspective. Cumming and Maxwell (1999) and Montgomery (2002) both commented that authentic tasks can cause increased frustration levels in students who have limited experience utilizing higher order thinking skills. Furthermore, the medium being used to complete the task can overshadow the core learning objectives. As an elementary teacher I have experienced both of these challenges in the classroom. I now spend considerable more time discussing with my students the key learning objectives, as well as the relevance of the content/task to the lives of my students and the world in which we live. I have found that establishing a clear purpose for learning with my students helps them to persevere when faced with academic challenges in the classroom. Two forms of authentic assessment that played a critical part in my own learning in the Master's program were digital portfolios and the practice of self-assessment.
Click on the buttons or images below to visit the sub-themes of authentic assessment - digital portfolios and self-assessment.
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