Jether Delight V.

Jarmin

Authentic Assessment vs. Traditional Assessment

Authentic Assessment - is the measurement of "intellectual accomplishments that are worthwhile, significant, and meaningful,"
as contrasted to multiple choice standardized tests.  In classroom, to accurately evaluate what a student has learned,
an assessment method must examine his or her collective abilities. The term authentic assessment describes the multiple forms
of assessment that reflect student learning, achievement, motivation, and attitudes on instructionally
relevant classroom activities. Authentic assessments refer to assessments wherein students are asked to perform real-world
tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of what they have learned.

Authentic Assessments are Direct Measures

We do not just want students to know the content of the disciplines when they graduate. We, of course, want them to be
able to use the acquired knowledge and skills in the real world. So, our assessments have to also tell us if students can apply
what they have learned in authentic situations. If a student does well on a test of knowledge we might infer that the student
could also apply that knowledge. But that is rather indirect evidence. I could more directly check for the ability to apply by
asking the student to use what they have learned in some meaningful way. To return to an example I have used elsewhere, if I
taught someone to play golf I would not check what they have learned with just a written test. I would want to see more direct,
authentic evidence. I would put my student out on a golf course to play. Similarly, if we want to know if our students can
interpret literature, calculate potential savings on sale items, test a hypothesis, develop a fitness plan, converse in a foreign
language, or apply other knowledge and skills they have learned, then authentic assessments will provide the most direct
evidence.

Traditional Assessment - are the conventional methods of testing which usually produce a written document, such as quiz,
exam, or paper. Traditional assessment refers to such testing techniques as multiple choice questions, fill-in-the-blanks, true-
false, matching, and essays. Traditional assessments refer to conventional methods of testing, usually standardized and use pen
and paper with multiple-choice, true or false or matching type test items.

Traditional Assessment Authentic Assessment

Purpose: to evaluate if the students have learned the
content; to determine whether or not the students are
successful in acquiring knowledge; to ascribe a grade for
them; to rank and compare them against standards or other
learners
Purpose: to measure students’ proficiency by asking them
to perform real life-tasks; to provide students many avenues
to learn and demonstrate best what they have learned; to
guide instruction; to provide feedback and help students
manage their own learning; to also evaluate students’
competency

Provides teachers a snapshot of what the students know Provides teachers a more complete picture of what the
students know and what they can do with what they know

Measures students’ knowledge of the content Measures students’ ability to apply knowledge of the
content in real life situations; ability to use/apply what they
have learned in meaningful ways

Requires students to demonstrate knowledge by selecting a Requires students to demonstrate proficiency by performing
response/giving correct answers; usually tests students’ relevant tasks showing application of what has been learned
proficiency through paper and pencil tests
Students are asked to choose an answer from a set of
questions (True or False; multiple choice) to test
knowledge of what has been taught.

Provides indirect evidence of learning Provides direct evidence of learning/competency; direct

demonstration of knowledge and skills by performing
relevant tasks
Requires students to practice cognitive ability to
recall/recognize/reconstruct body of knowledge that has
been taught
Tests and strengthens the students’ ability to
recall/recognize and comprehend content, but does not
reveal the students’ true progress of what they can do with
the knowledge they acquired. Only the students’ lower
level of thinking skills, (knowledge and comprehension),
are tapped.
Hides the test
Teachers serve as evaluators and students as the evaluatees:
teacher-structured
Assessment is separated from teaching and learning. Test
usually comes after instruction to evaluate if the students
have successfully learned the content.
Provides limited ways for students to demonstrate what
they have learned
Rigid and fixed
Standardized; valid and reliable
Curriculum drives assessment.
Examples:
True or False; multiple choice tests
standardized tests
achievement tests
intelligence tests
aptitude tests
 
Provides opportunities for students to construct
meaning/new knowledge out of what has been taught
Tests and strengthens the students’ ability to reason and
analyze, synthesize, and apply knowledge acquired;
Students’ higher level of cognitive skills (from knowledge
and comprehension to analysis, synthesis, application, and
evaluation) are tapped in multiple ways.
Teaches the test
Involves and engages the students in the teaching, learning
and assessment process: student structured
Assessment is integrated with instruction. Assessment
activities happen all throughout instruction to help students
improve their learning and help teachers improve their
teaching.
Provides multiple avenues for students to demonstrate best
what they have learned
Flexible and provides multiple acceptable ways of
constructing products or performance as evidence of
learning
Needs well defined criteria/rubrics and standards to
achieve reliability and validity
Assessment drives curriculum and instruction.
Examples:
demonstrations / demonstrating use of a particular
knowledge.
hands-on experiments
computer simulations
studio portfolios, strategically selecting items projects
multi-media presentations
performance of the skills, or simulations and role plays
recitals, stage plays, exhibits