Authentic assessment encourages the integration of teaching, learning and assessing.

2. And a scoring guide/rubric by which their performance on the task will be evaluated.

Photo by: Runs with Scissors

1. An authentic assessment includes an authentic task for students to perform.

Think of authentic assessment development in four steps

Step 1: Indentify your Objectives(Outcomes)

Objectives (Outcomes) are a description of what a student is expected to attain in order to meet a specified learning outcome or objective. 

Objectives (Outcomes) are typically one-sentence statements of what students should know and be able to do at a certain point. Photo by: Pragmagraphr

An authentic task is an assignment to assess how learners apply objective-driven knowledge and skills to real-world challenges.

We are less interested in how much information students can acquire than how well they can use it.

ASK

"What does good performance on this task look like?" or

"How will I know they have done a good job on this task?"

These questions identify the criteria for good performance on the task.

The criteria is used to evaluate how well students completed the task, and how well they have met your objectives.

Is each criterion...

Give the criteria to students before they begin a task

Criteria should be given to students before they begin a task to:

•Know the instructor's expectations.

•Recognize what a good performance should look like.

Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)

Number of Sources

x1 1-4 5-9 10-12

Historical Accuracy

x3 Lots of historical inaccuracies

Few inaccuracies No apparent inaccuracies

Organization x1 Can not tell from which source information came

Can tell with difficulty where information came from

Can easily tell which sources info was drawn from

Bibliography x1 Bibliography contains very little information

Bibliography contains most relevant information

All relevant information is included

A rubric, or scoring scale, is typically created to measure student performance against your set of criteria.

The rubric contains the essential criteria for the task and appropriate levels of performance for each criterion.

ExampleThis rubric (scoring scale) covers the research portion of a project.

Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)

Number of Sources

x1 1-4 5-9 10-12

Historical Accuracy

x3 Lots of historical inaccuracies

Few inaccuracies No apparent inaccuracies

Organization x1 Can not tell from which source information came

Can tell with difficulty where information came from

Can easily tell which sources info was drawn from

Bibliography x1 Bibliography contains very little information

Bibliography contains most relevant information

All relevant information is included

A rubric is comprised of two components:  criteria and levels of performance. 

•Every rubric has at least two criteria and at least two levels of performance. 

•The criteria, characteristics of good performance on a task, are listed in the left-hand column in the rubric.

•For each criterion, determine to what degree the student has met the level of performance.

Levels of Performanc

e

Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)

Number of Sources

x1 1-4 5-9 10-12

Historical Accuracy

x3 Lots of historical inaccuracies

Few inaccuracies No apparent inaccuracies

Organization x1 Can not tell from which source information came

Can tell with difficulty where information came from

Can easily tell which sources info was drawn from

Bibliography x1 Bibliography contains very little information

Bibliography contains most relevant information

All relevant information is included

In the second-to-left column of a rubric a weight is assigned to each criterion.

Example•Students can receive 1, 2 or 3 points for "number of sources." But historical accuracy is weighted three times (x3) as heavily.

•Students can receive 3, 6 or 9 points (i.e., 1, 2 or 3 times 3) for the level of accuracy in their projects.

Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)

Number of Sources

x1 1-4 5-9 10-12

Historical Accuracy

x3 Lots of historical inaccuracies

Few inaccuracies

No apparent inaccuracies

Organization x1 Can not tell from which source information came

Can tell with difficulty where information came from

Can easily tell which sources info was drawn from

Bibliography x1 Bibliography contains very little information

Bibliography contains most relevant information

All relevant information is included

Descriptors describe what is expected of students at each level of performance for each criterion.

•A descriptor tells students more precisely what performance looks like at each level and how their work may be distinguished from the work of others for each criterion.

•Students will be more certain what is expected to reach each level of performance on the rubric if descriptors are provided.

•A descriptor helps the instructor more precisely and consistently distinguish between student work.

Criteria Poor (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)

Number of Sources

x1

Historical Accuracy

x3

Organization x1

Bibliography x1

When you first construct and use a rubric you might not include descriptors.

For example, imagine we strip the rubric of its descriptors and put in labels for each level instead.

You might just include the criteria and some type of labels for the levels of performance.

After you have used the rubric and identified student work that fits into each level it will become easier to articulate what you mean by "good" or "excellent." 

The criteria are characteristics of good performance on a task.

1. What are the 6 recommended guidelines for each criterion?

2. Write one criterion for one of your tasks by applying each of the 6 recommended guidelines.

Writing Good Descriptors for Each Level of Performance and Each Criterion is not Easy

1. What do descriptors describe? 2. How do descriptors help:

a) Students b) Teachers

3. Write one descriptor for the criterion you previously wrote.