Authentic Assessment Practices

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Authentic Assessment Practices

• Back to School Night
• September 2004

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• There was a frail man walking down a deserted
  beach just before sunset. In the distance he saw
  a young boy. As he approached the young boy, the
  old man saw him pulling a net into the sea. The
  old man gazed in wonder as the boy pulled, and
  pulled, and pulled. The old man asked, Young
  boy, why are you spending so much energy pulling
  your net into the sea? There are no fish there.

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• The young boy explained that the net would keep
  the starfish from washing onto the beach that
  night and dying in the morning sun.

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• But young boy, replied the old man, there are
  nice people here who spend their mornings
  throwing the starfish back into the sea. Yes,
  said the boy, but there are thousands of beaches
  and millions of starfish!

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• Are they able to reach every one? The old man
  looked out to sea and imagined all the starfish
  that would wash onto the beach that night. After
  a while, he helped the boy pull his net into the
  sea and exclaimed,  

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Your net makes a difference for every one!
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Significance of the story

• Theory of learning
• In order for meaningful learning to take place,
  students have to interpret information and relate
  it to their own prior knowledge..need to not only
  know how to perform, but when to perform, and
  how to change the performance to fit new manifest
  situations. (North Central Regional Educational
  Laboratory, 1991)

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Significance of the story

• Brain research
• Howard Gardner postulated that the multiple
  intelligences theory would allow people to assess
  the talents and skills of the whole individual

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Each student in the classroom has different
intelligences

• Spatial Intelligence
• Mathematical/Logical
• Verbal/Linguistic Intelligence
• Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence
• Musical Intelligence
• Interpersonal Intelligence
• Intrapersonal Intelligence
• Naturalistic Intelligence
• Multiple Intelligences

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Authentic Assessment When Used in Conjunction
With Multiple Intelligences

• Helps to develop a positive self-esteem
• Invites students to have an integral part in
  their learning and education
• Motivates the learner
• Provides for a Thorough and Efficient Education
  for ALL students

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Why Use the Multiple Intelligence Approach?

• educators need to honor the diversity of
  students and understand than not all students can
  achieve the standards at the same time and by
  only one mode of instruction or one method of
  assessment

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What is Authentic Assessment?

• An authentic assessment activity actively
  involves students in a process that joins what is
  taught, and how it is evaluated.

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Why Use Authentic Assessment in Our Classroom?

• Benefits to students
• Requires students to develop responses rather
  than select from predetermined options
• Elicits higher order thinking in addition to
  basic skills

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Why Use Authentic Assessments?

• Developing an effective assessment program is
  imperative, especially since nearly one-third of
  a classroom teacher's time is spent assessing and
  evaluating students (Ferrara and McTighe, 1998,
  p.vii).

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Why Use Authentic Assessments and Multiple
Intelligences?

• Because our population has become more mobile,
  our classrooms have become more diversified-
  ethnically, socially, academically, and
  emotionally.

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Why Use Authentic Assessment in Our Classroom?

• Uses samples of student work (portfolios)
  collected over an extended time period
• Stems from clear criteria made known to students
• Allows for the possibility of multiple human
  judgments

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Why Use Authentic Assessment in Our Classroom?

• Relates more closely to classroom learning
• Teaches students to evaluate their own work
• http//www.understanding.com/authentic_assessment.
  cfm

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Types of Assessments Students Will Receive

• Informal teacher observation
• Observations recorded per checklist
• Open ended response
• Peer assessment
• Performance based assessment-real life situation
  applied to previous
  learned skills

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• Students reading logs (science logs, math logs,
  etc.)
• Video/audio tap
• Murals
• models
• Informal reading inventory

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• Hands on assessment activities
• In-class discussion
• Notebook entries
• Oral reports
• Portfolios
• Skills checklist

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• Dioramas
• Collaged
• Paintings
• Models
• Simulation
• Role playing
• Dance

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Example of Authentic Assessment and Multiple
Intelligences
Subject Three branches of government
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What is the task through which students will
demonstrate their understanding?

• identify the roles and function of the three
  branches of government of each branch of
  government executive, judicial, and
  legislative, and apply it to everyday life

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Activity

• Role play various scenarios where citizens depend
  on their government to assist them
• Create an artifact box with manipulative that
  represent various jobs within government
  branches
• Have students interview each other with
  audio/videotape about the functions of government
• Create PowerPoint presentation about each branch
  of government
• Utilize both student-created and teacher-created
  tests

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Instructional strategies

• Read and discuss corresponding text pages
• Differentiate according to the projects chosen,
  based on learning styles and instructional
  choices

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How will students be involved in reflective
activities so they will be able to explain and
discuss their progress?

• Students will work together with the teacher to
  develop a rubric
• Students will self-evaluate their performance

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How will the authentic assessment be evaluated?

• Performance will be evaluated according to a
  pre-established rubric created by teacher and
  students
• Assessment will be evaluated to measure
  understanding and connection to material studied
• Assessment will be graded holistically with
  teacher/student conferences to be needed

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What in the world is a rubric?

• Rubrics are based on a fixed measurement scale as
  well as pre-determined criteria, using past
  student products as a benchmark. A rubric, or
  checklist, provides the student with a guideline
  to focus the task-at-hand and allows them to
  respond to pre-determined criteria.

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• While allowing the student to self-evaluate their
  progress as an ongoing activity or as a final
  product, the teacher becomes the facilitator,
  involving the students in the process, motivating
  them to strive towards mutually accepted
  standards.

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Example of a rubric

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• Haiku Rubric
•  
• Contains descriptive words and phrases that
  
• Communicates thoughts and/or feelings (10 pt.)
• Follows three line (5-7-5 )syllable format (20
  pt.)
• Spelling (20 pt.)
• Picture accompanies the haiku (10 pt.)
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• Haiku is completed on time(10 pt.)
• Haiku and picture are neat (10 pt.)
• Total

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References

• Gardner H. Hatch, T. (1989) Multiple
  Intelligences Go to School Educational
  Implications of the Theory of Multiple
  Intelligences. Educational Researcher 18.84-10.
• Abrutyn, L. Danielson, C. (1997). An
  Introduction to Using Portfolios in the
  Classroom. Virginia Association for
  Supervision and Curriculum Development

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References

• http//www.understanding.com/authentic_assessment.
  cfm
• Ferrara, S. McTighe J. (1998). Assessing
  Learning in the Classroom. National Educational
  Association.