With small changes assessments can become more authentic. For example an assessment can become more authentic by increasing the alignment of assessment tasks to real-world situations and the inclusion of complex tasks that will challenge and empower students to develop their capacity to make effective judgments.
Check out the resources in this toolkit for ways to build more authenticity into your assessments or help nudge along one of the framework dimensions. These include How to Enhance the Authenticity of Assessment, Authentic Assessment Rubrics and Authentic Assessment Checklist and Authentic Assessment Tips for Large Class Groups.
You could use the above Authentic Assessment Radar Diagram to explore different aspects of the framework relative to each other, perhaps identifying areas of strength or areas for future development. Download a Radar Diagram Authenticity Radar Image.
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Adapted from a Model developed by Bosco and Ferns (2014), the above Visual Indicator grids is provided to encourage individual reflection or to trigger discussion within staff teams around the authenticity of a specific module assessment or assessment strategy across the curriculum. Consider: Where would you position your assessment methods in the diagram? Is there an appropriate spread of methods or are there clusters within a particular quadrant? Download a Blank authencity quadrant here.
Or example, you might like to take each Framework dimension separately to consider how different assessments can contribute to the development of student self-efficacy across a programme. You can download blank visual trajectories for each of the framework dimensions here: Cognitive Challenge Trajectory Realism Trajectory Critical Reflection Trajectory Feedback Process Trajectory or check out our sample trajectories. Discuss with your programme team and consider if you agree with where these assessment types have been placed.
For further guidance on Enhancing Feedback please refer to our guide: Effective Feedback
and further advice on Developing Students Critical Reflection Skills please refer to our guide Critical Reflection
Prof-ASSESS Podcast EP3 - Partnering on Authentic Assessment
In episode 3 (34 mins) – ‘Partnering on Authentic Assessment’ – we discuss authentic assessment with representatives from three PSRBs in the areas of Law, Engineering, and Chartered Surveying. We spoke to Dr Darren Carthy (Engineers Ireland), James Lonergan (SCSI) and Dr Eimear Brown and Marcella Higgins from King’s Inns, Ireland’s oldest School of Law, about the roles of their organisations, their understandings of authenticity in assessment, and the ways in which programme teams and PSRBS might partner in this space. This episode also features further contributions, including practical tips for programme teams, from our three authentic assessment experts Professors Sally Brown, Kay Sambell, and Lydia Arnold.
Click on the image below to play.
(Links to Episode two and Episode One)
