Alternative and Authentic Assessment
Authentic assessments include portfolios, performance, and observations. How have you used authentic assessment in your online course?
The university that I work with uses weekly discussion questions as a means to assess student performance. The discussion questions provided are directly tied to the course objectives. We also use small group projects that require student discussion via an online chat board. Instructors also have the option to incorporate a weekly summary, to provide students with the option to discuss course topics learned in the previous week.
It is good to use a variety of assessments, do you think it is adequate?
Angela,
Excellent. This is a nice way to engage students and identify what they know and don't know. As you stated, it's essential that these discussion are tied to course outcomes/objectives.
Thanks for your input.
Discussion questions encourages communication within the group. Their is no clear right or wrong answer. Therefore, there is a forum for subjective discussion.
Authentic assessment is over time. I have used authentic assessment in the classroom by: discussion questions in class that all must participate in, group presentations, as well as on line testing.
Similar to Angela we use weekly discussions that are pre-selected; however, I try to incorporate "real world" situations and how what they have learned can remedy it. I would love to be able to incorporate portfolios though. This part of the course has really gotten me to thinking about I can make the class better and incorporate various learning methods into the evaluations.
In my statistics classes I ask the students to bring in examples of statistical thinking they have encountered. For example, from advertisements or political speeches. Then we discuss these in terms of what they are being told and whether there is a distortion of the facts.
I also ask them to show examples of how they are using statistics in their projects/work/lilfe. That is more "authentic" but much more difficult. Some are in the Criminal Justice program and find they are processing a lot more data into information than they realized. At this point the course material begins to click; some have revised what they are doing as interns or workers based on what they are now learning. One person actually developed a whole study of course sentencing patterns using class materials.
In the start of the term students receive their journal project which is a work in progress portfolio project. Students are meant to maintain a recipe database and build individual components into complex multi-component pastry items. Students take pictures throughout the term which helps them see their progression as they develop skills and techniques. Also, once components come together into a dessert, we cut it open and discuss structure, quality, flavor and application. Instructor feedback is important but while we discuss finished products, every student in the class has the opportunity to offer their ideas or thoughts or ask questions if they have any.
Weekly discussion board questions and a group project are typical forms of authentic assessment that are incorporated into the predetermined course design. The discussion board questions tie into the learning objectives for the course (as others have also noted for this approach). They provide opportunities for students to receive feedback from peers and the instructor as well as to learn from and assess others’ responses. The group project is a session-long effort for students to collaborate in addressing a defined, likely real-world situation, applying knowledge and experiences to prepare a comprehensive presentation of what the group has determined is the optimal response.
In addition to the predetermined elements of authentic assessment, I create several real-world situations to use throughout the session for situational role playing during weekly live chat sessions. Students are presented with a situation, divided into teams to discuss options and reach consensus on a solution, and then present the team’s position on the matter to the class. Feedback is provided by peers and the instructor followed by a discussion about alternatives.
Richard using real life encounters. This method does account as being authentic.
How do you use real life scenarios?
I too have used authentic assessment in the classroom by discussion and group presentation.
Currently I teach at an online school where the curriculum is already designed. Although there is some room to individualize our classrooms, there is not enough ability to alter assessment/evaluation techniques. How would you recommend that I try and incorporate alternative and/or authentic assessments into my classroom?
You could start simply by using case studies or springboard scenarios that will encourage students to use critical thinking and your content to solve a real world problem.
MOst of my masters degree is authentic assessments. I like these the best because it will show application based ideas!
I love to use case studies. It gives relevance to the industry.
Authentic assessment is very helpful in my area, because I can express to the student briefly the content, like for example using optimalresume, after explaining the fact of portfolio, it is easier to the student because they see a lot of examples, and the idea or outcomes is easier to build because of the samples they see online.
Presently, I am taking an on-line associates degree program in medical billing and coding with Colorado Technical University. In one of the classes, I used authentic assessment because I had to do a performance where I had to interview a manager of a coding clinic and I had to observe other participants go through the same process.
