Best Practices for Authentic Assessments in Learner-Centered Classrooms

Abstract

Although not new, many believe authentic assessments need to be used more frequently than traditional objective assessments in classrooms of all types and at all educational levels. Authentic assessments are subjective, provide a better picture of student learning, and require students to perform tasks more similar to what they will be required to do in the real world. While completing the assessments students also improve skills and apply knowledge from content learned in previous situations. Authentic assessments can be used to evaluate knowledge as well as soft and hard skills. Rubrics are frequently created and used by the teacher to evaluate these assessments.