Authentic Assessment – What, Why, and ExamplesTraditional early childhood assessments focus on what children can do in specific domains at a particular time. These assessments often rely on direct observations of children’s skills and abilities to make inferences about their learning. Show
However, recent years have seen a shift towards more authentic forms of assessment. This type of assessment concerns what children can do in real-world contexts and how they can apply their learning in new and different situations. Besides being a more comprehensive approach, the authentic assessment also reflects more profoundly and accurately on a child’s progress. But, more importantly, it eliminates the limitations posed by the conventional checklist assessment. What is Authentic Assessment?The most concise and apt authentic assessment definition is that it is an approach to assessment that focuses on measuring how well students can perform tasks that are meaningful and relevant to real-world experiences. In an authentic assessment, the emphasis is on what students can do with their knowledge rather than memorizing facts or reproducing information from lectures. To be considered authentic, an assessment task must meet specific criteria. It must be: Purposeful: The task must be connected to a real-world problem or scenario. In-depth: The task must require students to use their knowledge and skills to complete it. Complex: It must be open-ended and allow for different solutions. Components of Authentic AssessmentAuthentic assessment relies heavily on observation. Therefore, the teacher regularly observes the student and reflects on their progress through a learning story. Framework Selection The DRDP has three versions:
Other popular frameworks for authentic assessment include the Reggio Emilia Approach and the Project Approach. Educa’s DRDP rating tool allows teachers to use the respective framework for efficiently reporting the child’s progress. Learning Stories
Educa’s Learning Story Academy provides paid training on learning stories and professional development courses led by experts from around the world. Linking to Framework Measures Essentially, the goal of learning stories is for them to be linked to domains or measures of the chosen frameworks. For instance, the Essential View subsection of DRDP has 29 measures. Learning stories should be able to show evidence of the child’s progress concerning these measures. In addition, it allows educators to have a more holistic understanding of where the child is developmentally and what areas they need support. When writing a learning story, it is essential to use language accessible to both parents and administrators. In addition, the focus should be on the child’s strengths rather than on their weaknesses. Since it can be tricky for teachers to use MS Word or Google Docs to link learning stories with framework measures, it’s best to use an online learning story solution like that from Educa. In addition, since educators can instantly share reports with parents, there’s plenty of room for real-time input and collaboration. Reporting The final step in the authentic assessment process is to compile all gathered data and observations into a report. The report should show the child’s progress over time and identify where they may need additional support. As a DRDP assessment vendor, Educa strives to create customized snapshots for every state in North America, allowing teachers to visualize how closely they’ve covered the framework measures. With Educa’s offering, teachers will be able to export customized reports for different frameworks or format them to be printed later. Characteristics of Authentic AssessmentEarly childhood educators have long been using authentic assessment to track children’s progress and development. However, the term “authentic assessment” has only recently become popular in educational circles. Here are some of its essential characteristics: Observation Parent Involvement Identification Interpretation Outcomes of Authentic AssessmentsAuthentic assessments in early childhood are meant to provide educators with a more thorough understanding of children’s abilities, interests, and learning styles. Unlike standardized tests, which often focus on one specific skill or content area, authentic assessments consider the whole child.
Advantages of Authentic Assessment Over Traditional Assessment Types in Early ChildhoodAuthentic assessment has several advantages over traditional forms of assessment. First, it allows children to demonstrate their accurate level of understanding and ability. Educators can then provide targeted instruction that meets the child’s needs with this information. Second, an authentic assessment provides a more well-rounded picture of the child. It can prove to be very helpful in identifying the child’s cognitive approach, level of expression, and interaction with surrounding people and objects. Third, authentic assessments are often more valuable than traditional assessments because they assess how well children can apply what they have learned to real-world situations. It is imperative in early childhood when children begin to learn how to transfer their knowledge and skills to new situations. Finally, authentic assessments tend to be more engaging for both the child and the educator. They often involve active tasks that allow the child to explore and experiment. Such assessments can foster a love of learning in the child and help build a strong foundation for future academic success. Authentic Assessment ExamplesThere are several different ways in which educators can go about conducting authentic assessments. One standard method is to have children complete tasks or projects related to the material they have been learning in class. For example, if a child has been studying animals, they may be asked to create a diorama depicting the natural habitat of one animal. Another example would be if a child has been learning about different types of rocks, they could be asked to create a rock collection. In both of these cases, the child must use what they have learned to complete the assessment. In addition, teachers can use inferences from these activities to create learning stories for their students. Suppose you ask your students to create the natural habitat of an animal they learned about last week. Here’s how you may write a learning story about a child (let’s call her Jane).
Such a story will be a delight to read not only for Jane but for her parents too. In the end, you can add a comment section and speak to the parents directly.
Observations for a Learning StoryLet’s continue with the same example and explore which observations allowed you to write such a great learning story for Jane. Here are some of the things you might have observed:
When writing a learning story, it is crucial to focus on the child’s strengths. In this case, you might want to focus on how well Jane understood the material and was able to apply it creatively. By virtue of the authentic assessment definition, the resulting learning story should be valued by the child’s parents/caregivers, clinicians, and even the teacher who’ll teach them next year. Simply put, it should provide an insight into the child’s capabilities. Channel Authentic Assessments Through Learning StoriesRegardless of the types of authentic assessment, you can use learning stories to report on the child’s progress. Educa’s learning story software allows you to make the assessment personal, observational, and child-centered. Plus, you can use customizable templates and built-in frameworks to create stories that become keepsakes for the children and their parents. Which is better authentic assessment vs traditional assessment?Traditional vs. Authentic Assessment. Why authentic assessment is better that traditional assessment?* Authentic assessments require students to be effective performers with acquired knowledge. Traditional tests tend to reveal only whether the student can recognize, recall or “plug in” what was learned out of context. This may be as problematic as inferring driving or teaching ability from written tests alone.
What makes the authentic assessment better than other assessment tools?Benefits of Authentic Assessment
Notably, authentic assessment breaks the traditional paradigm of multiple-choice or automatically scoring tests and quizzes, which can lead students to believe that learning means staying up all night and cramming to memorize terms or expected answers.
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