EED323 5 Authentic Assessment Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

EED323 5 Authentic Assessment Paper - Essay Example It is, after all, not sufficient for most uses for the student to have memorized information but have no idea how to apply it. This is especially important in most sciences, since information is useless until it is applies to a real world problem. Therefore, in order to fulfill the need for authentic assessment in science teaching, students must demonstrate that they have identified and retained correct information and be able to use correct procedures to apply that information to the resolution of real world problems. Authentic assessment is a form of assessment in which students perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills. Or, as Grant Wiggins (1993) describes it, authentic measures are â€Å"engaging and worthy problems or questions of importance, in which students must use knowledge to fashion performances effectively and creatively. (Mueller, Jon 2005) Students must â€Å"interact with the physical world – drop objects, observe butterfly larvae, measure length and speed, plant seeds and watch the seedlings sprout, build electric circuits and test them – and they must participate in the world of ideas – design experiments, test theories, hypothesize, predict, discuss, and argue† (Hein & Price, 1994, p. 12). Step three is where the actual method of assessment is created. For example, the teacher might assess students by having them participate in a group discussion of a problem, either in front of the class or just of the teacher. A rubric to identify the various components for solving the problem could be used to grade each participant. For example: This is a very simple example. The teacher can expand upon this as needed. An example of how this could be used would be to ask the students to resolve this problem: How do you measure quarts of liquid using only one five quart bottle and one three quart bottle. (Any interesting combination of measures could be used for this.) They need to