2)+Learning+and+Research

==To extend your knowledge from page 1, click on the links below to learn more about Authentic Performance Assessment. Then help your classmates build an effective definition to include examples for Authentic Performance Assessments .==

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http://ubdeducators.wikispaces.com/====== []

How's this for a compilation of the ideas set out below?

//Authentic performance assessments enhance learning and understanding in an academic atmosphere; they allow students to perform real-life activities that relate to the world beyond school. Because of their application to and overlap with real-world tasks, these assessments are beneficial to students in other areas of knowledge. Authentic performance assessments are characterized by **choice**, allowing students to personalize methods for demonstrating their understanding of specified concepts, skills and/or topics, and also by **transparency**, whereby the desired outcomes that define proficiency are described ahead of time through some sort of rubric.// Shawna H. (attempted compilation of all suggestions set forth below)

Looking at the definitions below, I like the emphasis on "real life", "adult work" and the opportunity for students to use authentic performance tasks to demonstrate competency. Tony's definition and the underlined one (below) both do a really nice job of describing performance tasks. //How to condense these into one succinct definition??// I would add this component to our definition as well: __expectations are clearly described__ for students; rubrics do a very good job of this (assuming they are written clearly, with the necessary gradations accounting for ability and the expectations for proficiency) so students are not in the position of guessing what the instructor requires to prove understanding. In the real world, when adults work toward a goal or on a project, we know what the desired outcome is supposed to look like. If we don't achieve it, we adjust our approach; this is where the rubrics come in- students can see where they missed the mark __or__ met the expectations. Shawna H.

An authentic assessment is one that calls for a student to perform an educational learning activity that can beneficial to the student in other areas of knowledge and in later life. It should be consistent with a school's mission statement in that it seeks to make productive citizens that can perform meaningful tasks in the real world. Authentic assessments should compliment traditional assessments in an effort to enhance learning and understanding in an academic (classroom) atmosphere. Tony DuCros _

__An authentic assessment is one that calls for a student to perform **a real-life activity** that can beneficial to the student in other areas of knowledge and in later life. It should be consistent with a school's mission statement in that it seeks to make productive citizens that can perform meaningful tasks in the real world. Authentic assessments should compliment traditional assessments in an effort to enhance learning and understanding in an academic (classroom) atmosphere. **Authentic assessment would be work that an adult would do in their work, they do not take multiple-choice tests, they use authentic performance assessment.**

I'm not sure who wrote the top one but I think we need to change what I put into bold. -Michele B.__

It looks good--I was thinking that we could add that authentic assessment is a "known challenge that makes it possible to hold all students to higher standards." I was impressed with the fact that traditional tests are somewhat "secretive." I never really thought about that! Mary L. I would like to add that an authentic assessment is an oppertunity for the student to demonstrate competency in a given area. Being able to regurgitate facts as in a traditional test would not demonstrate competency. The real life activity would demonstrate the true ability of the students. Jackie P. _

These are all looking like great additions to the definition. Hmmm, how about adding something about how it relates to the backwards design model? Kindra L.

I like where we are going with this. I think we could add something about allowing students to make the task more personal to them through choice within topic, format, etc. Heidi S