Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED)

LEARNING MODULE

Module No. 19 Authentic Assessment

Subject Code : MSC 2

Subject Description : Teaching Math in the Primary Grades
Term : 1st Semester

I. Learning Objectives:

● Construct a performance task in mathematics

II. Learning Outcomes:

● Evaluate a student's ability to demonstrate understanding of core leaning objectives in a real-

world context.

III. Learning Resources:

1. Required Learning Resources

● laptop, Textbook, Print out activities, module.

2. Additional Learning Resources

● https//wwwbutte.educ

IV. Tasks to Complete:

● reading TMPG books

● home activities
● module

V. Content Items:

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Lesson 19 Authentic Assessment

INTRODUCTION
The criticisms of the traditional assessment measures and the new focus of learning standards of
acquiring the complex and essential skills needed in today's society pushed the need to rethink the
criteria and nature of the learning assessment. The proposal was to use open-ended problems, hands-on
problems, computer simulations of real-world problems, and the use of portfolio in learners' work.
These types of measures are called authentic assessment where learners are asked to perform real-
world tasks, and the criteria are based on actual performance in the field of work (Wiggins, 1989;
Archbald & Newman, 1988).
Authentic assessment is also known as the "performance assessment" or "performance task" where the
students must complete real-life activities e.g.. preparing memo or policy recommendation, which
involves reviewing and evaluating a series of documents. Performance assessment measures the
demonstrated ability to interpret, analyze, and synthesize information (Silva, 2009).

Mathematics education aims to develop learners with critical and analytical hinking skills to
solve real-life problems. Thus, mathematics classes must have tasks nd activities the same with
how the mathematicians use mathematics outside the assroom. How the students learn
mathematics inside the classroom shall not be fferent on how they will use it outside the
classroom.

Principles of Authentic Assessment

1. Authentic mathematics requires essential skills which can be measured by the ability to communicate
and ask questions, to assimilate unfamiliar information, and to work cooperatively with the team-the
mathematical skills for lifelong learning with the computer literacy. Part of mathematics literacy is the
ability to learn and assimilate new information, hence there is a need for essential skills of flexibility and
adaptability. Related to communication is the ability of leaners to articulate what they understand and
do not. Communication can be fostered in school if learners learn and use the language of mathematics,
activities provide opportunities to make conjectures and reasons. Adaptability will be developed if
learning provides multiple contexts that promote the value of mathematical interpretation in a variety
of interrelated experiences.
2. In authentic assessment, the use of multiple types of measures is possible. For example, elementary
levels may ask to find one data point, while intermediate levels the question could be to find the trends
among multiple points in the data. And the most recommended question is to identify the multiple
patterns or understanding the overall picture of the data to test the learners understanding of the
deeper structure of the data.
3. Authentic assessment is built on the accuracy of the mathematical content and interdisciplinary
integration. In geography, there are opportunities to use scaling, proportions, and ratio. In genetics,
there are opportunities to apply statistics and probability. An interdisciplinary approach provides
opportunities for different contexts. It promotes attitudes of inquiry, investigation, and sensitivity on the
interrelatedness between contents and real world.
4. Authentic assessment measures the complete picture of learners' intellectual growth. It measures the
various kinds of knowledge, measures either group or individual for different purposes. An authentic
assessment is a combination of many measures. Small group situations may be useful to measure the
ability to talk and listen, while individual assessment can be used to measure the ability to synthesize
knowledge

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5. Authentic assessment uses the dynamic and adaptive form of feedback. This is also called scaffolding
feedback where the learner can identify the skills to model and reflect and connect on their
performances. Thus, assessment becomes learning opportunities and assessment aims to measure not
only the actual performance but more important the potential.
6. Authentic assessment must take place in the context of the learning process.
7. It must consider both the learner and the situation in which the learner is assessed.
8. It must provide information on what the learner knows, what he/she does not know, and on the
development of changes in such learning.
9. Repeated measures of appropriate learning indicators must be made to obtain a clear picture of the
learner's knowledge.
10. Indicators must include cognitive and conative abilities to capture different perspectives.
11. Authentic assessment will require instruments that provide in-depth perspectives on learning. The
use of at least three different mediums in assessment to obtain the integrated picture of a learner. For
example, the use of paper and pen test, video and computer used jointly to have an authentic
understanding of the learner. Paper and pencil can use to measure the student's knowledge of facts,
concepts, procedures, and text comprehension abilities. It can also be used to measure how well the
students can critique the quality of other documents. Videos can assess communication, explanation,
summarization, listening, argumentation, question asking, and answering skills. It can also assess how
the student interacts during cooperative learning. Computers can be used to simulate realistic situations
inside the classroom, can effectively track the process of learning and the learner's response to adaptive
feedback. Computers can make possible the dynamic assessment of relevant criteria.
12. The purpose of assessment must be considered. If the assessment results will be used by the student
or the teacher, then, the tool must be available in the classroom on a regular basis, which promotes the
integration of instruction and assessment. This kind is called systemic approach of assessment, which is
often used in the context of performance assessment.

Authentic Assessment Tools

1. Presentations, debate, exhibition, written reports, videotapes of performances, demonstrations,

open-ended questions, computer simulation, hands-on execution of experiments, portfolios, and
projects
2. In-depth evaluation in the context of problem-solving. It involves individual and cooperative problem-
solving activities. Teachers must have scoring template to facilitate their task of assessing the learning.
This project provides an example of how to examine both the individual and cooperative group
problem- solving activities, provides insights on how students form their hypotheses by comparing theirs
with other hypotheses, and how to generalize concepts from one problem situation to another.
3. Use of open-ended questions will provide opportunities for learners to think for themselves and
express their ideas. Communication is fostered as well as writing tasks. This is also an opportunity to
measure learner's misconceptions and reasoning abilities.
4. De Lange (1987) designed mathematical problem situations composed of multiple items with varying
levels of difficulty. There are five tasks: a timed written task, two-stage tasks, a take-home examination,
an essay task, and an oral task. This is a multifaceted evaluation of a learner. Stage one includes open-
ended and essay questions. These items are scored and returned to the students. In stage two, students
are provided with their scores in stage one, they are also allowed to take again the stage one tests at
home as long as they accomplish them within the agreed time. The final assessment includes the scores
of the stage one and stage two tests. Students can learn from their mistakes in the previous
stages and from feedback regarding their mistakes. The assessment process becomes interactive and
helps assists the students in reaching their potential.

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 5. Portfolio assessment is also a recommended form of authentic or performance- based assessment.
However, there is a caution in creating guidelines on how to score the portfolios because of the
existence of multiple audiences.

6. Projects is an example of authentic assessment (Simonson et al, 2000). This can be made
individually or as a group. The project can possess authenticity, real-life related concepts, and
prior experience of the learners. Any type of method that displays what student know about a
certain topic can be used. (i.e., development of plans, research proposals, multimedia
presentations is considered a project). Problem-based learning requires learners to use their
problem-solving skills to respond to a given situation. For example, a scenario can be presented
and the learners either as a group or individual will be asked to provide strategies or solutions.
The learners may provide their findings in various forms like multimedia presentations, role-
play, or written report.

According to Elliot (1995), to increase the effectiveness of performance or authentic

assessment, teachers must pay attention to the following details:

• Select assessment tasks that are clearly aligned or connected to what has been
taught.
● Involve the learner in the formulation of scoring criteria for the assessment task and share the final
criteria prior to working on the task.
• Provide and explain, if necessary, the clear statements of learning standards and/or other models of
acceptable/ best performances prior to engagement on assessment tasks.
• Explain the importance of completing the self-assessment tool in improving their performances.
• Provide examples of interpreting the student's performances by comparing it to learning standards
that are developmentally appropriate or compare it to other student's performances.

VI. Summary:

Authentic assessment addresses the concerns that traditional assessments cannot answer. In the
Philippines, authentic assessment is encouraged through the use of the GRASPS framework.

VII. Review Questions:

There are many forms of authentic assessment to ensure collaborative effort, interaction, and active
participation of learners. The Department of Education recommends the use of GRASPS framework in
giving and assessing performance tasks. GRASPS stands for:

Goal The statement of problem or challenge to be solved

Role Explains the scenario, role of students, and what are they being
asked to do
Who they need to convince; who they present the
Audience output/outcome or propose solution to the problems;
the audience is not limited to the teacher

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 Provides the context of the situation and any
Situation
additional factors affecting the situation
Explains the product or performance that needs to be created, its
Product, Performance, Purpose purpose

Standards and Criteria for Explains the learning standards that must be met and each
Success criterion of evaluating the product/performance and how the
output will be judged by the audience

Following is an example of a performance task for Grade 3 Statistics and Probability.

1. Statistics and Probability Learning Standards for Grade 3

Content Standard Performance Standards Learning Competencies

The learner demonstrates The learner is able to Collects Collects data on one variable
understanding of tur graphs data on one variable create and using existing records
and outcomes of an event interpret simple representations
using the terms sure, likely, of data (tables and single bar Sorts, classifies, and organizes
equally likely, unlikely, and graphs) and describe outcomes of
data in tabular form and
impossible to happen. familiar events using the terms
presents this into a vertical or
sure, likely, equally likely,
unlikely, and impossible to
horizontal bar graph.
happen.
Infers and interprets data
presented in different kinds of
bar graphs (vertical/horizontal)

Solves routine and non-routine

problems using data presented
in a single-bar graph.

2. GRASP

The parents-teacher council of an elementary school agreed to have an

Goal educational field trip for the students per grade level. In Grade 3, there are
data needed before making decisions:

● How many students in the whole Grade 3 population will be joining the
field trip?

● Given the proposed educational places, choose only three that they will
visit for a one-day educational field trip.

● Propose a time, sequence in visiting the three places (based on the result
of the previous data).

Your section is in charge of collecting data that will support the plans,
Role decisions, and proposal. The whole section will be divided into three
groups. Each group will collect data and answer one unique question from
the problem statement. You need to collect, present, and explain the data.

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 Each group will present the outputs of the activity to the class with the
Audience principal, other Grade 3 teachers and some parent officers who are
involved in the planning
Situation Prior to gathering the data, you have to prepare a question that aims to
seek the answer to your respective question. The prepared question has to
be submitted for approval of your section adviser, Two weeks will be
allotted to do all the preparations, data gathering of all Grade 3 students,
and to make presentations of the data. You may consult your section
adviser or any one of your teachers within the conduct of the activities
(scaffolding or adaptive feedback). After two weeks, the finding and
recommendations will be presented to the audience.
Product, The outcomes of the activities are the data necessary to answer the
Performance, posed questions and recommendations for the educational field trip
Purpose of Grade 3 students.

Standards and The learning standards involve in this activity is presented in a separate
Criteria for Success table below. These learning standards will also be presented to the whole
class prior at the outset.

The criteria to evaluate the students' output will be clarity of the questions
to be asked among the Grade 3 students, creativity and accuracy of the
data presentation, accuracy of the data interpretation, and feasibility of the
answer or proposal. The rubrics to be used will be on the next table.

3. Rubrics on the evaluation of the GRASPS output

Criteria Excellent (10 points) Developing to Beginner (5 points)

Excellent (7 points)
Clarity of activity Only one or two Three to four statements Five or more
questions statements need need improvement statements need
improvement improvement
Creativity and The single bar graph With one to two errors in With three or more
accuracy of the data has no numerical error; the single bar graph; uses errors in the bar graph
presentation uses other labels or labels or colors but not
colors to emphasize quite successful
the data per bar graph

Accuracy of the data No mistake in the With one to two mistakes With three or more
interpretation interpretation of bar mistakes
graph

Feasibility of the The proposal is 100% The proposal has some The proposal is not
answer/proposal feasible and based on minor recommendations feasible
the presented data

VIII. Assessments:

A.
Answer the following Verbalize your understanding of the portfolio assessment,

How do performance tasks assess the Achievement of 21st century goals?

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B.

The following questions will challenge your critical thinking skills about the use of authentic
assessment

1. What elements of the authentic assessment measure makes it better than traditional assessment?
Why?
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