other contexts.

Using both types of

What's the Difference
criteria to assess students in any one of
the three tasks about the Civil War
should show us whether students are
Between Authentic and
seeing the period in historical perspec
tive, as well as making links to their Performance Assessment?
own experience.
conference with his or her teacher to
How Can We Assure CAROL A. MEYER determine which paper from the

P
Expert Judgments? erformance assessment and student's portfolio to submit for
The ability to use the criteria to deter authentic assessment are often assessment purposes. The papers in
mine the quality of students' work is used interchangeably, but do the portfolio have not been generated
what we mean by expert judgment, and they mean the same thing? Although under standardized conditions but,
it is far from the subjective process both labels might appropriately apply rather, represent the ongoing work of
some fear. Because the criteria are to some types of assessment, they are the student for the year. All the papers
known in advance to the students (and not synonymous. We must be clear were developed by the student, with
teachers use them to design learning about the differences if we are to as much or as little time allocated to
experiences that lead up to the support each other in developing each of the Writing-as-a-Process
appraisal), assessment becomes a improved assessments. stages as he or she saw fit
matter of gathering evidence in the Is Case 1 an example of a perfor
student's performance to support a Two Examples mance assessment? Yes. The
judgment whether each criterion is met. To distinguish between the two terms, students are asked to perform specific
Some criteria we might identify to let's look at a familiar form of assess behaviors that are to be assessed: to
assess students' ability to perform any ment with which we have a wealth of prove that they can write, the students
of the three tasks about the Civil War experience. Following are two exam produce a writing sample. Is Case 2
noted above might include: ples of a direct writing assessment in an example of a performance assess
1. A ccurately uses information from which students produce writing ment? Yes, also. The portfolio
the historical period (no evidence of samples. contains numerous examples of actual
anachronisms). When students use Cose 1: Every May school district X student performance, although much
information to create a picture of life conducts a direct writing assessment of the structure associated with
in a specific historical period, the For four days, all students at selected testing has been removed.
teacher can see the depth of their grade levels participate in a standard Is Case 1 an example of an authentic
understanding; obviously, the presence ized series of activities to produce their assessment? No. While the students
of 20th century devices (televisions, writing samples. Using a carefully are asked to perform the specific
fax machines), for example, would scripted manual, teachers guide behavior to be assessed, the context is
reveal problems in a student's grasp of students through the assessment with contrived. In real life, individuals
the period. limited teacher directions and seldom write under the conditions
2. Uses sufficient detail to create a extended student writing time (up to imposed during a standardized direct
sense of what it was like for people 45 minutes) each day: Topic Introduc writing assessment. Is Case 2 an
who lived at the time under study. tion and Pre-writing (Day 1), Rough example of an authentic assessment?
This criterion calls upon the teacher's Drafting (Day 2), Revising and Editing Yes. Performance is assessed in a
and students' sense of "how much is (Day 3), and Final Copying and Proof context more like mat encountered in
enough?" The teacher should talk reading (Day 4). The assessment real life; for example, students inde
through the need for the performance clearly supports the Writing-as-a- pendently determined how long to
to satisfy an audience's need: Who Process instructional model. spend on the various stages of the
will read what the student produces? Cose 2: School district Y also writing process, creating as many or as
What context-setting information will conducts a direct writing assessment few rough drafts as they saw necessary
the audience need? How much annually in May. Each student has a to complete their final copies.
description and how many examples

MAY 1992
 As we can see, performance assess multiple-choice questions about
ment refers to the kind of student sentences and paragraphs, which
response to be examined; authentic instead measure the student's ability to will be enough to paint a vivid picture
assessment refers to the context in proofread other people's writing, and for the reader? Having the teacher and
which mat response is performed. require a high degree of inference students explore beforehand the
While not all performance assessments about the student's ability to write. meaning of "sufficient detail" can be
are authentic, it is difficult to imagine In an authentic assessment, the an effective way to make the criterion
an authentic assessment that would not student not only completes or demon clear to students.
also be a performance assessment, strates the desired behavior, but also 3. Draws out relationships or
does it in a real-life context. "Real comparisons between that period of
Criteria for Authenticity life" may be in terms of the student history ami the present. This criterion
To determine whether a given perfor (for example, the classroom) or an addresses critical thinking needed to
mance assessment is authentic, we adult expectation. The significant make relationships, draw inferences,
must ask. "Authentic to what?" It is a criterion for the authenticity of a and engage in analysis. Both the
seemingly simple question, but one writing assessment might be that the teacher and students should examine
whose answer may be complex. The locus of control rests with the student; the appropriateness and accuracy of
following are just a few facets of that is, the student determines the the comparisons. Are these only the
authenticity: stimuli, task complexity, topic, the time allocated, the pacing, most obvious? Are they the most
locus of control, motivation, spon and the conditions under which the significant? Understanding and
taneity, resources, conditions, criteria, writing sample is generated. making relationships is not a skill that
standards, consequences. needs to wait until middle or high
Some of these points may be more Implications for Educators school. Elementary school children
critical than others in a particular What significance do these definitions can learn to identify similarities and
assessment The assessor needs to have for educators? First, when we differences.
make that determination. But in read materials or attend presentations, 4. Uses affective language in
labeling an assessment as authentic, we must determine whether the dealing with the experiences of people
i . the assessor must specify in what authors or presenters are sensitive to +- in history and today. This criterion
respects the assessment is authentic. the distinction between the two terms. requires preparation, as do the others.
Moreover, because authenticity has a We must be particularly cautious of in the learning experiences that build
multidimensional nature, some assess generalizing from information up to the assessment. Our traditional
ments are more authentic than others. provided by individuals who use the testing practices have not emphasized
Ironically, the most authentic assess terms interchangeably. affective goals. What better way to
ment in many situations can probably Second, we must become informed begin to make history meaningful than
not be contrived for purposes of testing, consumers when purchasing tests, to see it as affecting the way people
for then it would no longer be totally assessment programs, or other mate feel about their lives? Both the teacher
authentic. Educators and assessors rials being marketed as either perfor and students need to ask questions
must thus be explicit about which mance or authentic assessments. Buzz like: Does the affective language
facets of authenticity are most critical. words sell, unfortunately, so beware. capture what it might feel like to live
Third, when planning an assess in a period of war. given the circum
Proposed Definitions ment, we must carefully identify the stances of the time? Does the student
Two definitions may help further clari purpose in order to determine whether link the way people in that period
fy the distinction between the two terms. performance assessment — authentic might have felt with his or her own
In a performance assessment, the or not — is relevant. Only appropriate feelings in a similar experience?
student completes or demonstrates the matches will improve assessment of By being explicit and open about the
same behavior that the assessor desires student learning. criteria and giving students many
to measure. There is a minimal examples of excellent work, we give
degree, if any, of inference involved. them guidelines for improvement.
Carol A. Meyer is an Evaluation
; For example, if the behavior to be Specialist in the Planning and Evaluation
measured is writing, the student Department at Beaverton School District, How Can We Provide Feedback?
writes. The student does not complete P.O. Box TOO, Beaverton, OR 97075. Because the types of performances
we've described do not reflect single

40 EDUCATIONAL LI-.ADKR.SHIP
Copyright © 1992 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development. All rights reserved.