Authentic Assessment
Many faculty ask us how they can gage a student's learning in an online course. They often wonder what could possibly replace the traditional lectures that have worked so well in a face-to-face classroom setting.
Luckily, there are myriad opportunities for alternative forms of assessment and activities in an online or hybrid course. Creating authentic assignments is a way to assess student learning that is contrasted to multiple choice standardized tests.
Read this detailed overview of authentic assessment provided by Indiana University's Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning.
Examples of Authentic Assessments
* NOTE: faculty development time includes designing, developing, and planning of the assessments; faculty delivery time includes moderating, communicating, grading, and providing feedback.
| Type of Assessment | Description and Uses | Faculty Role and Time Commitment | Tool(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Quiz |
Description: Auto-graded questions including multiple choice, true/false, matching, fill-in-the-blank, formula, file upload or short essay (needs manual grading). Can be timed/untimed, randomized, one or more attempts by students Use Cases: Self knowledge check, formative assessment, reduced grading effort |
Faculty Role: - Create questions and/or questions banks with answers - Add automated feedback - Grade short essay questions - Update due dates over time *Faculty Development Time: ⧫⧫⧫ *Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫ |
Canvas Quizzes |
|
Assignment |
Description: Regular assignment where students submit answers/papers in Word document, PDF, or other files by uploading to the Learning Management System (e.g. Canvas) and will typically be reviewed by the faculty only. Use Cases: Apply concepts, formative assessment, summative assessment |
Faculty Role: - Create assignment prompts - Create rubrics (if any) - Grade assignments and provide feedback - Update due dates over time Faculty Development Time: ⧫ Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫⧫⧫ |
Canvas Assignments |
|
Discussion (Whole Class ) |
Description: An asynchronous class-wide discussion that begins with prompts by the faculty; student post responses to prompt and reply to one another. Use Cases: For small class sizes; apply and clarify concepts, build faculty presence, build community, formative/summative assessment. |
Faculty Role: - Create discussion prompts - Create rubrics (if any) - Moderate and participate in discussion - Grade and provide feedback - Update due dates over time Faculty Development Time: ⧫ Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
Canvas Discussion Forum Piazza |
|
Discussion (Group) |
Description: An asynchronous discussion that happens in small groups; begins with prompts by the faculty; student post responses to prompts and reply to one another in the group Use Cases: For medium-large class sizes; apply and clarify concepts, build faculty presence, build community, formative/summative assessment. |
Faculty Role: - Create groups - Create discussion prompts - Create rubrics (if any) - Moderate and participate in discussion - Grade and provide feedback - Update due dates over time Faculty Development Time: ⧫ Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
Canvas Group Discussion Forum Piazza |
|
Peer Evaluation |
Description: A written assignment or discussion that is assigned (automatically or manually) to one or more classmates to review and critique, using the same rubric as the faculty will use to grade the assignment. Use Cases: Build community, formative practice, reduced grading effort for large classes |
Faculty Role: - Create assignment/discussion prompts - Create rubrics (if any) - Assignment peer reviews - Grade and provide feedback - Update due dates over time Faculty Development Time: ⧫⧫ Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫⧫ |
Canvas Discussion Forum or Canvas Assignments |
|
Individual Project |
Description: A larger assignment where students need to apply, analyze, evaluate or create works in different stages in order to demonstrate their learning. Use Cases: Summative Assessment |
Faculty Role: - Define project goals and milestones. - Create instructions and rubrics - Provide formative feedback on different stages - Grade and provide feedback - Update due dates over time Faculty Development Time: ⧫⧫ Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
Canvas Assignments or Discussion Forum |
|
Group Project |
Description: A larger assignment where students work in groups to apply, analyze, evaluate or create works in different stages in order to demonstrate their learning. Use Cases: Community building; summative assessment; reduced grading effort for large classes |
Faculty Role: - Assign groups - Define project goals and milestones. - Create instructions and rubrics - Provide formative feedback on different stages - Grade and provide feedback - Update due dates over time Faculty Development Time: ⧫⧫ Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫⧫⧫ |
Canvas Group Assignments or Discussion Forum Google Doc |
|
Case Study |
Description: Students are presented with realistic problems faced by professionals in the real world and are typically provided with a variety of documents outlining a specific problem or situations, and required to formulate a plan of action addressing the issue. Use Cases: Real-world application; authentic assessment; formative/summative assessment |
Faculty Role: - Create instructions and rubrics Faculty development Time: ⧫⧫ Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
Canvas Assignments or Discussion Forum |
|
Debate |
Description: Students assigned to teams to research and analyze a controversial topic based on a stance which will lead to a series of online presentation of statements and arguments by the two opposite teams. Use Cases: Real-world application; authentic assessment; community building; formative/summative assessment |
Faculty Role: - Select debate topics, create instructions and rubrics - Assign debate teams - Engage and moderate the debate - Grade and provide feedback - Update due dates over time Faculty development Time: ⧫⧫ Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
Canvas Discussion Forum Piazza |
|
Role Play |
Description: Students are assigned to act out an imaginary scenario that closely mirrors a situation that could occur in a real-world environment. Use Cases: Real-world application; authentic assessment; community building; formative/summative assessment |
Faculty Role: - Create scenarios, instructions and rubrics - Engage and moderate the play - Grade and provide feedback - Update due dates over time Faculty Development Time: ⧫⧫ Faculty Delivery Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
Canvas Discussion Forum Piazza |
Ideas for Learning Activities
| Type of Activity | Description and Uses | Faculty Role and Time Commitment | Tool(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Activity Item |
Description and Use Case(s) |
Faculty Role and Time |
Tools(s) |
|
Video (Direct to the camera) |
Description: Videos where the faculty speaks directly to the camera Use Cases: Course/module overview, concept/content demonstration, promote faculty presence |
Faculty Role: - Plan the videos - Work with eLearning to produce videos - Review videos Faculty Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
eLearning Studio |
|
Video (Screencast) |
Description: Videos where the faculty narrates while showing the screen by using a whiteboard or showing website/tools/visuals Use Cases: Detailed concept demonstration |
Faculty Role: - Plan the videos - Work with eLearning to produce videos - Review videos Faculty Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
eLearning Studio, Camtasia, Kaltura, ScreenCast-o-Matic |
|
Video (Interview or guest speaker) |
Description: Videos in which the faculty member interviews (or invites) an expert in his or her field on topics related to the course Use Cases: Build faculty presence; bring in external expertise |
Faculty Role: - Connect with and invite guest speakers - Plan the videos - Work with eLearning to produce videos - Review videos Faculty Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
eLearning Studio |
|
Video (third-party) |
Description: Videos curated from publishers or public websites, and embedded or linked in the course. Use Cases: Bring in existing professional resources; reduced production effort |
Faculty Role: - Find and select videos - Work with eLearning to assess copyright and accessibility - Update video links over time Faculty Time: ⧫⧫ |
TED,, YouTube, Vimeo, publisher content |
|
Interactive Media |
Description: Interactive learning objects which allows students to learn through simulations, branching, scenarios, or games. Use Cases: Interactive and multi-modality learning; simulation; gamification |
Faculty Role: - Work with eLearning on designing the learning object as subject matter expert - Review and provide feedback Faculty Time: ⧫⧫⧫⧫ |
Articulate, Captivate |
|
Infographic |
Description: A custom graphic that is created specifically to illustrate a course topic or clarify a course concept Use Cases: Visualized concept demonstration |
Faculty Role: - - Work with eLearning on designing the learning object as subject matter expert - Review and provide feedback Faculty Time: ⧫⧫ |
Adobe Suite, Canva |
|
Group Synchronous Session |
Description: A real-time learning session where student groups and faculty collaborate in a live online learning space. Use Cases: Build community and faculty presence; moderate group work; clarify concepts/assignments |
Faculty Role: - Create groups - Schedule and attend synchronous sessions Faculty Time: ⧫⧫ |
WebEx, Google Hangout |
|
Individual Synchronous Session |
Description: A real-time learning session where an individual student and faculty collaborate in a live online learning space. Use Cases: Build faculty presence; clarify concepts/assignments; office hours |
Faculty Role: - Schedule and attend synchronous sessions Faculty Time: ⧫⧫⧫ |
WebEx, Google Hangout |