Introduction

Authentic assessment is a relatively new term in the education field. Beattie (1997) defines authentic assessment as being assessment that uses realistic, meaningful, open-ended problems, true to a discipline. Payne (2007) defines authentic assessment as an alternative to traditional forms of assessment. Authentic assessment tests students’ ability to do a job well or creative problem solve.

Why Authentic Assessment?

Authentic assessment is not replacing traditional assessment techniques. Mueller (2006) clearly states that authentic assessment is not meant to compete with traditional assessment, rather they are meant to complement one another. The world and the education field is always changing. It is important to adapt methodology that is fresh and exciting into our curriculum. Serious changes in assessment occurred during the 1990s. According to Stankiewicz (1999) in the early 1990s assessment was being used for accountability and as an instrument of change. After the Goals 2000 national standard set the framework for authentic assessment.

How to Incorporate Authentic Assessment

So, as art educators, how are we implementing authentic assessment into our curriculums specifically? This eLecture is going to outline three easy ways art educators can include authentic assessment in their curriculum. The following assignments exemplify real life experiences for students and fit nicely into a variety of units of study in art: contests, portfolio preparation, and exhibition.

Contest Based Assignments

Assignments that are contest based present the opportunity for students to use creative problem solving skills. Students assume the role of an illustrator or a freelance artist, whom has just been given an assignment. Students need to treat the rules of each contest as being the guidelines or requests of their potential clients. Students brainstorm ideas, and with the guidance of their teacher, execute an entry for a real contest.

Portfolio Development

The second application of authentic assessment that is easily incorporated into an art education program is portfolio preparation. Beattie (1997) defines a portfolio as being a “purposeful collection of student work that tells a story of the student’s efforts, progress, or achievement in (a) given area(s)”. The use of a portfolio motivates and challenges students to reflect and communicate their ideas to not only their art teacher, but to admission administrators from institutes of higher learning.

Student Exhibition

The final suggested application of authentic assessment is student exhibitions. Exhibition can also be viewed as being a performance assessment strategy. It allows students and educators to view and examine the quality and growth of students (Beattie, 1997). Students, their families, and their educators have the opportunity to display and showcase talents that might otherwise go unnoticed.

References

Beattie, Donna Kay. (1997). Assessment in Art Education. Worcester, Massachusetts:
Davis Publications, Inc.

Mueller, John. (2006). Authentic Assessment Toolbox. Retrieved 3/3/2007 from
http://jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/howstep2.htm

Payne, Joyce. (2007). A Guide to Authentic Assessments. Retrieved 3/3/2007 from
htt://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3337/

Shuler, Scott C. & Selena Connealy. The Evolution of State Art Assessment: From
Sisyphus to Stone Soup. Art Education Policy Review. 100(1) Retrieved 3/5/2007 from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=8&hid=105&sid=c02fe11b...

Stankiewicz, Mary Ann. (1999). Spinning the Arts NAEP. Arts Education Policy
Review. 101(1), 29-32. Retrieved 3/5/2007 from
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=7&hid=105&sid=c02fe11b...