In unpacking the driving question, 'What role does ‘authentic assessment’ play in ensuring student success and what 'teacher tool' could be invented to incorporate the concept of 'backward design' in the assessment process?', it is essential to clearly define the key terms contained within.
Authentic assessment is... ‘a form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills’ (Mueller, 2010). It provides the learners with ‘engaging and worthy problems’ (Wiggins, 1993, p.229) that allow them to... ‘demonstrate (their) specific skills and competencies’ (Stiggins, 1987, p.34). In short, an authentic assessment task asks the learners to perform meaningful tasks that replicate real world challenges. It allows assessment to drive the curriculum, with the Learning Manager (LM) first determining a task, then a curriculum to enable the learners to perform that task as they acquire the relevant knowledge and skills in the process (Mueller, 2010). This concept is known as ‘planning backwards’ (McDonald, 1992; Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).
Traditionally, ‘Student Success’ was defined as being able to read and write and to have a fundamental knowledge of maths and science (Make it stick, 2010). However, with the advent of the knowledge economy, student success now includes in its definition the need for learners to apply skills like critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork in order to successfully prepare for 21st century expectations (Make it stick, 2010). With this in mind, Messersmith defined ‘Student Success’ as being: ‘the ability of a student to support himself or herself in this society after completing the educational process’ (Messersmith, 2007).
‘Invention’, as it is used in the DoL manual, is defined as: developing unique products or processes that fulfil perceived needs (Marzano, & Pickering, 1997). It provides a means to answer questions like: ‘“There has to be a better way to...” or “They ought to make a better...”’ (Marzano, & Pickering, 1997, p.214) The crucial term in the driving question is ‘backward design’. The concept of ‘backward design’ is an advocacy of the reverse of common teacher practice, where assessment designers visualise the desired goal and then derive the curriculum from the performances called for or implied in achieving that goal (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)
Bearing these definitions in mind, the driving question could be restated as: ‘what teacher tool or tools could be created to encourage the 'backward design' of authentic, real-world learning experiences for learners in their learning journey as they progress toward a successful completion of the education process.’
Authentic assessment is... ‘a form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills’ (Mueller, 2010). It provides the learners with ‘engaging and worthy problems’ (Wiggins, 1993, p.229) that allow them to... ‘demonstrate (their) specific skills and competencies’ (Stiggins, 1987, p.34). In short, an authentic assessment task asks the learners to perform meaningful tasks that replicate real world challenges. It allows assessment to drive the curriculum, with the Learning Manager (LM) first determining a task, then a curriculum to enable the learners to perform that task as they acquire the relevant knowledge and skills in the process (Mueller, 2010). This concept is known as ‘planning backwards’ (McDonald, 1992; Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).
Traditionally, ‘Student Success’ was defined as being able to read and write and to have a fundamental knowledge of maths and science (Make it stick, 2010). However, with the advent of the knowledge economy, student success now includes in its definition the need for learners to apply skills like critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork in order to successfully prepare for 21st century expectations (Make it stick, 2010). With this in mind, Messersmith defined ‘Student Success’ as being: ‘the ability of a student to support himself or herself in this society after completing the educational process’ (Messersmith, 2007).
‘Invention’, as it is used in the DoL manual, is defined as: developing unique products or processes that fulfil perceived needs (Marzano, & Pickering, 1997). It provides a means to answer questions like: ‘“There has to be a better way to...” or “They ought to make a better...”’ (Marzano, & Pickering, 1997, p.214)
The crucial term in the driving question is ‘backward design’. The concept of ‘backward design’ is an advocacy of the reverse of common teacher practice, where assessment designers visualise the desired goal and then derive the curriculum from the performances called for or implied in achieving that goal (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)
Bearing these definitions in mind, the driving question could be restated as: ‘what teacher tool or tools could be created to encourage the 'backward design' of authentic, real-world learning experiences for learners in their learning journey as they progress toward a successful completion of the education process.’