1. Teaching Tips for Implementing Authentic Assessment
Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Math Curriculum
Created by The University of North Texas in partnership with the Texas Education Agency

2. UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
Use of Modules
In reviewing the content of this professional development module it may be helpful for you to use the following tools to take notes, summarize key points and identify ideas to implement in your classroom:
Cornell Notes Example Sample Cornell Notes Sheet that demonstrates how to take notes, summarize key points, and identify specific ideas for implementation.
Cornell Notes Form Blank Cornell Notes Sheet for use in taking notes, summarizing key points, and identifying specific ideas for implementation.
Mind Map Example Examples of how to use a mind map to take notes, summarize key points, and identify specific ideas for implementation.
Mind Map Blank Form Blank Mind Map for use in taking notes, summarizing key points, and identifying specific ideas for implementation.
Action Plan Form to use in taking ideas for implementation from the professional development module (from Cornell Notes Sheet and/or Mind Map ) and planning to implement them in your classroom.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

3. UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
Assessment Defined
Assessment is any method used to better understand the current knowledge that a student possesses.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

4. UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
Fundamental Role
The fundamental role of assessment in STEM is to provide authentic and meaningful feedback for improving student learning.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

5. Practical Application for STEM
Prototypes or models will be made.
Testing and evaluation of the design will occur.
Meaningful feedback between students and teacher about achieving learning goals will take place.
Discussion on making improvements to design will happen.
Revisions can be made if needed.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

6. Authentic Assessment applied to STEM answers…
How are we doing?
How can we do it better?
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

7. Principles of Assessment
Principle 1: The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning.
Principle 2: Assessment for other purposes supports student learning.
Principle 3: Assessment systems should be fair to all students.
Principle 4: Professional collaboration and development support assessment.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

8. Teachers apply principles when they…
assign performance tasks for students to “demonstrate” what they have learned.
involve students in group projects so they learn to work collaboratively and cooperatively.
utilize portfolio development and reviews.
utilize scoring rubric to guide students and ensure fair grading.
provide information for school improvement and accountability that supports student learning.
engage in ongoing professional development.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

9. “Touchstone Criteria” for Holding Assessments to High Standards
Fairness Cognitive Complexity Transfer and Generalization Content Quality Content Coverage Meaningfulness Cost and Efficiency
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

10. STEM teachers hold assessments to high standards by…
providing an equal opportunity for all students to learn complex thinking and problem-solving skills.
providing activities in which students can transfer learning with reliable and consistent results.
selecting tasks that are worthy of students’ and teachers’ time and effort and the content stands the “test of time”.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

11. STEM teachers hold assessments to high standards by…
providing content that is aligned with key elements of the curriculum covered.
assigning tasks that are realistic and worthwhile and have “meaningfulness” for the student.
considering cost and efficiency whereby the assessment is worth the cost and time to collect it.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

12. Assessment of Knowledge - STEM
Written, standardized or multiple-choice tests,
with sections for “explanations,” are suitable for
assessing knowledge which can be stated.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

13. Assessment of Skills - STEM
The student is asked to demonstrate or “show”
they can use the skills they have learned in a
realistic situation. For example,
Showing how to use engineering tools, equipment, software, and materials.
Producing multiple architectural drawings.
Building models and constructs.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

14. Assessment of Attitudes – STEM
Attitudes are assessed through observation of
student behavior over time and in different situations.
For example,
Observing how a student works collaboratively and cooperatively with peers in building a trebuchet to launch water balloons .
Observing how consistently the student offers assistance, encourages and supports the ideas of others when working on a science project.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

15. Assessment Types used in STEM
Traditional Assessments
Authentic Assessments
Balanced Assessments
(Combination of the two)
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

16. Words Used Interchangeably
Authentic Assessment – mirrors and measures “real world” tasks that are meaningful to the student. (robotics)
Performance Assessment – observation of student performance and rating performance according to pre-established performance criteria. (observing the student’s ability to construct a basic circuit from a schematic)
Alternative Assessment - in which students will be asked to create a response. (creating an hypothesis statement)
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

17. Whichever term is used…
they all refer to a process of giving students a task (performance),
that is more complete (alternative),
and representative of the real world (authentic).
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

18. Authentic Assessment Defined
A form of assessment in which students are asked to perform
real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

19. Authentic Assessment Applied to STEM Curriculum
Teachers will assign real-world tasks such as conducting a science experiment, building models, or solving complex math problems that have meaningful, real-world application.
Students will be learning and acquiring team-building skills that will prepare them to compete in the workplace of the 21st Century.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved

20. Authentic Assessment in STEM…
Stresses the importance of examining the processes as well as the products
of learning.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

21. Authentic Assessment in STEM includes…
A task for students to perform.
A rubric, or a set of scoring guidelines, by which students’ performance-based tasks will be evaluated.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

22. How Authentic Assessment Impacts Instructional Content
It directs curriculum.
It represents a “backward” or “reverse planning” model of instruction.
Rather than create assessments based on instructional content/activities, assessments are developed to meet standards.
Instructional content/activities are used to guide students toward the target performance (standard).
It provides clear standards and criteria for excellence.
And, it results in quality products and performances.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

23. STEM teachers using Authentic Assessment will…
Encourage divergent thinking in generating possible answers.
Challenge students to explore the possibilities in open-ended, complex problems and draw their own inferences.
Encourage students to move beyond the “one right answer” mentality.
Require students to generate, rather than choose, responses.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

24. Authentic Assessment Impacts Student Learning & Performance
Process and outcomes of learning are examined.
Priority is placed on the learning sequence or process.
Provides examination of learning over time.
Learning transfers after the activity is completed.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

25. Authentic Assessment Impacts Student Learning and Performance
Prepares students for ambiguities and exceptions found in realistic problem settings.
Taps higher-level thinking and problem-solving skills.
Asks students to perform, create, produce or “do”.
Promotes “how” knowledge.
Requires students to apply knowledge.
Requires students to demonstrate skills or behaviors.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

26. Impacts Students with Real-World Applications
The goal is to enhance development of meaningful skills.
It actively involves students in significant, real-life experiences.
Meaningful “performance” tasks are assigned.
Proficiency at real-world tasks is emphasized.
Parallels real-world applications.
Emphasizes cooperation needed in the real-world .
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

27. Authentic Assessment Impacts Teachers
Requires new instructional
and assessment roles
for STEM teachers
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

28. When using authentic assessment, STEM teachers will…
individualize instruction and assessments.
use a variety of assessment techniques.
provide opportunities for cooperation among students.
have students solve real-world, authentic problems.
ask students to generate responses.
ask students to solve open-ended, complex problems.
involve students in actively constructing and producing new knowledge.
provide students with standards. benchmarks, and rubrics prior to instruction (shows what success looks like).
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

29. Authentic Assessment methods for STEM may include…
performance tasks, demonstrations, exhibitions.
(showing paddle wheel is functional & lifts water)
student portfolios with rating criteria.
(architectural drawings with scoring rubric)
group projects.
(land and marine robotics)
observation checklists.
(knowledge of safety procedures used in lab)
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

30. STEM teachers use the following methods…
open-ended questions.
student learning logs and journals.
documented observations.
projects.
student portfolios.
observation checklists.
debriefing interviews about student projects, products, demonstrations.
student self-evaluation.
teacher and peer assessments.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

31. Student activities may include…
Architectural drawings and models Science experiments Land and marine robotics Engineering graphics drawings and plans Math problems with real-world application Building trebuchet
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

32. Process for Authentic Assessment
Identify standards with meaningful real-world applicability.
Develop learning objectives that are specific, measureable components of the (broader) standard.
Identify target performance or skills that match the target learning objective, and promote activities requiring higher order cognitive skills.
Develop performance criteria that is clear, concise, and openly communicated to students.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

33. Process for Authentic Assessment
Create scoring rubric that is clear and detailed to provide guidance to students, and ensures consistent and fair grading procedures.
Design instructional activities to directly guide students toward desired performance.
Implement authentic assessment that emphasizes both process and product, uses a variety of methods including opportunities for self-assessment and peer assessment, and allows for revision.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

34. Student Self-Assessment
A basic premise of authentic assessment is that the student independently develops the expertise to use a “mental red pen” for self assessment.
It requires students to evaluate their own participation, process, and products.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

35. STEM Teachers Model Self-Assessment
Teachers may need to model self-evaluation techniques and demonstrate the use of checklists and criteria guides in the beginning.
Students will soon internalize and apply these standards to their work.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

36. Observation Checklist
The observation checklist is a strategy to monitor specific skills, behaviors, or dispositions.
Students become actively involved in establishing their goals.
The checklist can be used for self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher assessment.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

37. UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
Student Portfolio
An effective assessment method used with STEM curriculum because it assesses active learning and performance.
A purposeful, organized collection of student work to show effort, progress, or degree of proficiency.
Showcases work over the course of a specified time.
Reflects the quality of work that students are expected to produce.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

38. UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
Student Portfolio
Used by the teacher and student to monitor growth of the student’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes in a specific area.
Provides a variety of ways to assess student growth and development.
Student identifies strengths and weaknesses through self-evaluation.
Forms a more accurate picture of the student as a life-long learner.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

39. The portfolio may contain…
Creative Cover
Letter to the Reader
Table of Contents
Goal-Setting Page
Student “Artifacts”
Weekly Journals
Reflections on Samples of Work
Assessment – Self-Evaluation
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

40. UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
Key Learning Points
Authentic assessment is effective for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum because it:
provides meaningful performance tasks with real-world application.
requires higher order cognitive skills.
emphasizes both process and product.
provides clear, concise, and openly communicated performance criteria.
provides scoring rubric that directly guides students toward desired performance.
ensures consistent and fair grading procedures.
uses a variety of methods to assess performance.
provides opportunities for self-assessment; and peer and teacher assessment.
allows for revision.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

41. Teaching Aid: “Collect, Select, Reflect”
To access a teaching aid on student portfolio development , go to and click on the STEM icon.
Then, click on “Collect, Select, Reflect: 10 Steps for Developing Your Portfolio”
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.

42. UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
References
Health Science Technology Education Assessment Tools. CD-ROM
Dietel, R., Herman, J., & Knuth, R. (1991). What does reserch say about assessment?
Principles and Indicators for student assessment systems – National Forum on Assessment.
DeFina, A. (1992). Portfolio assessment: Getting started. New York: Scholastic Professional Books.
Burke, K. (1994). The mindful school: How to assess authentic learning. Arlington Heights, IL: Skylight Training and Publishing.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © All rights reserved.