MODULE No.

DESIGNING AUTHENTIC
LEARNING TASKS AND
ASSESSMENT
 Assessment in Learning 2

MODULE No. 5
DESIGNING AUTHENTIC LEARNING TASKS AND ASSESSMENT

Introduction

The real test of learning is measured by what the leaners can do with what they have learned.
Performance is the key word. Learning is most meaningful when the learners are performing what is
“real” to them, something that they can relate to and derive meaning from. Module 7 presents
authentic learning and authentic assessment simultaneously. Assessment in the case of authentic
activities is assessment FOR and assessment AS learning. Learning and assessment are integrated
processes. The integration is shown in this module.

I. Objectives
Reading the content of this module and doing the exercises will enable you to:
1. Deepen your understanding of the relationship between authentic learning tasks or
activities and authentic assessment
2. Identify from a DepED learning resource unit (downloaded or obtained from a teacher)
what authentic activities may be given to the students and the corresponding
assessment tool that may be used to assess learning.
3. Write a metacognitive reflection on the activities done in this module.

II. Anticipatory Set

In Module 6, one of your tasks was to write an essay on “Schooling in the COVID-19
Pandemic Times: My Personal Experience.” Did you score your essay based on the rubric
provided to you? Did you write a metacognitive reflection of the essay writing activity?
Was the experience that you wrote about real to you – that is, it was not a make believe?
Would you then say that the task that you did was an authentic task. In this Module, you
will learn more about authentic tasks and relate these to authentic assessment.

III. Lesson Proper

A. Authentic tasks are real-life activities, performances, or challenges that mirror those faced by
experts in the particular field. They are complex and multidimensional and require higher levels
of cognitive thinking such as problem solving and critical thinking (Popham, James W. 2002).

Authentic tasks, sometimes referred to in literature as authentic learning tasks or

simply authentic activities are either replicas of or analogous to the kinds of problems faced by
by adult citizens or professionals in the field and are accompanied by the resources and
opportunities for discussion, collaboration, revision, and justification typical of the production of
quality adult performances (Rudestam, Kjell Erik and Schoenholtz-Read, Judith, 2002). They are
tasks used in performance-based assessment that are based on real-world contexts and lead to
real-world outcomes (Henry, D.J. 2001).

Listed in BOX A are examples of authentic learning tasks or activities. The list is not
exhaustive. You are expected to add some more.

BOX A
Examples of authentic tasks that require students to plan, research and think
 Chatting with friends online on common topic of interest
 Communicating a message in a poster format, bulletin board, or display
 Conducting a survey
 Creating a model
 Creating a recipe
 Critiquing a performance
 Performing dances
 Demonstrating problem solving skills
 Interviewing people through phone or face to face
 Inventing something useful
 Making a computer program
 Making a map
 Making exhibits and portfolios
 Making power point presentations
 Making scientific experiments
 Participating in school publications
 Presenting papers or defending ideas
 Producing a video
 Writing a brochure
 Writing a children’s books
 Writing and directing a play
 Writing literary critiques
 Writing letters
………………………………………………

EXERCISE M-5- (1)

ADD SOME MORE. PUT THE ADDITIONAL ITEMS IN YOUR NOTEBOOK AS EXERCISE M-
VII- (1) CHOOSE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO YOUR FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION.
Authentic learning tasks are multifaceted, that is, a variety of learning experiences, work
samples and assessment procedures need to be taken into consideration. The sample in
BOX B illustrated that the learning experience (conduct of survey) involves collection of
students’ work samples (e.g. survey questionnaire, letter to Barangay Chair, graphs, report,
power point presentation, essay} which would require multiple assessment tools (e.g rubrics
for an essay, survey questionnaire, observation checklist or students’ use of interview skills
and strategies, etc.)

Study the content of the sample of a learning task presented to you in BOX B. What
elements do you see in the learning task?

BOX B
Sample of an Authentic Learning Task

A.1. Conduct a household survey of the extent to which the Purok to which your
household belongs practices solid waste segregation in support of your
Barangay’s “Sustainable Green Development Program”

Do the following:
1. Design a five-item survey questionnaire to collect data on the following:
- How many households in your Purok dispose of their solid garbage?
- How many households have waste bins?
- What do the households use as waste bins?
- Do the households practice solid waste segregation? Why or why not?
2. Draft a letter to ask permission from your Barangay Chair to conduct a survey?
3. Collect data from all households in your Purok, observing proper interview
procedures.
4. Transform your frequency counts to percentages and use pie or bar graphs to
show relative percentages.
5. Report your survey data in a 20-minute power point presentation.

A.2. Write a 200-word essay on “The Contribution of Proper Waste Segregation to

Sustainable Green Development Program.”

Your individual output will be evaluated using these weights:

Survey questionnaire - 20%
Letter of permission - 10%
Data analysis - 25%
Power-point presentation - 25%
Essay - 20%
B. Authentic Assessment. This involves assessment tasks that elicit demonstrations of
knowledge and skills in ways that resemble “real life” as closely as possible. An authentic
assessment also engages students in the activity and reflects best instructional activities. Thus,
teaching to the authentic assessment is desirable (Bordens, Kenneth S. and Abbott, Bruce B.
2008).

Authentic assessment is composed of performance tasks and activities designed to

simulate or replicate important real-world challenges. The heart of authentic assessment is
realistic performance-based testing – asking the students to use knowledge in real-world ways,
with genuine purposes, audience, and situational variables. Thus, the context of the
assessment, not just the task itself and whether it is performance-based or hands-on, is what
makes the work authentic (e.g. the “messiness’ of the problem, ability to seek feedback and
revise, asses to appropriate resources). Authentic assessments are meant to do more than
“test:” They should teach the students (and teachers - what the “doing” of a subject looks like
and what kinds of performance challenges are actually considered most important in a field of
profession. The tasks are chosen because they are representative of essential questions or
challenges facing practitioners in the field.

An authentic test directly measures students on the valued performance. By contrast,

multiple choice tests are indirect measures of performance. In the field of measurement,
authentic tests are called “direct” test.

Authentic assessment should involve an authentic task and students should be asked to
demonstrate their control over the essential knowledge being taught by using the information in
a way that reveals their level of understanding. The evaluation criteria should be understood by
the students from the start so that they can self-assess their work by applying the criteria
(OWP/P Architects VS Furniture, et al., n.d.).

Authentic assessment also includes providing ill-structured problem (also ill-defined

problem), a term used to describe a question, problem, or task that lacks a recipe or obvious
formula to answer or solve it. Ill-structured tasks or problems do not suggest or imply a specific
strategy or approach guaranteed to yield success. Often the problem is fuzzy and needs to be
further clarified before a solution is offered. Such questions or problems thus, demand more
than knowledge; they demand good judgement and imagination. All essay questions, science
problems, or design challenges are ill-structured. Even when the goal is understood or the
expectations clear, a procedure must be developed along the way. Invariably, ill-structured
tasks require constant self-assessment and revision, not just a simple application of knowledge
transfer.
Ill-structured problem is one that has more than one acceptable solution, an ambiguous
goals, and no generally agreed-upon strategy for reaching a solution (Fraenkle, Jack R. and
Wallen, Normal E. 2006).
IV. Application & Assessment

BOX C
Exercise M-5- (2)
Creating an Authentic Learning Task
Look at the sample of an authentic learning task in BOX B. Construct one similar to it on a
topic in the curriculum that you have downloaded or borrowed from a teacher.

AFTER COMPLETING THE TASK, WRITE A METACOGNTIVE REFLECTION ABOUT THIS

ACTIVITY.

V. Assignment
Please be reminded to continue building your collection of assessment tools. What you will
submit to me is not just a collection but you have to follow the pattern that you were given
in the module on portfolio development.
Frajenkin – 05-12-23