Authentic Assessment Toolbox
created by Jon Mueller

 

Standards

Tasks

Rubrics

portfolios

Examples

workshops

Glossary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top of Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Examples as of July 1, 2018

to the Authentic Assessment Toolbox, a how-to text on creating authentic tasks, rubrics, and standards for measuring and improving student learning. Inside, you will find chapters on

What is it?A good place to start -- In this chapter I identify the characteristics, strengths and limitations of authentic assessment; compare and contrast it with traditional (test-based) assessment.

 

Why do it?Why has authentic assessment become more popular in recent years? When can it best serve assessment needs?

 


how do you do it?After a brief overview, follow a detailed, four-step process for creating an authentic assessment.

 

standardsAll good assessment begins with standards: statements of what we want our students to know and be able to do. What do we really value?

 

TasksAuthentic assessments are often called "tasks" because they include real-world applications we ask students to perform.

 

RubricsTo assess the quality of student work on authentic tasks, teachers develop rubrics, or scoring scales.

 

PortfoliosA collection of a student's work specifically selected to tell a particular story about the student -- and a great opportunity to develop self-assessment skills

 

Constructing TestsA guide to constructing good, multiple-choice tests, to complement your authentic assessments

 

ExamplesSee what standards, tasks and rubrics, and portfolios look like. You are welcome to send me other examples to share with your fellow educators.


GlossaryWonder what a term means? Click on italicized, underlined terms throughout the site to go to the glossary. Green text that is not underlined is a standard link to another page.

 

WorkshopsLook over my shoulder as I help an imaginary teacher in the development of standards, authentic tasks, and rubrics.

 

About the authorWho is Jon Mueller? Why did he create this site? Inquiring minds...

 

 

 

Thanks to all of you who have adopted this text for your courses. I hope your students have found it useful.

Jon's Book

Table of Contents

We ask students to memorize reams of information that they will rarely if ever use again, but we often fail to teach them the critical skills needed to meet the daily challenges of the 21st century, skills such as information literacy, collaboration, metacognitive reflection, and self-assessment. One reason we have shied away from teaching such skills is that we are unsure how to assess them. Thus, in this text I offer a detailed set of steps and examples, including rubrics, of how to summatively and formatively assess the skills our students need. For K-16 educators.
 
Home | What is it? | Why do it? | How do you do it? | Standards | Tasks | Rubrics| Examples | Glossary

Copyright 2023, Jon Mueller. Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, North Central College, Naperville, IL. Comments, questions or suggestions about this website should be sent to the author, Jon Mueller, at jfmueller@noctrl.edu.