Traditional vs.
Authentic Assessment
Traditional assessments refer to conventional methods of testing, usually
standardized and use pen and paper with multiple-choice, true or false or matching
type test items.
Authentic assessments refer to assessments wherein students are asked to perform
real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of what they have
learned.
Traditional Assessment Authentic Assessment
Purpose: to evaluate if the students Purpose: to measure students’
have learned the content; to determine proficiency by asking them to perform real
whether or not the students are successful in life-tasks; to provide students many avenues
acquiring knowledge; to ascribe a grade for to learn and demonstrate best what they have
them; to rank and compare them against learned; to guide instruction; to provide
standards or other learners feedback and help students manage their own
learning; to also evaluate students’
competency
Provides teachers a snapshot of what Provides teachers a more complete
the students know picture of what the students know and what
they can do with what they know
Measures students’ knowledge of the Measures students’ ability to apply
content knowledge of the content in real life
situations; ability to use/apply what they have
learned in meaningful ways
Requires students to demonstrate Requires students to demonstrate
knowledge by selecting a response/giving proficiency by performing relevant tasks
correct answers; usually tests students’ showing application of what has been learned
proficiency through paper and pencil tests
Students are asked to choose an answer
from a set of questions (True or False;
multiple choice) to test knowledge of what has
been taught.
Provides indirect evidence of learning Provides direct evidence of
learning/competency; direct demonstration of
knowledge and skills by performing relevant
tasks
Requires students to practice cognitive Provides opportunities for students to
ability to recall/recognize/reconstruct body of construct meaning/new knowledge out of
knowledge that has been taught what has been taught
Tests and strengthens the students’ Tests and strengthens the students’
ability to recall/recognize and comprehend ability to reason and analyze, synthesize, and
content, but does not reveal the students’ true apply knowledge acquired; Students’ higher
progress of what they can do with the level of cognitive skills (from knowledge and
knowledge they acquired. Only the students’ comprehension to analysis, synthesis,
lower level of thinking skills, (knowledge and application, and evaluation) are tapped in
comprehension), are tapped. multiple ways.
Hides the test Teaches the test
Teachers serve as evaluators and Involves and engages the students in
students as the evaluatees: teacher-structured the teaching, learning and assessment process:
student structured
Assessment is separated from teaching Assessment is integrated with
and learning. Test usually comes after instruction. Assessment activities happen all
instruction to evaluate if the students have throughout instruction to help students
successfully learned the content. improve their learning and help teachers
improve their teaching.
Provides limited ways for students to Provides multiple avenues for students
demonstrate what they have learned to demonstrate best what they have learned
Rigid and fixed Flexible and provides multiple
acceptable ways of constructing products or
performance as evidence of learning
Standardized; valid and reliable Needs well defined criteria/rubrics and
standards to achieve reliability and validity
Curriculum drives assessment. Assessment drives curriculum and
instruction.
Examples: Examples:
True or False; multiple choice tests demonstrations
standardized tests hands-on experiments
achievement tests computer simulations
intelligence tests portfolios
aptitude tests projects
multi-media presentations
role plays
recitals
stage plays
exhibits
Advantages of Traditional Assessment Over Authentic Assessment:
Traditional assessments do have advantages over authentic assessments:
Traditional Assessment Authentic Assessment
Advantages: Disadvantages:
Easy to score; Teachers can evaluate Harder to evaluate
students more quickly and easily.
Less time and easier to prepare; easy to Time consuming; labor intensive
administer Sometimes, time and effort spent
exceed the benefits.
Objective, reliable and valid Susceptible to unfairness, subjectivity,
lacking objectivity, reliability, and validity if
not properly guided by well-defined/clear
criteria or rubrics/standards
Economical Less economical
Advantages of Authentic Assessment Over Traditional Assessment
On the other hand, here are the advantages of authentic assessment over the
traditional assessment:
Traditional Assessment Authentic Assessment
Disadvantages: Advantages:
Provides teachers with just a snapshot Provides teachers with the true picture
of what the students have truly learned of how and where their students are in their
learning; gives more information about their
students’ strengths, weaknesses, needs and
preferences that aid them in adjusting
instruction towards enhanced teaching and
learning
Provides students limited options to Provides students many
demonstrate what they have learned, usually alternatives/ways to demonstrate best what
limited to pencil and paper tests they have learned; offers a wide array of
interesting and challenging assessment
activities
Assessment is separate from Assessment is integrated with
instruction. instruction.
Reveals and strengthens only the Reveals and enriches the students’ high
students’ low level cognitive skills: level cognitive skills: from knowledge and
knowledge and comprehension comprehension to analysis, synthesis,
application and evaluation
Assesses only the lower level Enhances students’ ability to apply
thinking/cognitive skills: focuses only on the skills and knowledge to real lie situations; taps
students’ ability to memorize and recall high order cognitive and problem solving
information skills
Hides the test Teaches the test
Teacher-structured: teachers direct and Student-structured: students are more
act as evaluators; students merely answer the engaged in their learning; assessment results
assessment tool. guide instruction
Involves students working alone; Oftentimes involves students working
promotes competitiveness in groups hence promotes team work,
collaborative and interpersonal skills
Invokes feelings of anxiety detrimental Reduces anxiety and creates a more
to learning relaxed happy atmosphere that boosts learning
Time is fixed and limited; students are Time is flexible.
time-pressured to finish the test.
Focuses on one form of intelligence Focuses on the growth of the learner;
Learners express their understanding of
the learning content using their preferred
multiple forms of intelligences.
Provides parents and community with
more observable products, proofs of the
students’ learning which motivate them to
support their kids’ learning more
Assessment FOR Learning:
Informal-formative-alternative assessments can best serve the purpose of assessment
FOR learning as they continuously inform and guide instruction, and help students
become better learners. Assessments are integrated with instruction and help teachers
monitor students’ progress, identify their learning needs and adjust their instruction
accordingly. They also give feedback to students and help them become self-directed,
metacognitive and successful learners.
Assessment AS Learning:
Informal-formative-alternative assessments can also very well serve the purposes of
assessment OF and AS learning. There are various informal-formative-alternative
assessment strategies (e.g. journals, self and peer assessments) that can help students
become self-reflective and be good managers of their own learning, making
adjustments and developing more effective learning strategies, hence serving the
purpose of assessment AS learning.
s
Assessment OF Learning:
At the same time, there are also various informal-formative-alternative assessments
(recitals, visual and oral presentations, etc.) that can give a picture of what the
students have actually learned after instruction, providing evidence of learning and
certifying competency, hence serving the purpose of assessment OF learning.
Formal-summative-traditional assessments measure and strengthen the students’
cognitive abilities to recall/memorize, comprehend and reconstruct knowledge,
addressing the lower level cognitive skills (from knowledge to comprehension), while
the informal-formative-alternative assessments measure and strengthen the
students’ higher level of cognitive skills, from knowledge and comprehension to
analysis, synthesis, application and evaluation of what they have learned.
References:
Dikli, S. (2003). Assessment at a distance: Traditional vs. alternative assessments. The
Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 2(3) Article 2 [PDF document].
Retrieved from http://www.tojet.net/articles/v2i3/232.
Kwako. A brief summary of traditional and alternative assessment. Retrieved
from www.stat.wisc.edu/~nordheim/Kwako_assessment4.doc
Traditional vs. Authentic Assessment. (2012). Retrieved
from http://www.cssvt.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Traditional-vs-Authentic-
Assessment.pdf
Wiggins, G. (1990). The case for authentic assessment. Retrieved
from http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=2&n=2
