Estimated Time: 15 minutes

Traditional and authentic assessment both have their place as part of effective instruction. To better understand each, we are going to unpack what these assessment types look like through a couple of resources. Before we begin, take a look at the thinking prompts below. We recommend that you jot these questions down and take notes on how you would answer them as you navigate through the resources on this page.

What is an authentic assessment?
How is an authentic assessment different than a traditional assessment?
What are the benefits of incorporating authentic assessments into your assessment plan?
Am I currently using authentic assessments in my instruction?
Where might there be opportunities to add authentic assessments to my instruction?

Watch

The following video gives some plain-English descriptions of how authentic assessment differs from traditional assessment.

Explore

Indiana University Bloomington's Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning has developed a webpage for its faculty on Authentic Assessment. Please read through the page, paying specific attention to the table midway down the page as you explore.

Authentic Assessment - Indiana University Bloomington