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Understanding, Designing and Administering Authentic Assessments in Education

Support learning development with a comprehensive understanding of authentic assessments, their critical elements, and strategies.

Teen boys concentrate on test taking

Understanding, Designing and Administering Authentic Assessments in Education

  • 4 weeks

  • 3 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Intermediate level

Find out more about how to join this course

  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
  • 100% online

    How it works
  • Unlimited subscription

    $244.99 for a whole yearLearn more

Support student development with authentic assessment design

On this flexible, four-week course, redesign the way your students are tested with fundamental strategies for designing, implementing, and evaluating authentic assessments.

With this insight, you’ll transform the way students develop critical skills and apply knowledge in real-world contexts.

Unpack the differences between traditional assessments and authentic ones

This course begins with an introduction to authentic assessments. You’ll discuss the role of evaluations in higher education, what it means for an evaluation to be authentic, and how these types of assessments differ from traditional models.

Understand the elements of authentic assessment and promote authentic growth

You’ll then explore the eight elements that make up authentic assessments. You’ll look into the role of real-world relevance, higher-order thinking, active learning, communication, and more in crafting authentic assessments.

Design authentic assessments and encourage authenticity

Next, you’ll break down the steps for creating authentic assessments. You’ll consider the critical elements previously discussed and incorporate them with key design principles.

You’ll then put this knowledge into practice by designing an authentic assessment of your own, and gain helpful feedback from your peers and course lead.

Gain practical strategies for your classroom from Queensland University of Technology

On the final week of the course, you’ll recap what you’ve learned and gain practical assessment strategies to craft an implementation plan for the design you created during the previous week.

You’ll finish by discussing the methods for evaluating the effectiveness of an assessment, and walk away confident to apply the skills you’ve gained in your own classroom.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    Introduction to Authentic Assessment

    • assessment

      Welcome to the course

      Find out more about what you'll be covering in this course and how to get the most out of the learning.

    • What is authentic assessment?

      Understand the concept of authentic assessment and how it compares with traditional assessment design.

    • Benefits of authentic assessment

      Now we'll consider the benefits of implementing authentic assessment using examples from higher education.

    • Weekly wrap up

      Let's take a moment to reflect on what you've learnt this week.

  • Week 2

    Critical elements of authentic assessments

    • red chess pion with white pions

      Welcome to Week 2

      This week we discuss the critical elements of authentic assessments.

    • multiple side profiles of people

      Critical elements of authentic assessments

      We discuss the 8 critical elements of authentic assessments.

    • lego pieces against a yellow background

      Weekly wrap up

      Let's take a moment to reflect on what you've learnt this week.

  • Week 3

    Designing authentic assessment tasks

    • Welcome to Week 3

      This week you have an opportunity to apply your learning with the design stage.

    • Designing an assessment

      Let's get practical.

    • old typewriter

      Weekly wrap up

      Let's take a moment to reflect on what you've learnt this week.

  • Week 4

    Implementing and evaluating authentic assessment

    • wooden cut out people

      Welcome to Week 4

      This week discuss the implementation and evaluation of authentic assessments.

    • futuristic stepping stones

      Implementing authentic assessment

      Practical tips on implementation.

    • Evaluating effectiveness of authentic assessment strategies

      How do we evaluate our authentic assessment strategy?

    • stylised drawing of hanging light bulbs

      Course wrap up

      Let's take a moment for a final reflection on what you have learnt about authentic assessments over the past 4 weeks.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Define authentic assessment and distinguish it from traditional assessment methods.
  • Identify the critical elements that determine authentic assessment.
  • Design and implement authentic assessment tasks in your programs.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of your authentic assessment strategies.

Who is the course for?

This intermediate-level course is designed for all educators, equipping them with a comprehensive guide for designing and implementing authentic assessments.

No prior knowledge is required to join, but having some experience in the field will be helpful for key takeaways.

Who will you learn with?

Kevin Ashford-Rowe

Professor Kevin Ashford-Rowe is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia. He has a particular research interest in authentic assessment.

Who developed the course?

QUT logo

Queensland University of Technology

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a major Australian university with a truly global outlook. Home to over 50,000 students, we’re providing real-world infrastructure, learning and teaching, and graduate skills to the next generation of change-makers.

  • Established

    1989
  • Location

    Brisbane, Australia
  • World ranking

    Top 180Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$244.99 for a whole year

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$134/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 5 Mar 2025

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

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  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

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  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

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  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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