Watch the video from 20:15 to 24:45 and reference Page 5 in your workbook
Authenticity
Complete page 5 in your workbook.
Comment on the following:
- What are your thoughts on Authentic Tasks? Do you use them in your Science instruction and assessment?
- Please share one example and/or experiences that rated high in authenticity from your chart on page 5
- Also, please comment on each others posts and give feedback on tasks that are shared in regards to authenticity.
I think that authentic assessment compliments traditional assessments, and that a mix of the two will best meet the needs of the first grade students in my class. I think it is important for my students to be able to demonstrate their understanding of a topic covered by performing a task that is meaningful and complex for their age and ability level. When learning about plants, we make a plant product collage by cutting out things that people get from plants. We make a graphic organizer with groups of food, clothing, and things from a home with a group of students, and share with the other groups in our class.
ReplyDeleteI agree Wendy! Great reflection. That would definitely be a way to create a learner-centered assessment.
Deletegreat ideas Wendy! I love having collages at all age levels. The kids always get into them. Pictures, cutting, hands on authentic assessments.
DeleteI think authentic assessments should be the hallmark of our assessment repertoire, but as we have already mentioned, time is the biggest obstacle. I think in science, we have the ability to create assessments that rate higher on the degree scale. The highest degree of authenticity requires students to engage in real world problems, operating as people do outside of schools. We do this when we perform experiments as scientists do. Where I fall short of this is by involving or sharing their learning with audiences outside of school that could benefit from their work.
ReplyDeleteWe just completed an experiment in the STEM lab that had the students designing a rocket with given materials in order to make it fly a farther distance then the control rocket. This rates higher on the scale,but would rate even higher if we would have extended it by sharing the results with another group or audience outside of school, such as a group of engineers!
Even the simple idea of sharing with younger students in your building, or putting on a mini-presentation for the parents could be a possibility! In our building the 5th grade students recently shared a project with our 2nd grade classes, which are in the room next to ours, and my first grade students were BEGGING to take a look at their hard work!
DeleteSTEM labs are definitely considered authentic tasks. I got to teach a STEM camp a few years ago and it was a great experience. I wish my school would implement it more! Your students were probably so engaged in the rocket activity and I love the idea of sharing the results with engineers.
DeleteWhat kid doesnt love to build and fly a rocket! Putting fun back in school is a great idea. Yes students need to learn, but if they have fun doing it I think they learn more. Maybe a district wide competetion would be a great way to show off the students learning!
DeleteWhat kid doesnt love to build and fly a rocket! Putting fun back in school is a great idea. Yes students need to learn, but if they have fun doing it I think they learn more. Maybe a district wide competetion would be a great way to show off the students learning!
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ReplyDeleteI meant to put it under the post above-oopps! :)
DeleteImplementing authentic tasks teaches students to engage in real-world situations and think critically. These tasks are a creative and engaging way to assess students in science. The chapter tests and vocabulary quizzes used in the classes I work in are low in authenticity. However, we incorporate projects that are high in authenticity, but do not totally get rid of the low authentic tasks. Some higher degree tasks we planned for in science during summer curriculum include, an animal research project, newspaper articles, dolphins/porpoises essay, scientific method experiment, and different writing assignments. These are graded with a rubric and provide students with a lot feedback. The animal research project definitely rates high in authenticity. It involves students researching, writing a book, illustrating, and sharing it with their peers. We do our best to use higher authentic tasks throughout the year, however I think it is important to see how we can use them more and eliminate low authentic tasks.
ReplyDeleteI agree Nicole. I wish we could eliminate those assessments that rate low on the degree scale of authenticity. Your animal research project is a great way to raise the bar for authenticity and really prepares the students for the upper grades.
DeleteI feel authentic tasks are the ultimate goal of any science teacher. While traditionallyscience lends itself to more authentic tasks than most subjects, I feel teacher take the least advantage of it in science. STEM labs will help increase authentic tasks and move us towards more real life applications of science concepts which will increase student engagement and hopefully student success.
ReplyDeleteOne authentic task used as a formative assessment involves 6th grade students studying waves. Students work as a whole class and follow movement directions from the teacher and students then must determine what type of waves their motion is mimicking. Students are engaged and participating so it tends to stick with them and some ask questions which leads to discussion.
Mark you are dead on by saying STEM labs or activities will help increase authentic tasks and real life application. I am amazed at how many resources there are for activities. One very useful one is stem-works.com. We use the numerous extreme weather activities.
DeleteAuthentic assessments are used everyday in our science class. There is often a quick recall of prior knowledge then one or two pieces of new information following by some kind of hands on science experiment. The other day we tested the physical and chemical properties of water and vinegar on baking soda. The kids really got into it. The water dissolved the baking soda whereas the vinegar turned into a gas and the sandwich bags we were using (sealed) began to rise. The kids were all discussing the experiment thinking that the bags would burst.
ReplyDeleteReflecting on the summative assessments I use throughout my course, I found that my tests would probably rate low on authenticity and lab reports would rate higher.
ReplyDeleteOne in particular is an experiment I use with my freshman students. The class begins with a raw shelled egg and it is placed in vinegar. The vinegar dissolves the shell leaving the egg inside enact. The outer layer of the egg acts like a cell membrane allowing certain substances to pass. Students change the concentrations of substances around the egg and observe changes in the size of the egg. Distilled water makes the egg very large while salt water makes it shrink in size. Students make hypothesis and observations along the way. Finally students write a story about the egg using a fictitious character. The story must contain science content, be creative, and have illustrations. Students then share their story with classmates.
Unfortunately at the high school results are pretty much based on how students perform on regents exams, which pretty much have a low degree of authenticity. I find it hard to break away from assessments that model the regents because those results are part of my overall evaluation.